A lot of strategy and planning goes into building a business from the ground up. Before your startup is ready to launch, you’ll want to think carefully about your brand and the image you’ll present to consumers.

So, how can you stand out from your competitors?

The most visible way is to create a unique business name. With a catchy, creative, and descriptive name, your business and brand will be memorable — consumers will recognize it online, in advertisements, or in stores. A unique business name also helps separate your products and services from the competition.

But finding the perfect business name can be difficult and time-consuming without a little help. Start the brainstorming process with the business name ideas in this post. We even recommend some of our favorite business name generators toward the end of this post to get your wheels turning.

Business & Company Name Ideas

Brand Name Examples

Attributes of a Great Company Name

How to Name a Business

Business Name Generators

If you’re in need of business name inspiration, look no further. Here are some name ideas created using business name generators — and I’ve included the product or industry the name describes.

Catchy Business Name Ideas

These are business name ideas that are sure to grab the attention of potential customers and clients. A catchy business name may include some type of alliteration or words that share the same rhyme scheme. It creates a connection in the brain to that particular company and/or product.

1. SwipeWire

Everything great and interesting in the digital world begins with a swap, and SwipeWire Company is no different. They represent that narrative with their fun and open-minded group of creatives who claim to be sharper than a warrior’s knife. By having swipe in their name, they’re letting their customers know they have plenty of options to choose from based on their interests.

2. Secure Smart Solutions

In 2022, hackers are educated IT specialists who can have access to all your company documents in one click. They take time to create their malicious software and find creative ways to distribute the information. That means that securing programs, devices and technologies will require smart and creative solutions, and that’s what Secure Smart Solutions offers. Using their creative name, they let their customers know that they’re not getting any average cyber security, they’re offering the best.

3. Exela Movers

When you’re looking for a moving company, you want an excellent company that is big enough to handle all your needs and small enough to care for you. Exela Movers does this, and from their name, you can expect that your experience working with them will be fantastic.

4. Kaboom Fireworks

Kaboom Fireworks is a big company that deals with fireworks. While the company’s name is pretty straightforward, the kaboom part just creates that visual presentation of the experience you’re getting from their products. The kaboom name is also written in a very graphic way on their website, making it even more appropriate for the store.

5. Formonix

Formonix is a company based in China that specializes in distributing pressure, level, calibration, and temperature instruments. They pride themselves on their customer service and assure their customers to offer flexibility, speed, and bonding deliveries. This is exactly what their name stands for; Monix means someone who loves to mingle and socialize with others and can meet all situations at ease.

6. La Visual

La Visual Company is a branding strategy company that works towards helping other businesses connect with their customers and create a lasting impression. Everything they do is to gain attention through great visual presentation hence their name. They use their designs to create beautiful images and videos for their customers’ branding strategies.

7. Cloud Revel

Starting a business can be very hectic, boring, and exhausting. However, it can be different if you get help from a group of specialists who enjoy the entire process. Cloud Revel helps businesses develop a plan, create systems, and answer all the questions startups may have. They do all this full of enthusiasm hence their name, Cloud Revel – it’s like they get their high from the entire process.

8. Seeking

Seeking got you, whether you’re looking for a spa, a gym, or a restaurant. They help their subscribers get anything they’re looking for and give them various options to choose from. Their name describes exactly what the business does – it’s precise and straightforward.

9. Medicine

Medicine is another straightforward name; no glamor added, just what they’re about. Their name shows they are serious professionals, and the only thing they’re helping you with is to live a quality life. Medicine gives you all the health tips you need for your mental health, allergies, chronic illnesses, and anything else that comes to mind when you think of health and treatment.

10. Silver Singles

Silver singles is a dating site for folks over 50 years old. The name describes exactly what you expect when signing up for the site and who you’ll be interacting with. At the same time, it sends the message that dating can be fun and beautiful too at whatever age, even with white hair.

11. Better Help

Dealing with mental issues can be very draining and lonely. Sometimes you need to talk to someone, but you can hardly get yourself to go out and book an appointment for a therapy session. Better Help ensures you get this in the comfort of your home by simply messaging your therapist. Their name reflects what they offer, giving better help by making it convenient and accessible.

