How to Come Up With a Brand Name That Attracts Customers

• Stand out from your competitors.
• Build credibility and trust with customers.
• Create a consistent brand identity in your marketing.
• Develop customer loyalty.

Having a strong brand name is important because customers are flooded with choices. Your brand name is your first opportunity to stand out from the crowd and grab their attention.

How to Come Up With a Brand Name

Ok, now let’s talk about how to come up with a brand name for your business. It might seem like a lot, but really it’s just a few simple steps.

Step 1: Define your brand

What are your brand’s values and mission?

The first step in naming your business/brand is defining your brand. Before you start brainstorming, you want to have a clear understanding of your brand’s values and personality.

What is important for your business? What are your goals? What’s your brand strategy? What are you trying to achieve?

These are things that you want your company name to represent.

Example

An example of a brand name that does this well is “Patagonia.” Patagonia is an outdoor clothing and gear company that has built its branding around the values of environmentalism, sustainability, and ethical business practices.

The name “Patagonia” was chosen because it represents a remote, untouched wilderness that the company seeks to preserve and protect. The name also reflects the company’s adventurous spirit and commitment to quality products that can withstand the elements.

The brand name “Patagonia” effectively communicates the company’s values and mission to customers, and has become synonymous with environmentally conscious and socially responsible outdoor apparel.

What makes your brand stand out?

Another angle you’ll want to consider when naming your brand is how you stand out from the competition. What sets you apart? How are you better than the rest?

In a crowded market, having a name that helps your ideal customer easily recognize the value of your product or service is key.

Example

One example of a brand name that helped a company stand out from its competitors is “Apple.” When Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak founded the company in the 1970s, they wanted a name that was simple, memorable, and easy to spell.

At the time, most computer companies had names that were technical and unmemorable, such as IBM, DEC, and HP. The name “Apple” was a departure from this trend and helped the company stand out in the market.

The name “Apple” also had connotations of simplicity, creativity, and innovation. These values were important to the founders and were reflected in the design of the company’s products.

The name “Apple” also had a friendly and approachable feel, which helped the company appeal to a broader audience than just tech enthusiasts.

What impression do you want your target audience to have?

Next, you’ll want to consider the impression that your brand name will give to potential customers. For example, if you’re targeting luxury consumers, a posh and sophisticated name might be more effective than an edgy or quirky one.

Likewise, if your target audience is young professionals looking for something modern and fresh, a simple and straightforward name might be more appropriate.

The idea is to choose a name that resonates with your target audience and communicates the values of your brand in a way they can connect with.

Example

An example of a brand name that has resonated well with its target audience is “Amazon.” Amazon was founded as an online bookstore but quickly expanded to become the world’s largest e-commerce platform.

The name “Amazon” was chosen for a few reasons. First, it is easy to remember and spell. Second, it reflects the company’s ambition to offer customers a vast selection of products in one convenient place (like an Amazon jungle!).

Finally, the name “Amazon” tapped into the idea of convenience and speed, which resonated well with busy consumers who wanted to shop quickly without having to leave the comfort of their homes.

Where will you use your brand name?

Finally, you’ll want to consider where you plan on using your brand name. Will it appear on physical products, digital advertisements, or both?

If you plan on using it on physical products, you’ll want a name that is easy to read and pronounce. You don’t want shoppers spending an excessive amount of time trying to decipher your brand name!

If you plan on using it in digital ads, you’ll want a name that stands out and catches people’s attention quickly. You also might want to consider using a memorable tagline or slogan to help reinforce your brand’s message.

Example

One example of a brand name that works well in both physical and digital environments is “Nike.” The company was founded in 1964 and has since become one of the world’s most recognizable brands.

The name “Nike” was chosen because it is short, easy to remember, and has a strong association with the Greek goddess of victory.

The company also uses its iconic “Just Do It” tagline in both physical and digital environments, which reinforces its message of empowerment and encourages customers to take action.

Step 2: Brainstorm

Now that you’ve got a clear idea of what you’re trying to convey with your brand name, you can start brainstorming some names. Feel free to sit down with a thesaurus and just write down a list of words that fit your brand.

Then start mixing and matching words and phrases. Experiment with different combinations to come up with something unique.

You can play around with alliteration (Dunkin’ Donuts), rhyming, (Slim Jim), or puns (Lettuce Eat: a salad bar) to make your brand name more memorable. You can also consider using made-up words, acronyms, or abbreviations.

At this stage, there is no such thing as a bad idea or too many ideas. The more you write down, the more you’ll get your creative juices flowing.

From there you can pick your favorite ones and move on to step 3: checking its availability.

Step 3: Check its availability

Your next step in how to come up with a brand name is checking the availability of your name. The last thing you want is to set up your business with a name that’s already taken.

