How to come up with a good business name - 10 tips

Are you starting a new business and struggling to come up with a suitable name? A good business name is much more than just a bunch of letters; it's an outline of your brand identity, the first impression you make on your business partners and the first point of contact customers have with your company. In this article, we'll go through effective strategies and best practices to help you choose a business name that resonates with your target audience, stands out from the competition and supports your business growth. We'll also go through how to effectively use name generators to come up with name ideas for your business.

A name that is easy to pronounce, spell and remember will stay in the minds of your customers. Ask yourself: What does your company stand for and what are its core values? Choose a name that relates to them, or to your current range of products and services. At the same time, keep in mind the possible evolution of the business in different directions, for example, through technology. Most importantly, your name should reflect your company's personality, which is a way of simultaneously attracting attention, communicating something essential, standing out and being remembered by your customers.

1. The importance of a company name

First impressions: the company name as a "calling card".

The company name is the first thing customers notice. It creates a first impression, which can be crucial in attracting new customers. A good company name is key to brand building, identity and recognition. The name should be clear, distinctive and easy to remember so that it sticks in the mind.

Short and concise names are often memorable: for example, Kone, IKEA, Apple and Nokia are names that are easy to remember and pronounce in many languages.
Complex names can alienate customers: for example, Xobni, which offered email management services, is a reverse spelling of the word "inbox". The complex and confusing name made people wonder how to pronounce it, which did not help brand awareness.
An appropriate name communicates the brand identity: for example, Clean Energy Finland directly communicates that the company focuses on clean energy solutions, appealing to environmentally conscious consumers.

Lasting impact: the company name as a "signature".

The choice of a company name is usually a permanent solution. It has a significant impact on how customers perceive your brand and is ever-present in products, services, advertising and all marketing materials. So your company name is important not only for first impressions, but also for every customer encounter along the way.

Consistency builds trust: every advertisement, material or other touchpoint that includes your company name can strengthen or weaken customer trust, depending on the consistency of the whole.
A long-term investment: a well-chosen name will support all the touchpoints built on top of it, and serve as a solid foundation for your brand for years to come.

Tip 1: Choose a name for your business that will stand the test of time and support your company's growth and future changes.

2. Tell us about your roots - where are you from?

A business name can be a powerful storytelling tool that connects your business to its founder, historical roots or cultural background. The name can tell the story of your company's origins, while reflecting your identity and values. This allows you to create a strong emotional connection with your customers and differentiate you from your competitors.

Example 1: Fazer is named after its founder Karl Fazer. The name reflects the company's long history, tradition and commitment to quality. This creates an image of reliability and authenticity that resonates with many customers both domestically and internationally.

Example 2: Kalevala Koru takes its name from the Finnish national epic Kalevala. The name highlights the company's connection to Finnish cultural heritage and craftsmanship. It reinforces the brand identity and appeals to customers who value uniqueness and cultural depth.

Example 3: Lapin Kulta is a beer brand whose name refers to the pure nature of northern Finland and the wilderness of Lapland. The name adds to the appeal of the product by evoking nature and authenticity.

Tip 2: How could your company name tell a story or reflect your values? A name that tells where you come from and what you believe in can create a deeper connection with your customers and strengthen your brand in the long term.

3. A message about your industry - what do you do?

A name can give a clue about your business sector or even tell you about it directly, making it easier for customers to understand what you offer. This is particularly useful for new businesses that do not yet have an established brand. A name that includes your industry keyword can improve your online visibility and facilitate search engine optimisation. If there are many similar names in your industry, consider a more creative approach to differentiate yourself from competitors

Example 1: A children's goods shop selling baby care products, which is clear from the name. Quick recognition means that customers immediately understand that the company is serving their needs when they are looking for childcare products.

Example 2: Online store.com communicates directly that the company is an online store. The name is simple and easy to remember, and helps customers find the company online. The ".com" tag reinforces the digital presence and communicates the company's environment.

Example 3: A car clinic offers car repair and maintenance services. The name combines the words "car" and "clinic", creating the image of a professional and caring service.

Tip 3: Do you want the name to refer directly to your business or can it be more abstract? A direct reference makes it easier for customers to understand, but an abstract name can provide flexibility to expand your business into new areas.