12. Quick Space

When you think about constructing a home, you think about all the long processes that will take years. Quick Space is helping change this narrative by manufacturing the home in 3D and then delivering it to the site when it’s completely done. As their name suggests, they literally help their customers get a quick space.

13. MetConnect

MetConnect connects buyers with retailers and ensures they get everything they need, from liquor and food to hardware products. The company’s name is another example of a cool and precise name – it has a digital vibe, and it’s easy to remember.

Creative Business Name Ideas

It can be challenging to think of a creative and unique business name. Here are a few examples to inspire you. When selecting a business name, a creative idea comes from all types of things or experiences. A company name is essentially the identity and the brand will revolve around the company’s name.

14. Rentoor Marketing

Rentoor marketing is a real estate company that teaches newbies how to sell, build teams and start getting money. Their platform comes with a clear plan for getting the results they claim to be getting, including their huge commissions. The name is creative and still describes what the business is about.

15. Kiddily

Kiddily is a learning platform that sells products to make early childhood education fun for kids. The name is adorable; just like the target customers, it’s also relevant to what the company does. While you may not know exactly what Kiddily does, you’ll definitely have an idea it’s about kids when you hear it.

16. Jumpsync

Financial education is something that we all wish we had been taught in school. Companies like Jumpsync take that responsibility and teach us how to invest in the right places. Their name Jumpsync describes what they do – they have a look at your finances, jumpstart them and ensure you are synched to a better financial future.

17. The Manifest

In the modern spiritual world, manifesting means making your dreams come true by being intentional with your thoughts and actions. The manifest does the same thing by helping you manifest more sales from your business. They do this by teaching you about the customer’s journey and how to utilize the marketing tools to win them over at every juncture.

18. VisionSwipe

Vision Swipe helps its customers promote their new technology, leverage technology, and help businesses through the digital age. They employ the digital narrative where you swipe left or right to get what you want in their name, making it very relatable. Their mission is to swipe your way through something visionary.

19. Bonfire Adventures

Bonfire Adventures is a travel company that helps people travel to different destinations worldwide. They book the air tickets, hotel rooms, and even fun activities their customers will engage in during the vacation. The company’s name is very creative and sells the bonfire experience – and who doesn’t want that kind of night?

20. Intrepid

Intrepid is another travel company that handles requests, from solo travel to family vacations. They give you the best destinations and suggest amazing experiences to explore every destination fully. They’re also keen on making sure the wild animals and the environment stay safe by making sure their customers travel responsibly. The company name Intrepid means fearless & adventurers, which is perfect for a travel company.

21. Aceable

When you have an exam or an interview, people tell you to ace it. The ace in Aceable means exactly that making it an awesome name for an online school. They’re an affordable online school that helps you prepare for simple exams like defensive driving, getting licensed as a realtor, or getting a normal driving ED. All these tests are aceable with the company’s help.

22. Defendify

Defendify is a cyber security company that ensures your businesses’ documents are all safe. The name is derived from defending, which makes sense for a cyber security company. The little touch added to the name makes it fun to pronounce, less boring, and easy to remember.

23. Semicolon Bookshop

The semicolon bookshop is a black-owned bookstore and gallery space. Their goal is to grow and empower the community and encourage the pursuit of knowledge. The name is great for the store because it shows they always have more to offer and education has no end. There is always room for growth.

24. Nerdwallet

Nerdwallet is a website that offers financial advice on all topics. They cover personal loans, credit cards, mortgages, student loans, investing, and everything else you can think of in the world. When people don’t consider nerds to be super fun, nerds definitely know their stuff, and spending like one could save you lots of trouble. This is what makes nerdwallet an amazing name for a financial advice site.

25. Verywell Mind

Verywell Mind is a company that helps its readers to achieve good mental health by explaining why we feel the way we do and offering hacks. The name explains what they offer and when you see it the first thing you think is having a very well mind would be nice.

26. Squad Help

It takes a village or, in this case, a squad to build a successful business. Squad Help has professionals that will help with important things like naming your business, getting a good logo, and buying domains. Their name lets you know that you’re not alone, which is very comforting to anyone starting a business.

