Before launching your startup, consider your brand image. Standing out in a crowded market requires brainstorming unique business names.
Your business idea and brand will be memorable with a creative, descriptive name. Unique business names also set your products and services apart.
We have dozens of business name suggestions to help you brainstorm. Let’s discuss great business names first.
7 Qualities of a Great Company Name
Good business names have certain traits. What makes a good company name easy to spot? See below.
It describes
Your business name can be a mini elevator pitch before you meet a prospect.
Give a brief description of your business to come up with a name. Remove unnecessary words or phrases. Watch and hear those.
Do marketing and sales efforts matter without measurement? Measured Results Marketing’s name conveys its value.
The name describes the team.
It represents your goals
Brands are more than logos. Your company name can communicate what you do and why.
Example: IMPACT
Every sales and marketing professional wants what? Impact their business and customers.
This name is an award-winning agency. This agency helps salespeople and marketers achieve their goals. Its name clearly states that it exists to make you look good at work.
It considers prospect needs
Your business name can make non-branded search queries relevant. This may help you rank for your highest-value keyword on search engines.
Perfect Inbound
If you’re looking for an inbound sales and marketing agency, you’ll probably search “top inbound agencies” or “great inbound.”
You’ll probably notice “Flawless Inbound” on your search page. Titles with keywords that users may search for stand out.
It’s easy
Your brand should be memorable. Simple business names are easier to spell, pronounce, and remember. This prevents frustration when typing or saying your name to Alexa.
Example: Drip
“Drip sequences” or “drip campaigns” are automated emails sent simultaneously.
Drip, a one-syllable, four-letter word, became their brand.
It’s amusing
Being witty can make your business memorable. Jokes, puns, and wordplay can make prospects laugh and remember your business name.
Example: Spinfluence
Influence always requires some spin, right? This clever wordplay distinguishes this inbound marketing agency. It’s catchy, witty, and memorable—important qualities in a business name.
It shows customers your value
Instead of selling products, position your business as a problem solver. Start positioning with your business name.
Search & Find
Every digital company wants to be found by customers and prospects. Search & Be Found touted its agency name.
Use Search & Be Found and… reach more customers.
It’s unique
You want to avoid choosing a business name and having trouble securing its domain and other branding assets, especially if they’re already taken. Worse, you could face trademark infringement charges.
You want to ensure prospects who land on your website are looking for the other company (or vice versa).
Zoom.us vs. LiveTrak
In a podcasting group, someone asked about “recording on Zoom.” I thought he meant Zoom.us, the video conferencing platform, but he meant Zoom LiveTrak, the audio mixer.
This simple mistake didn’t hurt either company. However, worse naming errors could cause a bigger problem.
Avoid this by not trademarking or taking the business name.
After learning about good business names, let’s learn how to name your business.
How to Name a Company?
Know your company
Before choosing a name, know your business’s mission, goals, target audience, and value proposition. This resource is great for reviewing your business plan.
Answer these questions:
What are your company’s values?
Sell what?
Target audience?
Descriptive keywords
After determining your business’s focus, brainstorm keywords. You can find the business and brand descriptors that fit your image with a few.
For a photography business, “camera,” “snap,” “shoot,” “capture,” and “lens” are good names.
Think SEO when naming
Good names help prospects find them. Thus, consider your name’s search engine ranking.
Consider the following when evaluating.
Lookup Volume
To make a business relevant for a popular keyword, name it after it. 24-Hour Fitness may appear in searches for their brand and any 24-hour gym.
Authority
Choose a name with low SERP competition.
Take “Five Star Restaurant” as an example. Yelp and local newspaper columns dominate the SERP for this keyword.
If you need more authority to compete, prospects may not find you even when they’re looking for you.
Intent
Check search intent when naming your business. “Maximize Your Refund, Inc.” is a bad name for a tax business. “Maximize my refund” searchers want strategies, not businesses.
Use manual Google searching and SEO tools like Ahrefs and SEMrush to evaluate your names based on these three factors.
Name style
How will you name something unique? Business names can include keywords.
Other name ideas:
List the company founders.
One word.
Replace letters in keywords.
Mix words.
Use metaphors.
An acronym.
Tell a tale
After choosing a name, consider its connotations. If it doesn’t match your business’s mission and value proposition, start over.
Make sure to tell customers’ stories.
Check for trademarks
If you violate a trademark, your business could be sued. To check if your business name is trademarked, search the USPTO database if you’re in the US.
Verify the business name is available
Business names can be used without a trademark. However, other businesses may use the name you want.
Unique names avoid confusion. Check your state’s Secretary of State entity filings and DBAs for similar businesses. Each state handles this differently.
Googling your desired name to see what’s available would be best. This can also identify similar-named organizations.
Check the.com and social media handles
GoDaddy or Namecheap can check domain name availability.
If a.com domain name is unavailable or too expensive, consider a different name or a less desirable TLD. .com is the most popular and easiest TLD to remember.
It would be frustrating to choose a name and find out your social media handles are taken. Avoid mixing social media handles to avoid confusing prospects.
