The process of choosing the right name

[AbiH]

Hey everyone!

What kind of process do you go through in choosing a name for your new company or product?

I found one that I like, but decided against it because it narrows my target audience down too much....

 

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[PizzaOnTheRoof]

Something memorable, three words or less, and the .com or close variant is available.

 

[Johnny boy]

I pick anything that doesn't sound stupid.

 

[James90]

• List compatible names on my whiteboard before registration.
• If online biz, cross-check available names on domains.
• I'll have my top 3 names. Add/eliminate overtime
• Simply pick one, when its time.

 

[RazorCut]

A friend of mine wasted a month because they couldn’t find the ‘perfect’ domain name so they couldn’t register their business.

My advice, take a few hours at most, pick the best you can find, move on.

Domain names are like phone numbers, you click on a link, rarely do you type them in unless you come across them on the side of a van (services like plumbers, repair men Cleaners etc.)

If the domain is mega important you are likely to have to buy it as the cyber squatters have all the best ones nailed down (personally I think if you don’t have a legitimate use for a domain you shouldn’t own it).

 

[Isaac Oh]

Elon Musk likes the letter X.

SpaceX
X.com
Model X

Seems to work for him. Probably why others aren't successful

 

[Andy Black]

There’s quite a few domain naming threads in here.

 

[PizzaOnTheRoof]

Oh yeah, pick something RELEVANT to your business and is an ACTUAL WORD.

Idk WTF Zquible.com is or does or how they can help me.

I came up with my current ventures name by mashing together a descriptive word and an animal.

Usually works if it’s not dumb.

 

[Andy Black]

Oh yeah, pick something RELEVANT to your business and is an ACTUAL WORD.

Idk WTF Zquible.com is or does or how they can help me.

I came up with my current ventures name by mashing together a descriptive word and an animal.

Usually works if it’s not dumb.

Yeah, I do that a lot.

Have it super relevant, or join some words together to make a “brand”.

Made up examples:

• dublinblacksmiths.ie
• greykeysolar.com
• skillsource.co.uk
• 360legal.com

 

[fastlanedoll]

A friend of my wasted a month because they couldn’t find the ‘perfect’ domain name so they couldn’t register their business.

My advicetake a few hours at most, pick the best you can find, move on.

Domain names are like phone numbers, you click on a link, rarely do you type them in unless you come across them on the side of a van (services like plumbers, repair men Cleaners etc.)

If the domain is mega important you are likely to have to buy it as the cyber squatters have all the best ones nailed down (personally I think if you don’t have a legitimate use for a domain you shouldn’t own it).

I've been wondering about buying domains (I already have a business name figured out and the domain name is available), but from what I've read, you can only rent, not buy.

What's a legitimate way to buy? (don't want to get scammed!)

Thanks!

 

[PizzaOnTheRoof]

I've been wondering about buying domains (I already have a business name figured out and the domain name is available), but from what I've read, you can only rent, not buy.

What's a legitimate way to buy? (don't want to get scammed!)

Thanks!

What do you mean rent not buy?

Buying a domain means paying a yearly renewal fee. Everyone has to pay it, even Apple or Microsoft.

Personally I use Namecheap. Use code FCNC2019COUPON for like 20% off. It’ll get you a .com for like $7/year.

 

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[Timmy C]

Make sure the domain is available for the name but not always.

Random crap that comes in my head.

Canva to make a logo and your done.

Don't even need a business name alot of the time.

 

[dmetts]

Hey everyone!

What kind of process do you go through in choosing a name for your new company or product?

I found one that I like, but decided against it because it narrows my target audience down too much....

Don't get wrapped up about this. I always look back over my life and what I've enjoyed and can relate back to me...and there's a close domain name available.

For example. I needed a name for my collector car storage facility. We'll something Motor Sports works. I like skiing and rock climbing and am a bit (or was...getting old) of an adrenaline junkie...so Black Diamond from skiing. A close domain name was available...and we were off and running. Took about 30 minutes.

 

[MJ DeMarco]

I like to picture myself reciting the name on the phone, vocally.

It must pass the vocality test, the memorability test, and brand test.

Vocality Test: Easy to vocalize.

XYZ-Mystore-Product.com is a fail. Having to say "dash" is a immediate killer.

Memorability Test: Easy to remember if the person can't write it down.