4. A good business name is like a foot in the door

First impressions are extremely important, and a business name is often the first thing a potential customer encounters. It should be easy to remember, pronounce and spell. A good business name typically has a number of qualities to arouse curiosity, create a positive image or communicate something about the nature or offering of your business.

Example 1: IKEA has succeeded in creating a name that is short, concise and easy to remember in all languages. The name is a combination of founder Ingvar Kamprad's initials (I.K.) and the names of his farm Elmtaryd (E) and his home village Agunnaryd (A). This personal touch, combined with easy pronunciation, has helped the company achieve global recognition.

Example 2: Apple has chosen the simple, everyday word "apple". The name stands out in the technology sector, where many companies use technical or complex names. "Apple" creates an image of simplicity, user-friendliness and innovation, which is in line with the company's brand.

Example 3: The name Coca-Cola has rhythm, phoneticity and alliteration, i.e. syllables beginning with the letter c. A name like this literally "rolls of the tongue", i.e. it fits in the mouth. A phonetically pleasing name can facilitate word-of-mouth marketing as customers share their experience of your business.

Tip 4: A short and memorable name often works better than a complex or difficult-to-pronounce name. In addition to the written form, what would the name look like on logos, websites and social media?

5. Be willing to defy grammar

Coming up with a good name is essentially a creative process where innovation is rewarded.  It can and should encourage innovation, through which you come up with a distinctive and memorable name for your business. Often breaking the rules of grammar, combining words in new ways or inventing entirely new words is inevitable. Challenge yourself and your team - try to capture at least two of the following in your company name: company values, roots, industry and memorability.

Example 1: Flickr is a photo sharing service that dropped a vowel from the word "flicker". This creates a modern and distinctive name that will be remembered.

Example 2: Google is a variation of the word "googol", which means a number with a one and a hundred zeros. The name reflects the company's aim to organise vast amounts of information.

Example 3: Rovio has taken the Finnish word for "campfire" or "roviota" as its name. The name is short and conveys images of warmth and energy.

Tip 5: How would you combine several things about your company in the name? Word games, inventing new words and deliberately breaking grammar are techniques you can use to achieve this.

6: A distinctive name is a competitive advantage

In a competitive environment, standing out is vital. A unique company name can be the deciding factor in whether a customer chooses your company. Suggestions pulled directly from business name generators can stand out, but not necessarily in an advantageous way. That's why it pays to use your team's creativity to come up with a name that stands out both linguistically and visually.

Linguistic distinctiveness

Linguistic distinctiveness refers to the uniqueness of a name at the level of language. It can come from creative solutions, puns or made-up words. The most important thing is that the name attracts attention and sticks in the mind.

Example 1: Spotify combines the words "spot" and "identify", creating a new word that is easy to pronounce and remember. The name is related to the discovery and identification of music, which fits the company's services.

Example 2: Snapchat combines the words "snap" and "chat" to describe the service's fast and instant communication.

Example 3: Pinterest combines the words "pin" and "interest", describing the idea of a service to collect and share interests.

Visual distinctiveness

Visual distinctiveness is how your name works with your logo, colours and other brand elements. A name that offers opportunities for visual expression can strengthen your brand's recognition.

Example 4: Red Bull combines the colour "red" with the animal "bull" to create a strong and energetic image. This allows for a striking logo and visual identity that supports your brand.

Example 5: Twitter uses a name related to the bird twitter ("tweet"). This allows the use of a bird in the logo, which reinforces the visual identity of the brand.

Example 6: Mailchimp combines the words "mail" and "chimp". The name is distinctive and humorous, and the use of a chimp in the logo makes the brand memorable.

Tip 6: Do you want to play it safe and be forgotten, or be remembered by your customers? Be bold and creative when coming up with ideas, as this can lead to a distinctive name that inspires a strong visual identity.

+Extra tip: You can look to competitors' names for inspiration, but researching your competitors is useful in other ways. So why not use Woorati's B2B analysis tool, for example?

