Business Name Meanings

The meaning of a business name impacts customer perception
By Amy Jo Garner, Consultant You should carefully choose the meaning of a business name to reflect both your business and the customers you want to serve. Although Juliet told Romeo that a rose by any other name would still smell as sweet, don't believe it when it comes to your business. Like Romeo and Juliet's romance, a haphazardly selected name can doom your business before it even starts.

Potential customers make decisions about shopping in your store or visiting your website based on what your business name means to them. On a basic level, your business name needs to reflect the products or services you sell. On a deeper level, business name meanings need to appeal to the desires and emotions of your customers. A little research can help you find a business name that will carry your company for many years.

1. Know your customers and your market and choose business name meanings they can identify with.

2. Stay away from generic names, names that are hard to pronounce, and narrow company name meanings that don't give your business room to grow.

3. Consider how your business name background and history might become part of your marketing plan.

Conduct some business name meaning research and brainstorming

Use your business plan, goals and objectives, product lines and your own personality traits for direction in your company name search. Brainstorm with names, product descriptions and business models to come up with related names and concepts. Try to discover hidden meanings and alternate definitions.
Try:  The Reverse Dictionary on Dictionary.com allows you to plug in any word or phrase to come up with related concepts. Find the translation of a word in more than 6,000 languages at YourDictionary.com. Find the Latin roots and meanings of words in the Latin Dictionary and Grammar Aid from the University of Notre Dame.

Connect your business name meaning to colors and nature

You should consider the psychological effects of potential business names. Take time to search business name meanings in relation to colors, gems, animals and plants.
Try:  Bernardine Fine Art Jewelry provides a table showing the meanings of gemstones and colors. Look up animal symbolism in various cultures at the Princeton Online website. Connect your business name to nature by using the searchable listing of flower and plant symbolism at weddingbokay.com.

Call on the professionals if you need help with your business name search

Although you won't find any business name meaning software to help you out, business name meanings are so important that you will find companies dedicated to helping you with your business name meaning research. Business name consultants can get pricey, so be sure to get an upfront quote on costs and services. Some consultants will provide an entire branding package from business name to logo to slogan.
Try:  Igor is one of the largest naming and branding agencies. To find out how they can help you, or just to jump start your own business name research, download their Naming Guide. Brains on Fire is an innovative company that helps you find the best business name for your company. Click on "The Fire" link on their website and take their tongue-in-cheek test on how memorable your business name is.

• Study the names of your competitors to look for patterns and similarities. You don't want to copy them, but you might get some insight into the business name meanings that click with your customers.
• Before you finalize your business name, do a business name check with your Secretary of State to make sure another company is not already using the name. If your company is national or international, you'll want to do a more extensive search.