Namechk, which checks multiple platforms in one search, can be used to verify social media handles.
Name your business
After choosing a name, register your business.
Registration varies by company. Sole proprietors may need DBAs.
US resource. Small Business Association will help you choose a registration process for your business.
Examples of Business Names
Need ideas? Real company names are below.
- SwipeWire
SwipeWire Company is no different. Their fun, open-minded, and sharper-than-a-warrior creatives reflect their narrative.
By having swipe in their name, they’re telling customers they have many interest-based options.
- Smart Security
In 2023, hackers can access all company documents with one click. Securing programs, devices, and technologies will require smart and creative solutions. Secure Smart Solutions can help.
They advertise their superior cyber security with a clever name. Theirs is best.
- Exela Movers
You want a moving company that’s big enough to handle everything but small enough to care. It’s Exela Movers. Their name implies a great working relationship.
- Kaboom Fireworks
Fireworks company Kaboom Fireworks is large. The company’s name is simple, but the kaboom part conveys the product’s experience.
- Formonix
China-based Formonix distributes pressure, level, calibration, and temperature instruments. They provide flexible, fast, and personal customer service.
Their name means this. Monix is a social butterfly who can handle any situation.
- The Knot
The Knot, a wedding market, uses “tying the knot” as its name. The name tells visitors the brand handles weddings. Websites, invitations, registries, etc.
- Kiddily
Kiddily sells early childhood education products. The name and target customers are cute. It’s relevant to the company’s work.
Kiddily works with kids.
- Bandcamp
Band camps helped kids and teens improve musically. Campers make art and sing.
Bandcamp mentions this summer classic. This emphasizes that their platform connects musicians and lets them perform.
- The Manifest
In modern spirituality, manifesting means achieving your goals through conscious thought and action. The Manifest helps you manifest business sales. They teach you about the customer’s journey and how to use marketing tools to win them over at every step.
- VisionSwipe
Vision Swipe promotes new technology, leverages technology, and guides businesses through the digital age. The swipe-to-get-what-you-want digital narrative makes it relatable. Visionary swipes are their goal.
- Brandless
Brandless gave this health and environmental e-commerce company a funny name.
The name conveys that “better doesn’t have to cost more.” You can only pay a little for a brand-name product to get high-quality products.
- Ollie
This pet food company’s human name humanizes it. Ollie delivers fresh doggy meals to your door.
- Frog Screams
The business name and its activities are ironic. Despite its odd name, it performs well.
Screaming Frog raises company questions. Can frogs scream? Why is the Frog screaming? The answer may surprise you.
- Huge Fans
Explain this one. Businesses buy huge industrial fans from the company. It works for a B2B company with a consumer-focused name.
This profanity is funny and descriptive.
- Slack
Slack’s name contradicts its purpose as a communication app for professionals and students. Slack was originally named “Searchable Log of All Conversation and Knowledge” by CEO Stewart Butterfield, but we all know it’s just a fun name.
- Squatty Potty
The squatty potty aids urination, as its name implies. It’s descriptive and playful—perfect for the task. Despite its scientific backing, the product is still a #2 aid. That will always be amusing.
- Flagship Funding
This brand provides fast funding for cash-strapped customers. Flagships are an organization’s most valuable assets. The finance company is claiming industry leadership and resources to serve customers.
- Recycle Bookstore
Avid readers may want to sell their unwanted books. Others buy used books to save money. Used bookshop Recycle Bookstore offers both. The name suggests the store sells used books.
- Platinum Home
Platinum connotes luxury. The mortgage lender calls itself one of America’s best.
- Asian-American Girl Club
This clothing brand names itself after its customers. “Asian American Girl Club” shirts, hats, hoodies, and other merchandise are available here.
- Water Station
Hydration benefits the skin and body. This brand name suggests hydration. It suits a coffee, specialty drink, and smoothie shop.
- Mini Galleria
Galleries house multiple stores. This shop looks like a small gallery. This boutique sells handmade jewelry, home goods, and art.
- Monkeypaw Productions
Horror films made Jordan Peele famous. His production company’s name evokes the supernatural.
Writer W.W. Jacobs’ shrunken monkey’s paw grants bad wishes. The company’s projects are superstitious.
- RC Creative
RC is a head photographer/videographer, RaeLynn Conner. Potential customers see brand ownership.
The brand offers photography and videography. Its name shows versatility.
- Kala’s Kutz
Kala Kutz spells “cuts” with a “K” for alliteration. Strategic and cool brand name. Kala’s Barbershop serves men, women, and children.
- Patty’s Locs
Patty for Patricia. Dreadlock stylist Patty is a loctician. This brand name omitted the letter “K” to make it cooler.
- Uniquely Mahogany
The brand name is cooler because Mahogany is unrelated to jewelry! Unique, catchy, and memorable.
- BlaqHour
BlaqHour also publishes podcasts that educate and inspire listeners. The brand name strategically reminds listeners of its light.
- Ivy Vine
Ivy enhances flower beauty perfectly. This name is ideal for a florist business.
