Whatever your approach to business and brand naming, we've found these simple principles help to steer the creative process.
When TV channel UKTV G2 changed its name to DAVE, it left many viewers thinking ‘eh’? (unless of course you were called Dave, in which case you were stoked). It turns out that a channel showing re-runs of Top Gear, Only Fools and Horses and Lovejoy appealed to Dave. So they named it after him. It was brave. It was (slightly) controversial at the time, and now seems normal.
The point is the name reflected their target audience.
There are only a handful of times in life when we think about naming so much. One is naming a child, the other a pet or in some instances your first car. You can buy books full of names. There are websites dedicated to creating business names, but if you’re diving into a creative process, then these 8 principles will help to guide the process of creating good business names.
Good business names get noticed, but a great brand name tells a story, it has a deeper meaning that connects with people on an emotional level. A story sticks in people’s minds and adds personality to the brand. The name for the online bank Starling suggests freedom, sociability and adaptability - have you ever witnessed a murmuration of starlings? It's mind-blowing.
Consideration should be given to strategic relevance or meaning. Should it represent what you do or how you do it? Does it need to challenge the status quo? Or, as in the case of DAVE, it just needs to ‘fit’ with your audience. Will your brand name help to plant that core idea into the minds of your audience? Should it be a functional description of your service or suggestive of the experience? Should it be coined/made up (Google, Sonos) or a combination of words to create something unique (pin+interest=pinterest)? There are many routes to creating a name for your brand.
Memorability. Good business names should be easy to say, spell, and recall unless of course the meaning is opposed to this! The simpler, the better—just look at Uber. It’s short, catchy, and instantly recognisable. It’s a play on the German word über, meaning ‘beyond’, which was pretty good for an app that changed an industry overnight. If people can’t remember your business name or spell it when searching you online, that’s a problem.
Then there’s credibility—Good business names have to feel trustworthy, especially in industries like finance or healthcare. PayPal, for instance, immediately suggests security and ease of use, making it a good name for a payment platform. A name that sounds too gimmicky or vague will make it hard for people to take a brand seriously.
Of course, creating a great name for your business is pointless if you can’t actually use it. Availability is key—before falling in love with a name, it’s essential to check Companies House for business name registrations and search options for domain name and social media handles. Maybe more importantly, if you want to protect it, check whether it is already trademarked.
Business name availability is decreasing, placing more emphasis on creativity and finding meaning. Don’t just fall into the trend (trap) of misspelling words, like Fiverr, to secure a unique identity online. Remember, it’s not that important to own the original word - nobody is searching for a brand name they’ve never heard of. They’ll search for the product or service you offer in a location near them.
Uniqueness is important, but next to impossible to achieve. Standing out against the competition can help with recall but if it’s just wallpaper and has no meaning or story behind it then you’re probably wasting your time.
The last thing you want is to blend in with competitors or get confused with another brand. Google became so distinctive that it turned into a verb, which is pretty much the dream for any brand wanting a place in the minds of its audience. Maybe we're not far off having brands with no names?
Good business names should also work well in everyday life. If it’s awkward to say, too long, or tricky to pronounce, it might not catch on. That’s why brands such as (satnav app) Waze and Monzo (even though it is made up) work so well—they're simple and functional in conversation. However, be careful with names that don’t immediately trip off the tongue. After years of brand awareness, Hyundai and Xero recently dedicated ads explaining how to pronounce their names; Huit Denim Co are making a film about the different mispronunciations of their brand.
And sometimes, it just comes down to gut feel. If a name feels right, fits the brand’s vision, and resonates with the audience, it might just be the perfect choice. Uber sounds good, has a nice rhythm, is short, snappy and simple, a bit like the taxi app it represents. Sometimes, when thinking about good business names, intuition plays the biggest role in choosing the right brand name for your business.
The best name for a brand ever? A skip-hire company called Muck Tubs.