27. Rocket Lawyer

Whether you’re starting a business, buying real estate, or handling a family issue like last will, you need a great lawyer by your side. Rocket lawyer has a team of professionals with different specialties to help their diverse market. The business’s name instills confidence in its customers by knowing they have an A team or a rocket team on their side.

28. The Penny Hoarder

If you’re just starting your saving or budgeting journey, The Penny Hoarder has all the hacks that you need for your journey. The most interesting thing about their name is that their readers know that it doesn’t matter how much you have at hand; every penny counts. A penny hoarder is basically a person who is good at saving money, but it’s a more interesting way of saying it.

29. Shippliers

Suppliers is a drop shipping company that helps customers get everything they need, from toys to garden tools. They’re suppliers, but they went for shippliers since they do their distribution through the ship. The name is creative, and it does really explain what they do and how they do it.

30. When Pigs Fly

The idiom when pigs fly is used to describe things that seem impossible. This fits in perfectly as a company name for this business because they help you achieve things you never thought possible. They do this through their coaching business that’s based on empowering you to live a fulfilled life in all parts of your life.

31. More Than Words

When going to weddings, birthdays, or graduation ceremonies, a good speech is amazing. However, you can make your loved one’s day more colorful by getting them a special gift. This is what this company does; give you access to all kinds of gifts to make the experience more than words. The name is creative, and it really sells the experience.

32. Planet Fitness

We all want to get in shape, but the journey can be very stressful and lonely. However, it gets easier to have a supportive community to help you stay disciplined. Planet Fitness offers you more than a community; it offers you a planet of people on the same journey as you.

33. Girl Boss

In the 21st century, women believe in greatness, and the ones at the top are always working on empowering others who are starting over. This is what Girl Boss is about; they empower women to own their beauty and creativity to grow financially and in their personal life. The aim is to make sure every woman becomes a boss, making the name very appropriate and empowering.

34. LOOKFANTASTIC

LOOK FANTASTIC is an online ecommerce store that sells skincare, haircare, and wellness products. The company’s name is creative and reflects the aim of its products for women to look fantastic. It’s also catchy and easy to remember.

Brand Name Examples

Branding is an important part of a company’s personality it solidifies its space in the industry. When the branding is strong it creates customer loyalty and holds higher esteem in reference to the industry it represents. The brand names are important for trademark reasons also. When selecting your company, be intentional and aware of the effect it may bring to your audience.

Cool Company Names

Need some more inspiration? Here are some real businesses with unique names to spark your creativity. Business names are meant to persuade you into getting their products and/or services. It sparks the tie between their identity to the targeted audience.

35. Brandless

This health and environmentally conscious eCommerce company created a funny and unique name by branding their business as brandless. The intention of the name is to communicate that “better doesn’t have to cost more” — you don’t need to pay a hefty price for a brand name item in order to get high-quality products.

36. Ollie

Using a human name personalized this pet food business and makes the brand approachable. Ollie offers fresh meals for dogs that can be delivered straight to your doggy door.

37. Groupon

Groupon is a company with a unique and descriptive name. It combined two words, “group” and “coupon”, to create the unique business name. It perfectly describes their website — a collection of coupons for consumers to search for and use.

38. WKND

For a fun night out on the town in Nashville, WKND is the place to go. The company makes it clear that it’s not a nightclub, but an entire weekend experience. Eliminating vowels in the name gives it a hip and cool vibe while expressing that the experience is simply a good time without too many frills.

39. Jonah’s Fish & Grits

Who would’ve thought that the establishment of this restaurant was inspired by a single church sermon that revolved around prophet Jonah? The owner held unto his grits to navigate through life’s trials and sufferings before finally pursuing his dreams of opening a restaurant.

40. Narobia’s Grits & Gravy

Commonly, gravy is paired with fish or chips. Instead of going for a traditional restaurant name, grits is being paired with gravy to make it more catchy and alluring. The addition of a name makes it more personalized.

41. The Mortgage Maven

The play of words between mortgage and maven makes this a cool brand name. This business name is clear in indicating that they are dedicated to providing specific finance solutions on housing loans.

