The way I see it, choosing a name for your business is a lot like choosing a name for your child -- it's going to around for a long time and it's going to be hard to change.
By now, everyone has probably heard of the famous Texas governor of the 19th century, Governor James Stephen Hogg, who named one of his daughters Ima. Ima Hogg rose above her unusual name and it's possible that your child or your business could do the same.
Why make it necessary to live down a name, though? Carefully think through any name choices that you might be considering.
Here are several of questions to research before settling on a name for your business or child:
- Does the name have a meaning in another language? If the answer is "yes," does that meaning have a positive or negative association in that language?
- What do the initials stand for? This was pointed out to me when we named our children. Allen Samuel Spencer might be a nice sounding name, but the initials form a term that might get him teased for the rest of his life. (BTW. we don't have a child named Allen Samuel Spencer.)
- It is better NOT to use some last names as a business name. If the last name has a negative or comical connotation it might be better to pick a generic name that describes the business rather than use the family name.
Great tips, Laura. I've been trying to come up with a name for my business if I ever incorporate and I have yet to come up with something I really like. As you mention, there is so much more to picking a name than just settling on words you like.
Posted by: Susan Gunelius | July 20, 2007 9:50 PM | Permalink to Comment