01
Impossible to find
A generic phrase or creative spelling that Google confuses with something else. Customers search and land on a competitor.
Ideas · checks · shortlist
Business naming
Business naming for founders who want a name people can say, spell and find, and that nobody else in the industry already owns. I build a long list, run the checks that save money later, and help you choose from a shortlist that actually works.
Free: a 30-minute call, an action plan and a price range in writing.
Expensive mistakesFour ways a name
Four ways a name
costs you later
02
Already taken
A similar name registered as a trademark in your industry. A cease-and-desist letter arrives after you paint the trucks.
03
Too narrow
"Springfield Roof Repair" stops working when you expand to the next county or start installing siding.
04
Lost in translation
A word that sounds odd or means something unfortunate in a language your customers speak.
How it works
One brand
One brand
from logo to ads
Logo, colors and typeface come together into a system that works on your website, in ads and on your sign.
- Logo in several versions
- Palette and typography
- Social media templates
ProcessFrom blank page
From blank page
to a final name
Naming briefWhat you do, for whom, how you want to sound, plans for growth and names you already like or dislike.
Long listDozens of options across different name types: descriptive, invented, compound, personal.
ChecksDomains, social handles, state business records, a basic USPTO search, search results and pronunciation.
ShortlistThree to five names that passed, each shown as a logo sketch, a domain and a phone greeting.
DecisionYou choose; I recommend next steps for registration and legal clearance.
Pricing
Business naming
Business naming
pricing
In US dollars. Naming is delivered with a trusted partner and quoted individually; it is often combined with a logo.
■ Naming project[02]
Individual quote
Brief, long list, checks and a tested shortlist.
- Domain and handle availability
- Basic trademark and state record screen
- Shortlist presented in context
Name + logo[03]
Individual quote
The chosen name taken straight into logo design, one brief, one timeline.
See logo design→What makes a good
business name
Business naming is a marketing decision
A name is the one part of your brand you will repeat thousands of times: on the phone, on invoices, in Google, on the side of a truck. Business naming deserves more than a brainstorm over dinner. A good name is easy to say and spell, gives a hint of what you do or how you do it, can be found in search, and can be protected. A poor one costs money in confused customers, lost search traffic and, in the worst case, a forced rename.
Types of names and when each fits
- Descriptive ("Northside Dental Care"). Clear from day one, good for local search, hard to protect and easy to confuse with competitors.
- Personal ("Martinez & Sons"). Builds trust in trades and professional services, harder to sell later.
- Compound or suggestive ("BrightNest Cleaning"). Hints at a benefit, easier to own, needs a little explanation at first.
- Invented (a new word). Most distinctive and easiest to protect, needs the most marketing to give it meaning.
There is no best type. A one-van plumber in a mid-sized town and a skincare startup selling nationwide need very different names. Think also about how the name will be used in practice: answered on the phone fifty times a day, spoken by a customer recommending you to a neighbor, typed into a phone with autocorrect switched on. Names that survive all three are rarer than you might expect, which is why the long list has to be long.
The checks that save money
Before a name reaches the shortlist, it goes through:
- Domain. Is the .com available, or a sensible variant?
- Social handles. Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn and YouTube.
- State records. Your Secretary of State's business entity search, plus existing assumed names in your area.
- Trademarks. A basic search of the USPTO database for identical and similar marks in related classes.
- Search results. What appears when someone types the name today?
- Sound. Can it be understood over a bad phone line and spelled after hearing it once?
This screen catches most problems. It is not legal clearance: for that, a trademark attorney runs a deeper search and can file the application. I prepare the information they need.
Names across languages
The US is home to large Spanish-, Chinese-, Vietnamese-, Polish-, Russian- and Ukrainian-speaking communities, among many others. A name that sounds fine in English can mean something awkward elsewhere. For businesses serving those communities, I suggest reading the shortlist aloud to native speakers. I speak Polish, Russian and Ukrainian myself, so I can check those directly; for Spanish and other languages, your own people are the best judges. If you run an immigrant-owned business, the article on marketing an immigrant-owned business covers more of this ground.
After the name is chosen
Register it with your state, secure the domain and handles the same day, and talk to a trademark attorney if the name will carry real investment. Then the name moves into logo design, and from there into a website, a Google Business Profile and your first ads. For a new firm, a simple landing page is often enough to start taking inquiries while the full brand comes together. The first 60 days of a new business article lays out the order.
How it is delivered
Business naming is delivered with a trusted partner who helps generate and research options. I run the brief, review every candidate against your marketing plans, do the checks and stay your only contact. The agreement, timeline and final presentation come from me.
After the name
Next steps
Questions
Business naming FAQ
Do I need a .com domain?
For a US business, .com is still the default people type and trust most. If the exact .com is taken, a short addition such as your trade or city often works better than an unusual ending. I check domain availability for every name on the shortlist before you fall in love with one.
Can you guarantee the name is legally free to use?
No, and nobody without a law license should. I screen out obvious conflicts in state records and the USPTO database, but a full trademark clearance search and legal opinion should come from a trademark attorney before you invest heavily in signage and vehicles.
Should my business name include my city?
It can help local recognition, but it limits growth if you expand. Many businesses keep the city out of the legal name and add it in the Google Business Profile category, website and ads instead. If you will always serve one area, a local name can be a good choice.
What about a name that works in Spanish too?
I check how names sound and spell in general, but I do not work in Spanish. If many of your customers speak Spanish, have a native speaker you trust read the shortlist out loud. A quick check now is cheaper than a rename later.
How many names will I see?
The long list usually has several dozen options. After checks, you get a shortlist of three to five names that passed, each shown in context. If none fits, we do one more round from what you learned looking at the first.
Need a name?
Let's talk.
Tell me what your business does and where it is headed. I'll reply within one business day with next steps.