Understand Your Business -1
Choosing the name of your company, project, or even your store is what everyone notices first. However, keep in mind that the name is merely a reflection of everything else that your business encompasses. Your company or project name should convey additional aspects, such as your brand’s values, style, the essence of your project, and what it offers to its customers.
You can identify these points by asking your team or those around you certain questions. A well-thought-out question can spark interest and completely shift your perspective, ultimately leading you to a name that is more authentic, appealing, and self-expressive.
Here are some key points to consider and discuss with those around you:
- How does your company or project appear?
- What feelings do you have toward your company/project?
- What principles will your company or project be built on?
- Why are these the specific principles?
- What emotions do you want your customers to feel when they think of your brand?
When you find answers to all these points, you begin to gain an overview of your company/project. This puts you in a good position to start naming your company or project.
The Egyptian company Fawry comes to mind now, which operates in the field of banking technology and electronic payments. In my opinion, regardless of their services, it is a well-thought-out and purely practical name. The name reflects the speed and immediacy of transferring money, managing balances, paying bills, insurance, and so on.
When you visit their website, you’ll find that they emphasize speed in everything, from the graphic designs and image direction to the colors they use and beyond.
This proves that understanding your company or project before naming it is important. Whether you want to make your product very serious or sell to a younger audience. But how do you reach this point?
Read Also: Notion for Project Management: A Complete Guide
5- Points to Choose a Unique Name for Your Company
- Who are you as a business?
- What do you want to be for your customers?
- How do you want them to see you?
- How do you compare to your competitors?
- What makes you different?
Imagine your company sells packaged pet food for cats online – healthy, high-quality food at an affordable price. Again, who are you for your customers? Are your customers families with pets? Are they busy individuals treating their cats like children? Are they environmentally conscious and want to avoid food waste?
As you can see, all of this defines your identity as a company or project and helps determine who your customers might be.
What makes you different? There is now a large variety of cat food products, both local and imported. Are you cheaper? Is your packaging more eco-friendly? Do you offer more effective dietary options?
Answer all of these questions, then ask yourself more! All of this will help you choose the perfect name, define your identity as a company or project, and bring you closer to finding a great name for your business or project.
A name like “Bikhira” is a standout and classic name. It describes what they do and fits their wealth and demographic taste. On the other hand, the platform Slack has a modern and playful name. Although it is designed for work, as we all know, Slack brings people and conversations together in one virtual space. It is a collaboration platform designed to get you away from email and meetings.
The bottom line is that once you know who you are as a company and how you want customers to see you, everything else becomes easier and more enjoyable.
It’s time for brainstorming to choose the perfect name for your Company -2
Things are about to get fun. At this stage, gather your team or some friends, grab a blank sheet of paper and some pens, and start brainstorming.
Make sure everyone understands what you’ve concluded from the first step. Think freely, but don’t overthink. Just jot down the ideas that come to you. You can also compare and match the proposed names, and remember that bad ideas lead to good ones! In the end, you never know what might inspire you or your team.
You can also use root words – these are often prefixes or suffixes – to come up with a unique business name for your company or project.
A range of age groups will help keep you updated on slang, and also allow you to access words that are no longer commonly used but might be perfect for your needs!
A survey has shown that people aged 25 to 34 prefer modern names, while those aged 45 to 65 are more interested in old and historical names
. This means you need to think about the target group you’re aiming for.
At the end of the session, you might have 15 names, 50, or 250. It doesn’t matter! Just follow the steps and that’s it.
Create a shortlist of the names you’ve come up with.
Filter the names that align with your company/project and its principles. At this stage, you’ll create a naming summary that highlights the style and business goals. So, try out some names. How do they look on paper? How excited do they make you feel? Are they appealing?
You should then aim to finish this step with no more than 8 names on your shortlist. It’s okay to play with spelling, but it should remain simple. Avoid complications like numbers, exclamation marks, or anything else that might make it hard for people to remember your name and access your website.
Make sure you’ve chosen the perfect name for your company -2
When choosing a name for your company or project, remember that the name you prefer may not be the best or perfect one. This is a fact! That’s why you need external input. There are certain tests the name should pass before being approved.
1- Audience Reactions
The audience should like the name you’ve chosen! They will be your customers or end-users of your product. So, use friends and family to get feedback, but remember that most of them want to please you. Conduct an online survey or some other anonymous tests for your favorite names.
Ask strangers at the café you frequent about the potential names. Test them after ten minutes to see if they remember these names. Be sure to write down the results, especially if you’re conducting tests at a café, restaurant, or in an outdoor setting.
2- Domain Name
You need a website, unless you’re an ice cream vendor in your local area.
Therefore, you need to check if the domain name for the names on your shortlist is available. It’s best to visit domain-selling platforms and verify this. Visit one of these platforms, type the appropriate domain name in the search box, and check it:
If you can’t get the perfect domain, you can try a different spelling. But remember, adding numbers or using a completely different name is a very bad idea.
If you can’t get a unique domain name (.com), try (.net, .co, .ly), etc.
3- The Importance of Trademark Registration After Choosing a Name
No one likes the trademark registration step, but it often saves the company from future problems. It can be annoying, but skipping the trademark check may lead to receiving cease-and-desist letters and fines in the future. Therefore, you should, in one way or another, go through the trademark check in your country or region and make sure no other business is using the same name so you can be fully aware.
Conclusion: How to Get a Unique Name for Your Company
Your name can be the dividing line between success and failure. A great name can boost success, financially and socially, and help create a positive image of you. Even if you have a brilliant idea, you could fail with the wrong name.
Therefore, the effort put into choosing a name for a company, project, or app will save you the hard work in the future and help you define your identity as a business.
Additionally, if you’re working with a team, your ideas about your company’s identity, customers, and endless opportunities will align! So get ready for success, and don’t forget to tell us about your business— we might just be your first customer 😅💙. Good luck to everyone!