42. Arrow Auto Glass

Striking and direct, this brand name makes it clear that they provide windshield repairs. Plus, with the name that starts with the letter “A,” this brand name makes it even more memorable.

Other Brand Names

43. Flagship Funding

Product/Industry: Finance/ Pay-Day Loan Company

A brand that specializes in fast funding for people who are short on cash. The name flagship means the most important thing owned or produced by an organization. The finance company is telling their customers they are leaders within the industry and have the biggest resources to serve their customers.

44. Donut Cloud

Product/Industry: Food/ Donut Shop

A donut shop, with a cloud logo indicating their lightness and fluffiness like clouds. The brand is drawing a similarity to clouds because of their tasty food for donut lovers. Most donut lovers want donuts that are oversized and fluffy like clouds are on a sunny day.

45. Platinum Home

The word platinum is accompanied by all things premium. The company claims to be one of America’s premium lenders and offers services related to mortgages.

46. Sassy Serene

This brand name naturally gravitates customers towards a need or an aspiration. By playing with the words sassy and serene, the business is clear in identifying their audience and what benefits will they reap from availing any of their services.

47. Your Security First

What better way to remind your customers that you prioritize your needs than having it as your brand name? This is a clever way of instilling your identity and your services to your target audience.

48. Hydration Station

Hydration does wonders not only for your skin but for your body. This brand name gives the impression that this place is the perfect venue to be hydrated.

49. King of Diamonds

Whether it’s custom rings, wedding bands, or other jewelry, only the best of the best like the King of Diamonds can provide the services you need. Or at least, this is what their brand name implies.

50. Galaxy Mobile

This is a catchy brand name that directly communicates mobile repair services to its target audience. They leveraged the popularity of a phone model from a prominent phone manufacturer, therefore tying them immediately to their services.

51. Imani’s Insights

When businesses, big or small, hire a digital marketing company, they usually have a set of services to avail in mind. However, this brand name suggests you’ll also get Imani’s valuable insights as well.

52. RC Creative

Product/Industry: photography

RC stands for RaeLynn Conner the head photographer/videographer. It shows ownership of the brand to potential customers. The brand does limit itself to only photographers but includes videographers for clients who want their special occasions documented as a live production.

53. Kala’s Klutz

Kala Kutz is a cool way to spell “cuts” and replace it with a “K” to create alliteration for customers to remember. This is a strategic and cool brand name. Kala is a master barber serving men, women, and children at the barbershop.

54. Patty’s Locs

Patty which is short for Patricia. Patty is a loctician someone who specializes in the maintenance and style of dreadlocks. Instead of utilizing the correct spelling of the word, this brand name went for a cooler alternative and spelled it without the letter, “K.”

55. UniquelyMahogany

Mahogany is not in any way related to jewelry but this makes the brand name even cooler! It’s unique, catchy, and definitely memorable.

56. BlaqHour

Aside from featuring music from underground artists, BlaqHour releases podcast episodes that inspire to enlighten or inspire its listeners. The brand name is a strategic reminder of the light that it provides its listeners.

57. The Ivy Vine

Ivy is a perfect plant that compliments and even highlights the beauty of flowers. This brand name is perfect for establishing the business as a florist.

58. Vinnie’s Video

Sometimes, repetition is all that you need. In this brand name, you need to utter the letter “v” twice and that makes it catchy and memorable.

Funny Business Names

Creating the perfect brand name is serious business. But, if you’ve hit a creative roadblock, try to come up with some funny business names, just for fun. Humor always makes things better. If you include it in a company’s name, make sure you are appealing to the right audience. If not be ready for the potential memes, the internet spares no one.

59. Screamingfrog

The contrast between the name of the business and what it does is quite ironic. While it might seem like this company name contradicts some of the attributes of a quality business name that we mentioned earlier, it actually does something remarkable. Screamingfrog gets people asking questions about the company. Like “Frogs can scream?” and “Why is the frog screaming anyway?” The answer might surprise you.

60. Big Ass Fans

Does this one need an explanation? The company sells huge industrial fans to businesses. It’s rare to see a B2B company have such a consumer-focused presence with a name like this, but it works. Profanity makes us giggle, and in this case, it’s funny and descriptive.

