Small Business Corner

There is much to consider when selecting a name for your new small business. The overall objective is to select a name that fits who you are and what your business about. 

Keep these tips in mind when deciding on your name:

Make it short. Remember, your name will also be used in your web domain and for social media profiles, so shorter is better.

Make it memorable. Make your name easy to remember. You’ll want to be able to say it and have people remember it.

Make it pronounceable. Just as important as being memorable, if people can’t pronounce it, they won’t be able to remember or spell it

It should be easy to spell. You don’t want to waste your time and money teaching people how to spell your name—but this doesn’t mean that you can’t be creative.

It should be descriptive. But it clear, so it’s brandable. You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to understand what kind of site this is.

Make sure you can use it. A critical step is finding out whether you can legally use a name for your company based on federal trademark laws. For this, the best resource is often the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Its website includes a step-by-step process of applying for a company trademark if the name you want is available.

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