How to Name Your Business: A Complete Guide for Founders

Your business name is more than just a label. It shapes how customers perceive you, how easily they remember you, and whether they trust you before they ever try your product. Getting it right matters — but it does not need to take weeks of agonizing deliberation.

This guide walks you through a proven process for choosing a business name that works.

Why Your Business Name Matters

A strong business name does three things simultaneously. It communicates what you do or what you stand for. It is easy to remember, spell, and say out loud. And it differentiates you from competitors in your space.

Think about the names that stick with you. They tend to be short, distinctive, and evocative. They create a feeling or paint a picture, even before you know what the company actually does.

Step 1: Define Your Brand Positioning

Before you brainstorm names, get clear on your positioning. Ask yourself these questions:

Who is your ideal customer? A name that resonates with enterprise executives feels very different from one targeting creative freelancers.
What is your core value proposition? What do you help people do, save, or achieve?
What tone fits your brand? Professional and trustworthy? Fun and approachable? Bold and innovative?
What is your competitive landscape? Look at how competitors in your space name themselves. You want to stand out, not blend in.

Write down three to five adjectives that describe how you want customers to feel when they encounter your brand. These adjectives will guide your naming decisions.

Step 2: Brainstorm Widely

Generate as many name candidates as possible before filtering. There are several proven approaches:

Descriptive names tell customers what you do. They are straightforward and clear but can be harder to trademark. Examples: General Electric, Whole Foods.

Invented names are completely made up. They are highly trademarkable and distinctive but require more marketing investment to build meaning. Examples: Kodak, Spotify.

Metaphorical names use imagery or concepts to evoke a feeling. They are memorable and differentiated. Examples: Amazon (vast and everything), Apple (simple and approachable).

Compound names combine two words to create something new. They can be descriptive and creative simultaneously. Examples: Facebook, YouTube, Snapchat.

Founder names use your own name. They work well for personal brands and consulting businesses. Examples: Dell, Bloomberg, McKinsey.

Use AI tools to accelerate this phase. The FounderKit Business Name Generator can produce dozens of creative options from a simple description of your business, saving you hours of brainstorming.

Step 3: Apply the Filter Tests

Once you have a long list of candidates, run each name through these filters:

The Phone Test

Say the name out loud. Would someone on the other end of a phone call understand it on the first try? If you have to spell it out every time, that is friction you do not need.

The Search Test

Type the name into Google. Is the search landscape cluttered with other meanings, brands, or content? Ideally, you want a name where you can realistically rank on the first page within a few months.

The Domain Test

Check if a reasonable domain is available. The exact .com is ideal, but variations like .co, .io, or adding a word like "get" or "try" before the name can work too. Avoid hyphens and numbers — they are hard to communicate verbally.

The Social Media Test

Search the name on major social platforms. Consistent handles across platforms build brand recognition. Tools like Namechk can check availability across dozens of platforms simultaneously.

The Spelling Test

Text the name to five people and ask them to type it back to you. If multiple people misspell it, consider that a warning sign. Every misspelling is a potential customer who cannot find you.

Step 4: Check Legal Availability

This step is critical and often overlooked. A name you love is useless if someone else already has legal rights to it.

Trademark search: Check the USPTO database (or your country's equivalent) for existing trademarks in your industry. A name can be trademarked in one industry but available in another.

State business name search: Search your state's business registry to ensure the name is not already registered as a business entity.

Professional review: If you are investing significant money into your business, consider having a trademark attorney do a comprehensive search. It costs a few hundred dollars but can save you from a costly rebrand later.

Step 5: Test With Real People

Before you commit, test your top two or three candidates with people in your target audience. You can do this informally — share the names in relevant online communities, ask potential customers in conversations, or run a simple social media poll.

Pay attention to:

Which name people remember when you ask them a day later
What associations or feelings each name triggers
Whether anyone has confusion about what the business might do
Honest reactions — not just polite agreement

Step 6: Make the Decision and Commit

At some point, you have to choose. Perfect is the enemy of launched. Pick the name that best passes your filter tests and resonates with your target audience, then move forward with confidence.

Once you decide:

Register the domain immediately
Secure social media handles
File a trademark application if appropriate
Register the business name with your state

Common Naming Mistakes to Avoid

Being too generic. Names like "Best Marketing Solutions" are forgettable and impossible to own in search.

Being too clever. If people need an explanation to understand the name, it is too clever. Wordplay and puns can be fun, but clarity should always win.

Copying competitors. Similar-sounding names create confusion and legal risk. Stand out, do not blend in.

Ignoring international considerations. If you plan to serve customers globally, check that your name does not have unfortunate meanings in other languages.

Waiting too long. Analysis paralysis is real. A good name launched today is better than a perfect name launched never.

Start Generating Names Now

Ready to find your business name? The FounderKit Business Name Generator creates tailored name suggestions based on your business description, target audience, and preferred style. It is free to use and generates results in seconds.

Your perfect business name might be one click away.