One of the first things any budding entrepreneur does when starting a business is choose a name for their enterprise. Before you take the plunge and register your new business name with Companies House – you might want to read our handy guide on avoiding business naming pitfalls.
Take your time – changing a business name can be a real pain so you want to pick something that you can live with for the duration of your enterprise.
Think about your customers – your business name be something that at the very least not alienate your core customer base. If you are offering professional services choosing a name that sounds too modern or fashionable could drive people away.
Try not to be too zany – funny or fashionable names might seem appealing right now but a business name is a bit like a tatoo – imagine where you want to be in ten years time and ask yourself whether the business name equivalent of a spider’s web on your face is going to help your cause.
Don’t mention the war – if your business is international or you have plans to sell your product across the globe you should consider cultural sensitivities and the danger of mistranslations. (my favourite – probably apocryphyl- tale of bad translations damaging sales, involves Ford launching the Pinto car in Brazil – “Pinto” means small penis in Brazilian slang).
Don’t break the law – if you are setting up a limited company you will need to comply with the rules and regulations in relation to naming your company before registering it with Companies House. The have a comprehensive guide on the legal requirements but in short keep it clean and avoid duplication.
Don’t be a copycat – you should do some basic trademark research – run some queries in Google to see if there are people or businesses offering similar services under a similar name to your proposed name. If you find anything that is close it is probably simpler to return to the drawing board and pick again. But if you have your heart set on a potentially contentious name you should always check with a lawyer to avoid problems later on.
Remember the web – if you plan on having a website for your business you should do your domain name research at the same time as picking your business name. Check to see whether the necessary variations of your business name are available and read our guide to choosing a domain for your business.
