3 Mistakes to Avoid When Naming Your Business (60-Second Video)

Pick a name that will work now -- and in the future.

learn more about Patrick Carone

ByPatrick Carone

Finding the right name is one of the most important choices you make when starting a business. Here arethree mistakes to avoidwhen making this vital decision, from branding expert Phil Davis.

  • Employing the "train wreck" method. When forced to come up with a catchy name, many aspiring entrepreneurs simply take part of an adjective and weld it onto a noun, colliding the two words head-on. The results are names -- QualiServe or TranquiSpa -- that have a certain twisted rationale, but look and sound awful.
  • Turning your name into a cliche. The world is full of names like Summit, Apex, Pinnacle and Peak. While there's nothing inherently wrong with them, they're overworked. Instead, look for combinations of positive words. The data storage company "Iron Mountain," for example, conveys strength and security without sounding commonplace.
  • Making your name too obscure. Pick something too random, and customers will never know what it means. Resist the urge to name your company after the mythical Greek god of fast service or the Latin phrase for "We're number one!" If a name has a natural, intuitive sound, it can work.

Happy naming, folks!

Watch more3 Things to Know videoshere!

Patrick Carone

Entrepreneur Staff

Special Projects Director

Patrick Carone covers all aspects of entrepreneurship, specializing in the automotive, entertainment, hospitality, spirits and cannabis industries.

Related Topics

More from Entrepreneur Exclusives

3 Simple Ways to Boost E-Commerce Sales

Why Your First 1,000 Customers Are Your Most Important

How to Grow Your Business By Finding New Customers

3 Stress-Busting Relaxation Exercises You Can Do Anywhere (60-Second Video)

Green Entrepreneur

A Museum Is Offering $25,000 to Find the Meteorite That Just Struck Earth

Calling all meteor hunters—a flying fireball landed in Maine that could contain valuable information about the solar system.

Marketing

5 AI Marketing Tools Every Startup Should Know About

Discover how artificial intelligence can transform marketing for startups and level the playing field.

Buying / Investing in Business

4 Reasons Why Investing in this Unique Industry Will Make You Money and Diversify Your Portfolio

寻找一个聪明和奖励diversify your portfolio? Consider investing in emerging music artists. The music industry has always been a lucrative and exciting space for investors, and with the rise of streaming services and the internet, it's easier than ever to get in on the ground floor and potentially reap large returns.

Business Ideas

55 Small Business Ideas To Start Right Now

To start one of these home-based businesses, you don't need a lot of funding -- just energy, passion and the drive to succeed.

Buying / Investing in Business

How Chick-fil-A's Secret Sauce Can Help Entrepreneurs Pick a Winning Franchise

How to use Chick-fil-A's strategies for success to identify emerging franchise brands that could be worthy of investment.

Fundraising

Working Remote? These Are the Biggest Dos and Don'ts of Video Conferencing

As more and more businesses go remote, these are ways to be more effective and efficient on conference calls.