61. Slack

As a mainstay app for many professionals and students to stay connected on projects, Slack’s name goes against the goal of the app. Originally, CEO Stewart Butterfield coined the name as an acronym for “Searchable Log of All Conversation and Knowledge.” But we all know Slack is really just a hoot of a name.

62. Squatty Potty

As the name suggests, the squatty potty is a device used to help people go a little easier. It’s descriptive and playful which is perfect for the task at hand. While the product is backed by research and science, at the end of the day, it’s still a product to help you #2. And that’s always going to be a little funny.

63. Tote N Carry

Tote bags are something that a person carries. Combining tote with the word carry is a fun way of reminding people of what the organization provides. At the same time, the brand name sings true to their mission of providing bags that lets you “travel with luxury.”

64. CredoFly Credit Services

A credit repair service dedicated to helping customers with “bad” credit to remove past collections and help the customer form a plan to pay off current collections to improve credit score. The name combines “credit” and “credibility” something both customers want to know a company has once they have enlisted their services.

65. Straight Lane Transport

This brand name works perfectly for a trucking and logistics company as it describes this company’s main priority: Moving freight to the next destination. Another creative easter egg in the name is that the shortest distance between two points is always a straight line. This further adds to Straight Lane Transport’s witty business name.

66. Lawless Entertainment

The word lawless indicates no rules and no type of hierarchy established. When it comes to nightlife, club promoters are looking to draw in people who have been working all week and need some type of entertainment and a no-rules type of night. The entertainment industry looks for new things to promote to keep party-goers coming back to their events.

67. Herb N Eden

This brand name suggests that natural ingredients can be found in their products and the parallel to the Garden of Eden suggests a feminine touch to the products (not to mention the owners are a couple). It is a catchy and memorable company name to get their products.

68. Spa Maven

The word maven suggests an expert. The word rhymes with “haven” too. A haven is a place to unwind and decompress. The brand creates a simple and fun rhyme for customers to remember, and to make it easy to recommend to their friends.

69. SugarBare

A waxing salon based on sugaring instead of traditional waxing methods needed a play on words, and a play on a common phrase “sugar bear” does the trick.

70. Smallcakes Cupcakery

We know that cupcakes are miniature versions of regular-sized cakes, but it’s not often that we see this description called out. Stating the obvious in a business name is a fun way to call attention to your products. In this case, “small cakes” uses its business name to describe the products it sells and the services it offers.

71. Locsanity

This specific hair product is targeting people who have dreaded their hair. The brand is similar to the word insanity. The product helps keep hair in place to be locked and smooth over edges for Black hair.

72. Celadon Pottery in Savannah

This pottery company makes greenware often compared to a soft-greenish gray coloring. The brand describes exactly what type of product the customer is getting. The location listed in the name lets consumers know where they can be found.

73. Perfect Image

The brand is suggesting customers are looking for the perfect image and this unisex salon will service both men and women in getting their image to perfection. The word image is important in this industry that focuses on physical traits as a sign of beauty and attraction.

Naming your business may seem daunting if you don’t know where to start. Your business name should be simple, unique, and reflect what you do and why it matters. Sure, that sounds like a lot to put into a word or two, but remember your business name is part of the entire brand. Over time, the name will take on more meaning as you grow your business and establish your value proposition.

Here are the seven attributes that make up great company names.

7 Attributes of a Great Company Name

1. It’s descriptive.

Your business name is opportune real estate for a mini elevator pitch before you even speak to a prospect. To brainstorm a descriptive company name, consider stating what you do and how in a few words. Then, pare it down to the essential words or phrases and see how those look on screen and sound out loud.

Example: Measured Results Marketing

If you don’t measure your marketing and sales efforts, do they really matter? Measured Results Marketing, a technology partner that helps companies use their marketing tech stacks to drive results, leads with a descriptive company name. The company helps sales and marketing teams establish effective metrics and reporting systems while evolving operational infrastructure to drive revenue and help you meet goals. The name reflects what the team does and gives prospects confidence there will be no gray or unmeasured area in the client’s work.