Start by checking your country’s trademark database to make sure the name is not already in use. You can also search online to see if anyone else has a website or social media accounts with the same name.

Make sure that you don’t accidentally choose something that is too similar to another brand as this could get you into legal trouble. If you find that the name is available, you can register it as a trademark and start using it for your business.

It might also be a good idea to buy the website domain and create your social media accounts with your brand name. Even if you’re not ready to use them yet, it pays to claim them when you can.

You don’t want to wait a few weeks just to find some other business came in a stole your name because you waited!

Step 4: Test it out

The last step in how to come up with a brand name is to test it out. Send it out to your friends, family, and colleagues for feedback.

Ask them if they like the name, how easy it is to pronounce and spell, and if they can guess what your business is about based on the name alone. You can even do some market research and ask potential customers what they think of the name.

Take their feedback into account and make adjustments as needed. Once you’re happy with the results, you can confidently move forward with your brand name and start building your business.

What to Consider When Choosing a Brand Name

Now that you know how to come up with a brand name, let’s go over some best practices. These are just a few things to keep in mind as you’re brainstorming and testing out different names.

Easy to pronounce and spell

One of the criteria your business name must meet is that it’s easy to pronounce and spell. If customers can’t easily figure out how to say or spell your name, they’re probably going to have a hard time remembering it and be reluctant to share it.

Having an easy-to-spell and pronounce brand name can increase brand recognition and recall, making it easier to build a strong brand association with your product or service. This leads to more organic referrals and increased awareness among potential customers.

Memorable & Unique

Especially if the industry you’re in is saturated with a lot of businesses, you want to make sure your business has a chance to stand out with a memorable name. Try to avoid using too generic and overused words, such as “best”, “fabulous” and “top”.

You want your brand to be easily recognizable, so choose something that will stay in people’s heads after their first encounter with it. Add a touch of personality and creativity to your brand name to make it truly unique.

Meaningful

Something else to consider when choosing a brand name is if it’s meaningful. Does your business name reflect what your company stands for? Does it convey the values of your brand and its mission?

Having a well-thought-out name that has meaning behind it can make your customers feel more connected to your brand. It also makes it easier to create cohesive marketing materials and campaigns that align with the message you’re trying to convey.

Strong visual identity

Lastly, you want to make sure your brand name pairs nicely with a strong visual identity. This means that it is easily recognizable through its visual elements like colors, typography, logo, and overall design.

A strong visual identity can be a powerful tool for a business. It creates a sense of familiarity and trust with customers that can lead to increased brand recognition and customer loyalty.

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What are the 7 types of brand names?

As you’re brainstorming how to come up with a brand name, it can be helpful to look at the different types of brand names and see which type of naming strategy best fits your business.

Here are the 7 categories:

1. Descriptive Brand Name – This type of name clearly conveys what your company does or sells in a straightforward manner. (ex: Toys “R” Us)
2. Invented Brand Name – These are unique, made-up names that don’t have any existing meaning outside of your business. (ex: Google)
3. Acronym Brand Name – An acronym brand name is an abbreviation of a phrase that describes what your business does. (ex: IBM)
4. Evocative Brand Name – An evocative brand name is more abstract and suggests a feeling, emotion, or image. (ex: Jaguar)
5. Personification Brand Name – A personification brand name refers to a person or character that embodies the values and mission of your company. (ex: Mr. Clean)
6. Association Brand Name – This type of brand name tries to evoke a positive feeling or emotion about the company by associating itself with something familiar. (ex: Dove)
7. Founder’s Name Brand Name – These names are typically derived from the first or last name of a founder, which can be a great way to create an emotional connection with customers. (ex: Ben & Jerry’s)

You can use any of these seven types to come up with your own unique brand name. You can even mix and match some of these types of brand names to find something that specifically represents you and your business.

Don’t be afraid to be creative with this process.

Things to Avoid When Choosing a Brand Name

So now that we’ve covered the do’s of how to come up with a brand name, let’s talk about the don’ts. There are definitely things that you want to avoid when you choose your brand name.

Here are some things to keep in mind:

Making the name too complicated

The last thing you want with a brand name is for it to be too complicated. You want something that is simple, easy to remember, and pronounce.

If people can’t remember or pronounce your brand name the odds of them recommending it to a friend or family member are low.

Example: Xobni – This brand name, which is the word “inbox” spelled backward, may be too complicated for some consumers to pronounce or remember.

Avoiding trademarks and copyrights

Make sure you do your research to make sure your brand name doesn’t infringe on any trademarks or copyrights. Doing so could result in legal trouble for you in the future.

Take the time to double-check that your name isn’t already taken by another business. It’s also a good idea to trademark your brand name when you can.

Using slang terms

When it comes to choosing a brand name, slang terms should be avoided. They can quickly become outdated and no longer relevant to your business.

