How to Name a Business - The Brandsly Guide

Netflix brand name building

Photo by Solen Feyissa on Unsplash

Choosing the right name is one of the most crucial decisions you'll make when launching a new business—whether you're building a tech startup, developing a mobile app, opening an e-commerce store, or starting a small business. Your name sets the tone, shapes your brand’s identity, and significantly impacts your success. At Brandsly, we've spent nearly a decade helping thousands of startups find their perfect names, many of which have grown into successful, recognized brands. But where do you start? We're here to guide you through the process.

Step 1: Choose Your Naming Approach

First, decide if you want a versatile & abstract name or something descriptive of your core product or service. Each approach has distinct advantages:

Versatile & Abstract Names

Versatile names offer flexibility and scalability as your business evolves. These names aren’t tied directly to your current product or service, giving you freedom to pivot or expand.

  • Advantages:
    • Easy scalability into new markets and products
    • Distinctive and memorable
    • Strong branding potential

How to create versatile names:

  • Invented Words: Short, catchy, and memorable made-up words like Vimeo, Spotify, Zillow, or Kodak.
  • Creative Keyword Inspiration: Choose words you resonate with, inspired by nature (Zulily, OpenSea, Apple), cosmic phenomena (Galaxy, Sirius), mythology (Nike, Pandora), or playful objects (Hoopla, Kayak).

Need inspiration? Browse Brandsly’s versatile names for invented abstract words or thematic brand ideas. Looking for something short and brandable? Explore Brandsly's short and catchy names, such as our popular 5-letter names or 6-letter names, for instant memorability.

Descriptive Names

Descriptive names immediately communicate what your business does, making your purpose clear from the start.

  • Advantages:
    • Clear and direct communication
    • Strong initial SEO and keyword alignment
    • Immediate customer recognition

How to create descriptive names: Use relevant industry keywords clearly connected to your offerings. A popular strategy is combining two industry-specific keywords (real world examples: SnapChat combines "snap" + "chat", TechCrunch combines "tech" + "crunch", and Fitbit combines "fitness" + "bit"). Another effective approach is pairing an industry keyword with a memorable abstract or playful word (real world examples: Mailchimp combines "mail" + "chimp", CloudFlare combines "cloud" + "flare" and Coinbase combines "coin" + "base").

Brandsly is a fantastic tool to explore naming inspiration—you might just discover the perfect combination you love. Below are some of our favorite industry keywords; click each keyword to explore names tailored to your industry:

Step 2: Shortlist Your Favorite Names

After brainstorming or browsing names on Brandsly, create a shortlist of your favorites. Brandsly makes shortlisting effortless—you can quickly save names directly to your favorites list without needing to create an account or log in! Aim for names that resonate personally and align closely with your brand vision. Don't worry if the list is long at first—you'll narrow it down in the next step.

Step 3: Refine Your Shortlist

Evaluate your shortlisted names using these key considerations:

  • .com Domain Availability: Securing the matching .com domain is critical—it boosts credibility, ensures easy discoverability, and prevents confusion or lost traffic. Brandsly simplifies this by offering premium names with matching .com domains. Discover why our Domain-First approach is the superior naming strategy.
  • Memorability: Opt for names that are easy to remember, pronounce, and spell to encourage word-of-mouth referrals and repeat visits.
  • Differentiation: Ensure your name stands apart from competitors, clearly highlighting your brand's uniqueness and making it easily identifiable in your market.
  • Visual & Auditory Appeal: Consider how the name looks visually (on your logo, website, or marketing materials) and how it sounds when spoken aloud.
  • Future Scalability: Choose names that allow flexibility to grow, pivot, or expand into new products or markets without limiting your brand potential.

Using these guidelines, narrow down your list until you're confident you've found the ideal business name.

Ready to Find the Perfect Name?

Naming your business is both an exciting and crucial step. With these strategies in mind, you're ready to confidently find a name that resonates, communicates your vision, and sets your brand up for lasting success. Start exploring Brandsly now—your ideal name and matching .com domain are just a click away!