7. Use business name generators as a tool

You can use creative techniques to help you or make use of various name generators, such as AI-based business name engines. Don't delegate the whole creative process to them, but use them if you are stuck in the ideation phase or in narrowing down ideas. You may get new perspectives and suggestions, but the names generated can be generic or impersonal. That's why we recommend you read the other tips in our article, to use name generators effectively.

Make the most effective use of business name generators with these tips:

1. Start with clear keywords: before using a name generator, think about which words or phrases best describe your business - its values, industry and mission. Enter these keywords into the generator to make the results more relevant to your business. For example, a bakery business might use words like "sweet" or "artisan" to make the results more relevant.
2. Try different variations: play around with different keyword combinations. You can experiment with synonyms, topic-related words or even abstract terms to generate new ideas. The name generator can provide a rich list of suggestions as you experiment with different feeds.
3. Consider your target audience. What appeals to younger and trendier customers may not appeal to a more traditional audience. Test different styles - whether modern, classic or playful.
4. Use filters. Generators also often check the availability of a domain, which is important for web browsing. The generators often check the availability of a domain name before proceeding.
5. Evaluate and refine: once you have a list of potential names, consider their pronunciation, spelling and appearance in the logo. Ask friends or potential customers for their opinions and make sure the name is easy to remember and spell. Avoid complex names that can cause confusion.
6. Check legal availability: many generators do not automatically check trademarks, so it is important to ensure that the name you choose will not lead to legal problems later.

Tip 7: Use name generators as a source of inspiration, but evaluate suggestions critically. Choose a name that fits your company's identity and values, and make sure it is unique and relevant.

8. Reserve and protect your name - legal protection and registration

Once you have found the perfect name, it is important to ensure that it is available and legally protected. This prevents others from using the same or confusable name and protects your brand.

Checking the availability of a name

Trade Register: check the availability of your business name at the PRH

Name Service. Make sure that an identical or confusable name is not already registered.

Trademark Register: check that the name is not already registered as a trademark for the same industry sector PRH
trademark register.

Domain names: check the availability of a domain name, for example through Domainhotel or Whois.

How to register and protect a name

Registration with the Trade Register: once the name is free, register your company name with the Trade Register through the Patent and Registration Office (PRH).
Trademark registration: consider registering a trademark if you want broader protection for your name and logo. This will protect your brand and prevent others from using a similar name.
If you are planning to operate internationally, check the availability and protection of the name in the target market.

Tip 8: Ensure the legal availability of the name and protect it by registering it. This will protect your business from legal challenges and strengthen your brand's position in the market.

9. Online presence - be visible

In the age of digitalisation, online visibility is key. Your company name should work seamlessly online and on social media. This will make it easier for customers to find you and strengthen your brand.

Choosing a domain name

Availability: check that your business name is available as a domain name (.fi, .com, .net, etc.).
Consistency: having a consistent name on your domain name and social media will help build your brand.
Easy to remember: A short and clear domain name is easier to remember and spell correctly.
Example: e-commerce.com uses its company name directly in its domain name, making it easy to find and remember.

Tip 9: Make sure your domain name and social media usernames are available and match your business name. This makes it easier for customers to find you and strengthens your brand consistency.

10. Dominate the market at every touchpoint

Your company name is almost always present at every touchpoint that customers read and experience. Wouldn't it be great if your brand name became synonymous with your industry? Googling, tweeting and photoshopping are some examples where naming is done with ambition and to help dominate an industry through company naming. A good company name is suitable for marketing communications in verbal, written and graphic form. Your choice of name plays a key role in how thoroughly your brand is imprinted in the minds of your customers.

Name as part of your marketing strategy

A well-chosen name can support your marketing strategy and help communicate your company's values and offerings.

For example, Klarna is a Swedish payment services company whose name means clarity in several languages (Swedish "klar", German "klar", English "clear"). The name supports the company's message of easy and clear payment services.

Name as part of marketing communication

The name has a direct impact on how customers talk about your company and how your brand spreads.

For example, Slack is a short and easy-to-pronounce name that has become a verb ("slack"), indicating a strong brand presence in everyday life.

Tip 10: Choose a name that supports your marketing and resonates with your target audience. Make active use of your name in communication and brand building to ensure it stays in the minds of your customers.