2. It reflects your mission or values.

Your brand is so much more than a logo. Your company name can broadcast not only what you do but why you do it or why it matters.

Example: IMPACT

What’s one thing every sales and marketing professional wants? To have an impact on their business and their customers. IMPACT is an award-winning agency helping marketers and salespeople achieve their goals “and look like a rockstar in the process.” This business name reflects that mission and clearly states that it exists to make you look good at work.

3. It takes into account what your prospects are searching for.

Your business name can make your business relevant for non-branded search queries. This could give you an edge when attempting to rank on search engines for your highest value keyword.

Example: Flawless Inbound

If you’re Googling agencies to help you implement an inbound sales and marketing strategy, you’ll likely search with keywords like, “top inbound agencies” or “great inbound.” When a company called “Flawless Inbound” populates on your search page, it’ll likely stand out. Working keywords your user might be searching for into your title is a smart way to stand out.

4. It’s simple.

You want prospects to remember and recognize your brand. To help in this effort, your business name should be simple and easy to spell, pronounce, and recall. This will ensure that no one gets frustrated typing your name or saying it aloud to devices like Alexa.

Example: Drip

You may have heard email automation being referred to as “drip sequences” or “drip campaigns” due to the automated emails being dripped out one at a time. The company Drip took this word associated with their product — one that’s only one syllable and only four letters — and made it their identity

5. It’s fun or clever.

One way to make sure your business gets remembered is by being witty. Jokes, puns, and plays on words are all ways to make your prospects chuckle at your business name and get it stuck in their heads.

Example: Spinfluence

Influence always requires a bit of spin, right? This clever play on words sets this inbound marketing agency apart. It’s catchy, witty, and memorable — all important elements of a strong business name.

6. It demonstrates the value you provide customers.

One marketing tip is to position your business as a problem solver rather than a product seller. You can start that positioning with your business name.

Example: Search & Be Found

Every company in the digital age wants one thing: to be found when their customer or prospect searches for them. Search & be Found stated the benefit of using the agency in the title of its business. Work with Search & Be Found and … be found by more customers.

7. It’s unique.

The last thing you want to do is decide on a business name and run into trouble securing its domain and other branding assets because they’re already taken. Or, worse, run into legal trouble for trademark infringement.

Plus, you don’t want to cause confusion when prospects land on your website but are looking for the other company (or vice versa).

Example: Zoom LiveTrak vs. Zoom.us

I was once in a podcasting group where someone was asking questions about “recording on Zoom.” I thought the individual was referring to Zoom.us, the video conferencing platform, but he was actually talking about Zoom LiveTrak, the audio mixer.

This is a simple mix-up that didn’t result in any harm to either company. A more severe issue, however, is possible with more egregious naming errors than the one in this scenario.

This can be avoided by ensuring the business name is not trademarked or taken.

1. Understand your business.

Before deciding on a name, you should have a clear idea of your business’s mission, goals, target audience, and value proposition. If you’ve already created your business plan, this will be a great resource for you to review. You should be able to answer the following questions:

• What does your business stand for?
• What product/service are you selling?
• Who is your target audience?

2. Think of descriptive keywords.

Once you know the core focus of your business, take some time to brainstorm keywords that describe your business. With a few descriptors of your business and brand, you’ll be able to identify the ones that reflect the image you’d like to create.

For example, if you’re starting a photography business, words like “camera”, “snap”, “shoot”, “capture”, “lens”, etc. are all good starting points for your business name.

3. Consider SEO in the naming process.

Part of a good name is the ability to get found by potential prospects. For this reason, consider how well your name can position you on search engines. Consider the following things as you make this evaluation:

Search Volume

One strategy is to name a business based on a highly searched keyword to make the business relevant for that keyword. For example, 24 Hour Fitness may appear for someone looking for their brand or for someone looking for any gym that’s open around the clock.

Authority

However, you don’t want to choose a name in which the SERPs (search engine results pages) are too heavy with competition. For example, let’s say you chose “Five Star Restaurant” as a name for your new establishment but notice the SERP for this keyword is dominated by review sites like Yelp and local newspaper columns. In this case, you may not get enough authority to compete, resulting in you not being found even when prospects are actively searching for you.

