Swahilify 
You can’t have a business without a business name and naming a business might not be an easy task hence it can be a stressful process.
So you know finding the right name for your business can have a significant impact on your success.
You will want to choose a name that will last and, if possible, will embody both your values and your company’s distinguishing characteristics.
Here are some helpful tips and guides for you to come up with a perfect name for your business.
Where to get your Business Name;
1. Related words
This is the first thing that most people focus on when creating a business name. This is a great technique that directs you to a name that will stand up for your type of business.
eg. General Motors, Rental Cars, etc.
2. Person’s name
This might be tricky, names can be the best but also names can be the worst. Some names are catchy and easy to remember and some names aren’t, so be careful when trying to use a person’s name.
eg. Dell – Michael Dell, Ford Motors – Henry Ford, etc
Note:
– It might be hard to sell your business later
– Some cultures don’t accept certain names, so better have a good research about it.
3. Your Environment (Nature)
When you widen your search, your surroundings can give a lot of answers. Our environment is filled with lots of things like Animals, Plants, Geographical location, and many more. A Lion symbolizes strength and power, a cheetah symbolizes speed and all this can have a meaning in your business.
eg. KFC – Kentucky Fried Chicken, Puma, Apple, etc.
Note:
– Be careful. Some names are not accepted by some cultures.
– Before using locations for a brand name make a deep research of it.
4. Initials
The odds of getting an initial name nowadays is very low. If you are able to get a business name with catchy Initials untrademarked, then that’s what we call luck.
You can also use initials with other words and make a catchy business name.
eg. IBM – International Business Machines, BMW – Bayerische Motoren Werke, PayTM – Pay Through Mobile
5. Use other resources
There are many online and offline resources where you can generate and get suggestions for business names.
Offline- Try to contact a brand creator in your region and inquire for their services
Online- There are many name generators online. Try using the google search to look for the best name generator.
(Stay tuned I’m going to list some of the best name generators online)
6. Generate your own words
Try to create words that are short and catchy. From your business idea, you can generate random words that may lead to the perfect business name.
eg. Google, Yahoo, etc.
Things to consider;
1. Make it Simple
Don’t choose a name that is too long or complicated i.e hard to spell. This can make some of your customers find a hard time to reach you. And it might be a potential drawback to your business.
You can try to read it aloud to see how it sounds.
2. Choose a scalable name
If you want your business to expand then the best idea is to make sure your business name can support all the expansions. It’s not pleasing to create another name for your business just because you extended your services.
3. Look for comparisons
You can perform the search on the web. The more you find similar names on the web then I advise you to look for another name. Having similar or almost similar names can lead your customers to another business especially when you are a startup.
4. Check for the domain name.
A domain is a representation of your business online. Acquire your domain as soon as you have chosen your business name.
It’s quite disappointing when you find out that your business name’s domain is taken. You can try to find out if the domain registrar is ready to sell the domain.
If your business is online based and you can’t acquire the domain name, then I advise you to find an alternative domain, try to check for a different extension other than .com, and if all that fails, try to find a better business name before proceeding.
5. Asses your business name
If you have a list of names then you can ask your family and friends about the name and observe their feedback. And make sure that the name doesn’t have any negative connotations.
Finalising
Creating a business name can be tough. A business name is just one of the first steps of creating the best brand, and the first impression towards your customers. Take your time and be vigilant to create your business name, as it can lead to a potential rise or fall of your business.