You want a name that’s timeless and will stay relevant for years to come. So try to keep it professional and use language that won’t date quickly.

Example: Fleek – a beauty app that launched in 2015, using the term “on fleek” to describe perfect makeup or eyebrows. While the term was popular at the time, it quickly became overused and dated, and the app ultimately failed to gain traction.

Being too literal

Something else to consider on how to come up with a brand name is making sure that it’s not too literal. Being too straightforward can be a bit boring and unoriginal.

If you want to stand out from the competition, try to get creative with your brand name and come up with something unique and memorable that will attract potential customers.

Example: The Home Cleaning Service – This brand name is too literal and doesn’t communicate any emotional or aspirational qualities that customers may want from a home cleaning service.

A brand name that boxes you in

Another big no-no when choosing a brand name is picking one that limits your business’s potential. If you decide to expand into other markets or fields in the future, a brand name that boxes you in could be problematic.

You don’t want to pick a name that only applies to one specific service or product, as it limits your ability to expand and grow your business. Instead, come up with a name that is flexible and can grow with your business as it expands.

Example: The Running Shoe Company – This brand name is too specific to running shoes, which could limit the company’s ability to expand into other types of athletic footwear or even other types of athletic gear.

Taking too long to choose a brand name

The last thing you want to avoid when it comes to how to come up with a brand name is that the process doesn’t slow your momentum in starting your business.

Starting a business is hard work! Between researching your business idea, writing a solid business plan, and actually getting your business’s infrastructure up and running, you have plenty ahead of you.

The last thing you want is for this process to be a roadblock to you tackling the real work of starting your business.

Plus, if you take too long you risk your brand name already being trademarked or used by another company. You might also miss out on securing your domain name and social media handles.

This can quickly send you back to the drawing board when it comes to choosing your brand name and ultimately delay getting your business off the ground.

Instead, take a few days to play around and find a name you like, but don’t get stuck on it.

How do you know you’ve picked the right brand name?

At the end of the day, you want to pick a memorable brand name that is going to attract your ideal customers. You want it to:

• reflect your company’s mission and values,
• be easy to pronounce and remember,
• be free from trademarks and copyrights,
• stand out from other brands in your industry,
• and be something that you can grow with your business over time.

If you hit those objectives and you like what you come up with, you’re good to go!

Free Brand Name Generators

Now that you know everything you need to know about how to come up with a brand name, I wanted to share some tools that can really help speed up this process.

Business name generators can help you brainstorm hundreds of potential brand names in a matter of minutes. They generate brand name ideas based on the words, topics, and industries you input into the generator.

These are great if you’re feeling stuck or uninspired when it comes to how to come up with a brand name – they can provide some helpful ideas and jumpstart your creative process.

Here are our favorites:

Name Generators

• Namelix: A free name generator with easy customization. Decide how creative you want your name to be and even how many words.
• Fit Small Business: Basic name generator to help get your creative juices flowing. Also, read tips on how to name your business.
• Shopify: Generate a business name and jump right into creating an online store that matches the name.

Generate Names & Check for Domain Availability

• Truic: Enter a few keywords to get name suggestions that match available domain names at the same time.
• Novanym: See available domain names as you search.
• Business Name Generator: Check domain availability with GoDaddy.
• Wix: Get an extensive list of business names and then check against their database for available domains.

FAQs About How to Come Up With a Brand Name

Still a little unsure about how to come up with a brand name and working through the naming process? Here are some frequently asked questions:

Will a great brand name help my business?

Absolutely! A great brand name is the foundation of your business. It’s the first impression you make on potential customers, so it should be memorable and align with your mission and values.

How do you create a unique brand name?

Creating a unique brand name isn’t easy, but it’s essential in today’s crowded marketplace. Tap into your creativity and brainstorm some ideas that are simple and memorable. You can also use a business name generator to help come up with ideas.

Can I use my own name as my brand name?

Yes, you certainly can! This is especially helpful if you’re building a personal brand. Just make sure to check that the domain and social media handles are available before you invest too much time developing your name.

Can I trademark my brand name?

Yes, you can register for trademark protection with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). This will help protect your brand name from being used by other businesses.

How do you brainstorm a brand name?

Brainstorming a brand name is all about getting creative and playing around with words. You can use a thesaurus to help come up with new ideas, or even look to other languages for inspiration.

Also, consider using a business name generator for some ideas. Once you have some options, use them in conversations and see what resonates most with you and with others.

Conclusion to How to Come Up With a Brand Name

Now you know how to come up with a brand name. By following these steps, you’ll be able to come up with a great name for your business that will help you stand out from the crowd and attract customers.

With the right name and a bit of hard work, you can create an unforgettable business that customers will love.

Ready for the next phase of starting your business? Grab our FREE guide that will lay out everything you need to do from idea to launch to get your small business off the ground!

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