Intent

Google serves up content to users based on what it thinks they’re intending to find. When thinking through your business name, make sure it matches search intent. For example, naming a tax business “Maximize Your Refund, Inc.” may not be a good idea because searchers looking for “maximize my refund” aren’t searching for a business but rather strategies.

You can evaluate your names based on these three considerations using a combination of manual Google searching and SEO tools such as Ahrefs and SEMrush.

4. Choose a name style.

How do you plan to create a unique name? You can use the keywords in your business name. Here are a few other naming options to consider:

• Include the names of the company founders.
• Use a single word.
• Change, add, or remove letters from keywords.
• Combine two or more words.
• Use a metaphor.
• Create an acronym.

5. Tell a story.

What does your business name tell consumers? After you’ve settled on an idea, think about the thoughts and emotions you want the name to evoke. If it doesn’t align with the mission and value proposition of your business, it might be a good idea to go back to the drawing board and find a name that’s better suited for your company and products.

6. Ensure the business name is not trademarked.

If another organization has trademarked a name, you risk having legal action taken against your business if you violate that trademark. If you’re in the U.S., you can search the United States Patent and Trademark Office database for your potential business name to ensure that there isn’t an existing trademark for it.

7. Ensure the business name is not otherwise taken.

If there’s no trademark, a business name is fair game. However, that doesn’t mean there are no other businesses operating under the name you want. The best business names are unique so that you can avoid confusion. You may want to check your state’s Secretary of State entity filings and DBAs for other businesses operating under the name. Each state will have a different process for this.

It’s also good practice to run a Google search for your desired name to see what’s out there. This can also alert you to existing organizations that have similar names.

8. Verify that the .com domain name and social media handles are available.

You can verify domain name availability by doing a search on a domain registrar such as GoDaddy or Namecheap.

If a .com domain name is not available, or if it is too expensive, weigh your options between choosing a different name or going with a less desirable top-level domain (TLD). While other TLDs are fine, .com remains the most widely used and is the easiest to remember.

In addition, it would be a pain to settle on a name only to find out that your social media handles are taken. Having variation between social media handles could cause confusion for prospects, so it’s best to avoid this where possible.

One easy way to verify the availability of social media handles is by using a tool such as Namechk, which checks multiple platforms with a single search.

9. Register your business name.

Once you’ve researched and decided on your name, you’re ready to register your business name. Depending on the type of company you’re registering for, the registration process will vary. You may also need a DBA if you’re a sole proprietor. This resource from the U.S. Small Business Association will help you determine which registration process is right for you and your business.

Creative Business Name Generators

If you’re having trouble thinking outside the box, these business name generators are a good starting point to help you get the naming process started. A name generator helps with word pairing and gets the creative juices flowing to start a company name. It’s a resource that many entrepreneurs may use as a tool for potential company names. The generators are usually free and some may even help with searching for available web domains too.

• Namelix: Enter your keywords, and Namelix will generate related business names and logos.
• Brandroot: Search by keyword and business category. It will provide a name, logo, and tell you if the corresponding domain name is available.
• Novanym: After searching for your initial keywords, narrow the results down by name, style, and sector.
• Shopify Business Name Generator: Once you enter the key term you’d like to include in your name, the Shopify Business Name Generator will create a list of business name ideas that have an available website domain.
• BrandBucket: With BrandBucket, you can search for business names or browse by industry.
• Business Name Generator: Type in a few words that describe your business. The Business Name Generator will produce a list of potential business names for you to choose from.
• Oberlo: If you’re looking for a condensed list of 100 business names, Oberlo is the tool for you. Simply type in related keywords to get your free list.

What’s in a name? Just about everything.

A unique business name will help you stand out from competitors and build a strong brand. Once you have that, you’ll want to identify your target market, define your positioning, and create a business plan to get your business off the ground.

Use a business name generator to get the brainstorming started. From there, double and triple-check that your business name isn’t already in use. Free and clear of trademarks? Register your business name and start planning your marketing strategy to have a successful business launch. Get started today with HubSpot’s free business plan template.

Editor’s note: This post was originally published in September 2019 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.