Naming a business or product: a checklist before you commit
A name is hard to change later. Run through these practical checks on meaning, availability and pronunciation before you commit.
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Key takeaways
- Check domains, social handles and trademarks before falling in love with a name.
- Say the name aloud and spell it from hearing: if people can't, it will cost you.
- Check meanings in every language and market you plan to serve.
Changing a name later means new signage, a new domain, new listings and lost recognition. A few hours of checks before you commit can save months of work afterwards.
Is it easy to say and spell?
Say the name aloud to people who have never seen it and ask them to write it down. If most of them spell it differently, customers will struggle to find you after hearing about you. Watch for silent letters, unusual spellings and words that sound like other words.
Does it mean something unwanted?
Check the name in the languages of every market you plan to serve, including slang. Search it online to see what already comes up. A name that is harmless in one country can be awkward in another.
Is it available?
- Domain. Look for a domain that matches the name exactly, without hyphens or extra words if possible.
- Social handles. Check the platforms you will use. Consistent handles make you easier to find.
- Business registration. Confirm you can register the name in your country.
- Trademarks. Search official trademark databases in your markets for identical or similar names in your category. For anything you plan to invest in, ask a trademark professional.
Is it distinctive?
Names that simply describe the category, such as "Best Web Design", are hard to remember, hard to rank for and usually impossible to protect. Distinctive names, invented words, metaphors or meaningful combinations, need a little more explaining at first but become assets.
Does it leave room to grow?
Avoid tying the name to a single product, city or technology unless you are sure you will never expand beyond it.
Does it work visually?
Write the name in lowercase and uppercase, short and long. Check how it looks as a logo, an app icon and a social avatar. Some letter combinations are much easier to design with than others.
Test with real people
Share two or three finalists with people from your audience and ask what each name suggests to them. You are not looking for votes; you are looking for misunderstandings.
Once you have a name, the brand identity work can start: logo, colours and the rest of the system built around it.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need the .com domain?
Not always, but you should own a domain that matches your name clearly. If the .com belongs to a similar business, confusion can follow you.
Should a name describe what we do?
Descriptive names are easy to understand but hard to protect and can limit growth. Distinctive names need more explaining but are easier to own.
