Every great business begins with a great business name. In fact, spending a little extra time and energy in order to find the perfect fit may help you stay in business longer and more effectively than your competition.

There are millions of businesses competing in the marketplace each year, but only a few corporations that truly nail their business name. More often than not, startup companies or new enterprises miss the boat on naming conventions, and wind up with less-than-stellar results. Many of them fall prey to:

  • Snappy or trending lingo (vowel-less words, etc).
  • Interesting sounding names rather than descriptive ones.
  • Business names that fall too close to competitor titles.

Naming a business should never be a snap decision, nor should it be something that is done overnight. Come up with the perfect name for your aspiring business by following these simple steps.

  1. List related keywords and phrases.

What kinds of terms, industries, colors, or destinations does your business encompass? Make one large Excel sheet or Word document full of names. Think about synonyms that go with your keywords, including consumer friendly ideals such as ‘affordability’ or ‘dependability.’

  1. Check the Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS) for related names.

Avoid the headache and heartache of a preowned name by searching the TESS database for all trademarked materials. This will help you narrow down the list of names.

  1. Think in terms of logos, brandings, and colors.

Now that your list is significantly narrower, consider ways that remaining keywords could be used in marketing collateral. Begin by crossing out names that may be received poorly or appear less flattering.

  1. Consider digital territories.

Armed with a final list of names, consider which keywords would work best as a social media handle, URL, and domain extension.

Equip your business for success by choosing the best name possible:

Infographic Source: WPBeginner