This is how you come up with a company name
Tips for thinking up or choosing a good company name, agreed.
But first, credit where credit is due. You will find a lot of material in the book The Company Name Factory by Erwin Wijman. For those who want to get started themselves, a highly inspiring book, lots of tongue in cheek and a rightful rebuke of the sameness that many company names are becoming. This will take you a long way when searching for a company name. We made the list below with additions from our own experience. And those tips also apply mutatis mutandis to a good product name.
START WITH SOME CREATIVE TECHNIQUES.
Start brainstorming. Make a list of the services or products that your company offers and look at them from all sides. How does it smell, feel, taste, ...? What problem does it solve, what is the world without it, what is its most fantastic use, ...
One of the most commonly used creative techniques is the OSBORN checklist.
TEST YOUR COMPANY NAME AGAINST THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS
- Is my company name original?
- Is my company name accessible? It does not necessarily have to be short, but it must be easy to pronounce and spell. "Oscillococcinum" is the exception that proves the rule.
- If you hear my company name on the radio, can you write it down correctly?
DO I GO FOR THE NATIONAL OR INTERNATIONAL MARKET?
A company name for one country or language area is of course easier. This does not alter the fact that you can also choose an English name in Flanders or the Netherlands.
Check carefully if the name has no connotations in other languages.
CHECK IF THE DOMAIN NAME FOR YOUR BUSINESS NAME IS STILL FREE
A .com address is difficult, very difficult. But if your name really sparks, consider buying the domain. If it is still available of course.
CHECK THE TRADEMARK REGISTER
Check in the register (Benelux) that no one else has a claim on your name. If necessary, you can have a name search carried out. In any case, avoid confusion.
MUST MY COMPANY NAME MATCH MY ACTIVITIES?
At the very least, it should not be misleading. But I don't think your company name should describe your activities. You still have baselines, slogans or subtitles for that. It may contain a wink or a link to your company's activities or products. Or at least there is a story behind the name.
MEASUREMENT IS KNOWING
Test your company name with friends, acquaintances or family. But don't overdo this. The more opinions, the more difficult your choice becomes.
BE CAREFUL WITH HUMOR
Not everyone appreciates that. Not everyone gets it either. The same goes for letter and number combinations. W817 is unreadable for many.
SLEEP ON IT