Put simply, your company name can make or break you. Your name is your first impression, your first handshake, the first interaction you have with your clients—your first chance to impress them.

So it’s essential that you get it right.

Your name does not simply represent what it is that you do—it also talks about who you are, what you believe in and what you are striving toward.

A good business name is true to the personality of your organisation and makes your customers feel something – whether that be trust, curiosity, whimsy or nostalgia. That feeling then translates into brand recognition, trust, desirability, and ultimately, sales.

Choosing a business name is a big responsibility. Here are some points to consider when coming up with a name:

Think about length

If possible, aim for two or three syllables—names like Apple, Dropbox, Google, Twitter, and Yahoo roll off the tongue.

Think about a name’s function

Consider if you want a name that explains what your business does, or something more abstract. A ‘sticky’ name can be a random word with a catchy sound, like Etsy or Kodak. There are pros and cons to each approach; a descriptive name quickly communicates your brand story but is more likely to be boring and/or forgettable. A sticky name doesn’t communicate what it is that you do, so you may have to invest more in marketing, but the punch and originality of a memorable, quirky name can’t be understated..

Know your present customers

Know who you’ll be serving to, their beliefs and perceptions, and choose your brand name accordingly.

Think about how you want your customers to feel

A funeral service business should elicit feelings of trust, comfort and respectfulness. A sports centre brand should make you feel energetic and upbeat. It might seem like common sense, but all too often people don’t account for the emotion of a name. Make sure the emotion fits.

Consider word associations

They can work in favour of branding (when used correctly). The word ‘sprite’, for instance, means “elf, fairy, or goblin” and comes from the Latin spiritus, for spirit. The drink was marketed as something refreshing, lively and energetic – and so the name ‘Sprite’ fits, especially when paired with the brand’s bright green and yellow logo.

Check your international dictionary

A good brand name needs to sound good in any language. Make sure your name doesn’t mean something derogatory or embarrassing in other languages – if you decide to trade overseas, you may regret it.

Ditch the acronyms

IBM and BP are hugely successful companies, but their success has absolutely nothing to do with their utilitarian brand names. It’s hard to justify naming a company with an acronym these days; they’re more useful during a rebrand process. Acronyms are hard for audiences to remember and even harder to trademark.

Make sure your brand and logo work together

Brand strategists often rely on what is known as the “bouba/kiki effect.” In 1929, the German-American psychologist Wolfgang Köhler conducted an experiment in which he presented participants with the following two images:

He asked the participants which one was called “baluba,” and which one was called “takete“? The overwhelming majority of participants (95%) said the first, more angular shape was takete and the second, more rounded shape was baluba. This experiment shows that words often make our mouths feel a certain way, which in turn cues our brains into visualising shapes. A name and a logo, therefore, need to work together, and jointly express what a company stands for in a single impression.

Consider wordplay – but choose wisely

Lexical branding relies on wordplay for memorability. Puns, phrases, compound words, alliteration, onomatopoeia, intentional misspellings, and foreign words are all forms of lexical names. Brands that use lexical names achieve impact by pairing or modifying words for effect (think NetFlix, Froot Loops, Sizzler Steakhouse, Febreze, Toys ‘R’ Us etc). But be wary—these types of names are the most salesy of the bunch and can appear cheap. If you’re going to use wordplay, make sure it’s extremely subtle; nobody likes a pun that makes your eyes roll out of their sockets.

SEO Friendly?

Last but definitely not least – make sure your chosen name works for SEO marketing and check the domain name is available. For those that don’t know, SEO (or Search Engine Optimisation) is a series of strategies and techniques employed to increase the quantity and quality of traffic to your website through organic search engine results. The idea is you want to pop up as the first ewault in a Google search. There is a complex science behind SEO, but the two most important things you can do to increase your brand’s SEO value is to choose a name that is unique and one that is memorable. Also, don’t forget to check that the domain name for your business is available for purchase and make sure your business name is available through ASIC.

From Dr Pepper, to Twinings, Snapple, Zippo, Adidas and Schweppes – the power of a good name can never be underestimated. Experiment and have fun with the process, test your ideas with a wide range of people and:

B E. B O L D.

In this modern age you’ll need some true grit to stand out from the crowd.

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