‘What’s in a name?’ wrote English playwright William Shakespeare in his play Romeo and Juliet. When it comes to business, we can confidently say that name matters a lot. It’s the name that makes a brand stand out from the crowd. It becomes an identity. A strong brand name immediately gives you an advantage when you are first starting your business.
“The right name can be a brand’s most valuable asset, driving differentiation and speeding acceptance. The wrong name can cost millions… in workarounds and lost income over the lifetime of the brand,” American author Marty Neumeier writes in The Brand Gap.
Importance of Brand Name
No matter how difficult it sounds, finding a unique name for your online store is not as tough. You just need to spare enough time for brainstorming. Use your time wisely and think of a perfect name that highlights the nature of your business. Your brand name will stick to your business forever.
The name of your brand will have a story to tell. It will help your customers and targeted audience to connect with you. People should be able to recognize and talk about your brand. If the name is difficult to recall, you might be missing out on word-of-mouth marketing that is absolutely free. Not only your customers, but even investors also take notice of brand names. According to a report quoted by Shopify, 82% of investment decisions are made after considering brand name recognition.
You can start the process of getting the right name by brainstorming and shortlisting a few names. Check their availability and do not forget to get some valuable feedback. Ask if the chosen name elicits the desired thoughts. Can people get the idea of products being sold through the name? What sort of emotions do they associate with your chosen name?
The brand name creates the first impression, hence you can’t afford to go wrong with it. Below we have shared a few tips and factors that must be considered while brainstorming unique names for your online store.
- Keep it short and simple
- Be unique
- Consider your online presence
- Go creative with the domain name
- Be original
- Find your inspiration
- Keep it short and simple
Where to Start With?
Your first priority should be to keep your brand name short and simple. A short name is great for multiple reasons. First of all, it is memorable, easy to pronounce and doesn’t take much space in the header of the homepage or packaging.
Finding that one single name that appeals to you can be quite challenging. Every day, a new brand pops up and there is always a possibility that your idea could be someone’s else idea too. However, you do not need to worry as there is plenty of room for creative and interesting brand names.
Below are a few tricks that you can try to find out that desirable name:
1. Keep it Short and Simple
Try combinations of two short words that rhyme or that are alliterative. This trick can help your name become more memorable.
Tweak a word or create your own. Tech brands like Google and Skype are not real words, but they have instantly recognizable names.
Word with a personal touch. It can be your own name, the nickname for your loved ones or your pet’s name (a good idea if you are starting a store related to pets). Though easier to identify with on a personal level, stores built on personal brands can be more tricky to sell.
2. Be Unique
Conduct research to find out names used by your direct competitors and come up with something completely unique. The difficult part is that you have to come up with a name that not only reflects your niche but also the type of products being sold. The thumb rule is, you have to ‘zig’ when others ‘zag’.
Consider for example- if you have an online store of electronics and technology products, your competitors might use words such as electronics,” “technology” and “future” in their names. In such a case, avoid similar words, think differently and make your brand stand out.
3. Consider Your Online Presence
Once you have shortlisted names for your stores, see if your preferred domain- a .com- is available for registration or not. It is the most popular top-level domain (TLD), hence difficult to find. A custom domain name for your online store is crucial. Though you should not allow your hunt for the “perfect” domain name to cause you to procrastinate. Remember, everything is open to change including your domain name. This decision requires some serious thought.
You can also consider selling on a third-party marketplace besides your own store. Even if that is not in the original plan, it is better to check your business name idea on these e-commerce sites. By doing this, you can be sure that the names are available and your customers don’t confuse you with another brand.
4. Get Creative With Domain Name
If the .com for your preferred name has already been taken, no need to fret. You can choose a different TLD. A .com domain is ideal because it is easily recognizable. However, that does not rule out other top-level domains which are becoming common as the number of .com options dwindles. You can always buy the .com domain once your business grows a bit more popular.
When launched, the Shopify store Tattly went with a .ly domain making it www.tatt.ly. Later, they purchased tattly.com, where their site currently lives. Some search engine experts believe that Google is not as friendly to a lesser-known domain. Hence to rank as high as a .com, you ought to have a high-quality website with a good user experience.
5. Be Original
You also need to be sure that you are legally allowed to use the brand name you have come up with. Online merchants in the United States need to check The United States Patent and Trademark Office. Though searching their free database is a grueling task but worth the effort. In Canada, merchants can search through the Canadian Intellectual Property Office site, which is also quite confusing. The safest way to be 100 percent sure is by consulting a lawyer.
Once you have selected the name of your online store and confirmed that it is available, you need to go to Google or Bing to check if the names on your list show up. Do you have the potential to make it to the top of the first page? Ranking gets difficult if you choose a generic name. Do not forget to check social media sites like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for availability.
6. Find Your Inspiration
If you still can’t figure out name ideas for your online store, give yourself themes to think about and come up with a unique name. Your business name can be related to nostalgia or a trend.
You can also look for ideas in other languages. Observe people around you, your surroundings, expressions and mannerisms. You should also listen to conversations around you. Remember, inspiration can strike anywhere.
