Why is a business name important? A business name is especially important to the success of small businesses. The right name gets people talking about your company,

الناس، بينما الاسم غير المناسب قد يظهر شركتك بأنها غامضة أو حتى فاشلة. ويكون الاسم مثاليًا إذا وضح قيمة وتفرّد المنتج أو الخدمة

the product or service your company offers.

Some experts believe the best brand names are abstract—a blank canvas that lets customers form their own impression of the company. Others believe

brand names should be clear and communicate enough about the company for customers to understand what your business does right away. Still others

believe that invented brand names (made up of one or two words) are more memorable than other words, while some think names like

these are quickly forgotten.

In reality, any brand name can be effective when supported by the right marketing strategy. Here are some tips to help your business find

الصغير على the most suitable brand name وتأثيراً:

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Get help from an expert to get started

Coming up with a great business name can be challenging. You may want to consult an expert, especially if you’re in an industry where your company’s brand name could affect

your business’s success. Professional naming firms have developed systems for creating new names and understand the ins and outs of trademark law. They can

warn you against choosing bad names and explain why other options might work well.

The downside is the cost. Professional naming firms may charge $80,000 to come up with a business name,

According to Laurel Sutton, president of Catchword Brand Name Development, the fee typically includes the company’s identity and graphic design as part

Starting at the group rate. Naming services that cost less than $50 are available, but spending a reasonable amount to get advice from

quality experts early on may save you money in the long run.

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What’s in a name?

First, decide what you want your business name to convey. It should reinforce the core elements of your business and help highlight them.

That effort will help you choose the right logo and the message your business represents.

The clearer your business name is about what you do, the less effort you’ll spend explaining it to customers. According to naming experts, entrepreneurs should

They tend to favor real or compound words over invented ones, because people prefer words they can relate to and understand,

which is why professional brand-naming experts around the world agree that using a string of numbers or initials is a poor choice.

On the other hand, a brand name can be too literal. Common pitfalls include geographical or generic names,

For example, imagine “San Pablo Disk Drives.” What if the company wanted to expand beyond San Pablo, California? And what would

that name mean to consumers in Chicago or Pittsburgh? What if the company wanted to diversify from disk drives into computer software

or educational computer manuals?

How can a business name be inclusive and meaningful? Descriptive names convey something tangible about the business, such as what it offers, where it’s located, and more.

Suggestive names, by contrast, are more abstract and focus more on what the business is about.

NameLab president Michael Barr: “Invented words can carry more semantic meaning than words that already exist.”

For example, “Italia Tour” is a name created by a naming firm to promote travel to Italy, even though it isn’t a real name

—it still has meaning, and consumers can immediately tell what’s being offered. Better yet, “Italia Tour” sparks excitement about traveling abroad.

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Whatever kind of business you’re starting, keep these tips in mind when choosing a name:

Choose a business name that works not only for you, but also for the consumers you’re trying to attract.

Choose a familiar, appealing business name that evokes pleasant memories when people read it, helping them connect with your brand emotionally.

Don’t choose a long or complicated name.

Avoid wordplay in your business name that only you will understand.

Don’t add “Limited” after your business name unless your company is actually a limited company.

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كُن مبدعاً

With most words already used in business names, choosing creative, newly coined names has become more common. Examples include Acura –

Acura and Compaq, names created by NameLab, a company specializing in brand naming.

NameLab president Michael Barr stated: “Invented words can be more meaningful than existing words. For example,

Acura has no dictionary meaning, but the name suggests precision engineering—the impression the company wanted. The NameLab team created the name Acura from

“Acu,” part of a word meaning “precision” in several languages. Barr said the company creates distinctive new words with clear associations by working

with meaningful word parts—or what linguists call morphemes—such as “Acu.”

However, Barr acknowledged that inventing words to create names is not the right solution in every case. New words can be complicated and may suggest that the product, service, or

This approach can be complex, and it may not always work. What’s more, newcomers to brand naming may find this kind of word blending beyond their abilities.

An easier solution is to use a new spelling or form of an existing word. For example, NameLab coined the word “Compaq.”

When a new computer company approached them to promote its new laptop, the team reworked the word “compact” to come up with

“Compaq,” which they considered more appealing.

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Test Your Brand Name

Once you’ve narrowed your options down to four or five distinctive, descriptive brand names, you’re ready to research other trademarks. Not every

A project can become a brand as long as you’ve received approval from your city government and don’t infringe on other trademarks. However, you should consider

hiring a trademark attorney—or at least engaging a specialist company to conduct a trademark search—to make sure your new business name doesn’t

infringe on another project’s trademark.

To illustrate the risks of infringing on an existing trademark, imagine this: You own a new manufacturing company, and it’s about to ship its first order. At the same time,

another company in a different city claims that your business name infringes on its trademark and drags you into a legal battle that bankrupts your business. You can

avoid this by asking experts for help. The extra money you spend now could save you from countless disputes and expenses in the future.

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Final Analysis

If you’re lucky, you’ll end up with three or five brand names that have passed all your tests. So how do you make your final choice? You need to

remember all your original criteria and ask which brand names best align with your goals—and which ones most accurately reflect how you envision your business.

Some business owners make the final decision based on instinct, while others conduct consumer research or test the names with a specialized team to find out which ones are

most appealing. You’ll have an idea of how each brand name will look on a sign or on a product mockup. If you plan to use

radio advertising or telemarketing in the future, read each name aloud and pay attention to how it sounds. Use any or all of these criteria.

Keep in mind that professional naming agencies typically spend around six weeks to six months on the naming process, and you probably won’t have

all that time, but plan to spend several weeks choosing a name.

Once you’ve made your decision, get started right away and plan enthusiastically for your new brand. Your business name will be the first step toward building a strong identity for your company,

and it will remain so throughout your time in business.