Things to consider when choosing a business name

There is a lot to consider when choosing a name for your business. Keep in mind your name will give potential customers a first impression of your company. If appropriate, consider a name that reflects what you do. This will immediately tell potential customers what your business is about. You may also be able to get a keyword in your business name which will help with SEO (Search Engine Optimisation).

If your company is likely to offer different products or services in the future, keep this in mind when choosing the name. People wouldn't think about going to 'Karen's Cake Shop' for fresh vegetables even though Karen has expanded her company and now offers fresh vegetables alongside freshly baked cakes. 'Karen's Fresh Food' would be a much better name because it doesn't limit her product options.

The next thing to consider is spelling and pronounciation. People don't like to feel stupid, if they aren't sure how to pronounce your company's name they probably won't. This means no word of mouth recommendations and possibly no enquiries if they are afraid to call. Spelling is also important, it may be tempting to try to be different and include a z instead of an s in a name such as busy beez honey, however the different spelling won't be obvious when the name is spoken so they may not find you if they search for you online.

Something else to think about is web domain availability. For many this is an after thought, something to consider once the company name is registered but it's worth thinking about when deciding on your name. Every business needs a website, the closer you can link it to your company name, the better.

Make sure you also check the availability of the name with Companies House if you are based in the UK.