No one will remember XYZ-Mystore-Product.com

If you can't speak it effectively, then no one will remember it.

Brand Test: Can the name be branded effectively, encompassing your overall mission? This doesn't mean you have to have a descriptive name (CarPartsEmporium), just that you can create a name that helps with memorization, top of mind status.

 

[dmetts]

XYZ-Mystore-Product.com is a fail. Having to say "dash" is a immediate killer.

Agree with this 100%! I have a dash in my URL...and it's too long. Pain in the A$$.

 

[Andy Black]

I like to picture myself reciting the name on the phone, vocally.

It must pass the vocality test, the memorability test, and brand test.

Vocality Test: Easy to vocalize.

XYZ-Mystore-Product.com is a fail. Having to say "dash" is a immediate killer.

Memorability Test: Easy to remember if the person can't write it down.

No one will remember XYZ-Mystore-Product.com

If you can't speak it effectively, then no one will remember it.

Brand Test: Can the name be branded effectively, encompassing your overall mission? This doesn't mean you have to have a descriptive name (CarPartsEmporium), just that you can create a name that helps with memorization, top of mind status.

Talk about being consistent.

From here:

 

[Andy Black]

• Are you good at coming up with great branding domain names?
• A rose by another name might smell like crap

 

[kleine2]

Hey everyone!

What kind of process do you go through in choosing a name for your new company or product?

I found one that I like, but decided against it because it narrows my target audience down too much....

If you really want to go deep on this, here is a great book that covers all the important considerations.
Hello, My Name Is Awesome: How to Create Brand Names That Stick
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JH0HGVA/?tag=tff-amazonparser-20

 

[Walter Hay]

IMO the best reply so far is this one:

I like to picture myself reciting the name on the phone, vocally.

It must pass the vocality test, the memorability test, and brand test.

Vocality Test: Easy to vocalize.

XYZ-Mystore-Product.com is a fail. Having to say "dash" is a immediate killer.

Memorability Test: Easy to remember if the person can't write it down.

No one will remember XYZ-Mystore-Product.com

If you can't speak it effectively, then no one will remember it.

Brand Test: Can the name be branded effectively, encompassing your overall mission? This doesn't mean you have to have a descriptive name (CarPartsEmporium), just that you can create a name that helps with memorization, top of mind status.

@ThirtyOne wrote several time about the desirability of an emotional or visceral response in the thread linked by @Andy Black: A rose by another name might smell like crap
Here are two examples from his posts: "If you can create a positive emotional response to your name, made up or otherwise, you've got something." " a name with a visceral or emotional response for the customer helps give you an edge over the competition."

I believe that consistency throughout the branding process is important. The name, the logo, the label, the slogan, the color, the font - even the website layout must be consistent. To develop a brand that has a positive emotional response, where else would you start other than with a brand name that homes in on the wants and other emotional desires of your target market?

Two of the most effective brand name choices that I list in my labeling book among about 60 names of successful brands ( or ones that I invented for the purpose of illustration) are:

IMMORTAL: Guess what they are selling? Face cream? No! Beauty and Defeat of ageing.
RODD and GUNN: Are they selling sporting equipment? No, they are targeting a very elite class of the landed gentry and they are selling clothing. The gentry would not pick up a gun or a rod unless they are wearing the most expensive brand of sports jacket, and the requisite old school tie. Note the clever use of an extra d and an extra n.

Walter

 

[amp0193]

Vocality Test: Easy to vocalize.

Memorability Test: Easy to remember if the person can't write it down.

Brand Test: Can the name be branded effectively, encompassing your overall mission?

These were the 3 factors I chose.

I specifically chose one-syllable words for memorability and vocality.

I wanted people to see the product out in the wild, and be able to remember it when they got home. Especially because my product is difficult to describe. If you don't know what the search term is, you don't know what to search.


Has worked out very well for word of mouth growth.

 

[fastlanedoll]

This makes me want to register my domain even if I haven't completely gauged the need for my first product yet.

But I'm really determined to make SOMETHING work even if its not the first one.

 

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[ChrisV]

this might be helpful

or this

 

[fastlanedoll]

I already have a name in mind. What makes me want to grab it now even if I don't have time to start until the end of June is because I planned to launch line of products, so if the first one doesn't work, the second may, etc.

Oh and I'm afraid it will be taken, of course.