Many of my students that join my 12-week group program ‘From Creative Overwhelm to Business Success‘ struggle to decide on a name for their creative business. A bit like naming a baby, you want to make sure to get it right!

Today I want to share my top tips on how to pick a timeless name for your business that will have longevity.

1- Your name!

I know many people that like to ‘hide’ behind their brand name, especially at the beginning. That was me at the start of my business. We often think our name is not cool or it’s boring, so we spend hours trying to find an alternative. Personally, if I could go back I would just use my name. My recommendation is to be proud of it because no matter how your business grows, your name will always be the brand. It becomes an ‘umbrella’ name and will fit any type of business idea.

I started with TwoMe as my journey began by carving TWO hours a day for ME to learn 12 crafts in 12 months. Since then my business evolved and when I got asked to write the very first book I decided to change my website to isabellastrambio.com However, all my social media handles are still twome as that is what people are used to.

Unfortunately, I now don’t have the consistency to have just one name, maybe one day I will change them all, but I wish someone told me at the start to stick with my name.

That is why I am putting this tip as no.1

2- What do you do?

This is an obvious one. If you make macrame you might want to have macrame or knot or fibre, basically, words that instantly say what is it that you do.

It will help grab the attention of the people that are looking for a certain product, by simply reading your brand’s name they will decide if you can help them or not.

A good example is ‘Modern Macrame’ you can tell straight away what her business is about.

Another great example is a friend of mine whose business name is ‘Atsuko Kitchen’ you know straight away that it’s about food and most probably Asian from her name.

A final great example ‘Sweaty Betty’ activewear.

In this case, you can make a list of words that describe your business eg, modern, rustic, white, boho, natural etc and add it to what is it that you are selling (product or service)

Write down some options, stick them on the wall and leave them for a few days.

Which of the names speaks to you the most, which one is more aligned? Think long term, how do you see your business grow? Would this name still work then?

Once you have a few names left or perhaps you can’t decide, check if the domains with your preferred names are available, as well as the social media handles, this could help you with the final decision.

Final tip, if the domain or handle is already taken, you could add studio/design/atelier/craft/a number or similar to the name and hopefully it will be available.

3- Shorten the name

If you have done all the above but feel the name is too long, why not try to make it shorter and easier to remember

Perhaps it doesn’t have to be your full name, it could be an abbreviation (eg.JD) or just part of the name (eg. Gucci), a nickname (eg. Zara) or initials (eg. H&M)

4- Evoke emotions

Depending on what your business is about you might want to have a word that evokes an emotion that people associate with what you do or a feeling you want them to associate with you and your brand.

For example ‘Whimsical wonderland weddings’ in my opinion it’s a bit long, but it’s very effective and clear on what they are about.

Another great example is ‘Sister Stories UK‘ again you know straight away it’s about women, perhaps gathering, circles and it’s in the UK.

Adding a location sometimes can work very well too eg Ren. London a rental space in London.

In summary, I would say to choose:

>a timeless name that can grow with your business

>not too long (1-3 word max)

>is not too similar to someone else name (check on google)

>doesn’t mean something awkward in another language/culture

>check URL and Social media handle availability

Also remember that you can always change your name, especially at the start of your business journey.

Did you know that:

KFC used to be called Kentucky Fried Chicken

Nike used to be called Blue Ribbon Sports

As you can see they changed to shorter names, easier to remember, and more catchy.

I would love to know if this has helped you in any way, I would love to get to know you and your business.

If you are at the beginning of your creative business journey and you need help on where and how to start, check the ‘Creative-Business‘ page and the masterclasses available for you to dive into or join the waiting list for the 12-week group program ‘From Creative Overwhelm to Business Success’ that runs twice per year.

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