What to Consider When Choosing a Name for Your Business

I know that this question can cause people to get hung up and question, what exactly do I want to name my business? That can serve as a roadblock and instead of moving forward with their business, people can spend ages or at least, longer than necessary, trying to find the perfect name. At the end of the day, it’s up to you, but you always have the right to change your mind. 

For most people, naming their business comes down to one thing. Whether or not to include your name in your business name. The main thing to consider is whether or not you want your personal brand to also be your business brand. If you want your personal brand and your business brand to be one and the same, then you’d probably include your name in your business name. If you want your business brand and your personal brand to be separate or if you want to be anonymous in terms of the ownership of your business, you probably won’t want to include your name in the business name. 

When your business blows up, and it will, do you want people to be able to track that you are the owner? There are plenty of high-profile entrepreneurs that don’t include their name in the business name because they don’t want folks to know that they’re the owner. It's all a matter of your personal values. 

Whether or not you decide to include your name in your business name, you’ll want to check the U.S Trademark database to determine whether or not that name has already been trademarked. If you decide to include your name in your business, there is less of a risk of it being trademarked, but there is no guarantee.

Either way, you’ll want to check the trademark database to see if your name is already trademarked. If it is, that doesn't necessarily mean that you can't have that name, you may not be able to get a trademark because there are some nuances related to the classifications of trademarks. 

For example, take Dove soap and Dove chocolate. They have the same name, but both have a trademark because they are products in different classes with little room for confusion amongst the consumer. One is a bath product and the other is a food product, so there are actually two separate trademarks that exist with the same name because they're in different classes. If it comes to this for you and your business, you’ll want the support of an attorney to assist you in navigating that. 

So, what if you choose your name, set up your business, and decide after a few weeks, months or years that you want to change your name? You can always file a DBA. This is an abbreviation for “Doing Business As”. That way, you’ll still be operating under your original business name, but you have the freedom to rename your business to the public. They aren’t too expensive to file, which is why I said you always have the right to change your mind! 

Hopefully, this information will reduce any pressure you’re feeling about choosing your business name. You can always start somewhere and if you decide to pivot, file a DBA. 

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