Is it enough to randomly open a dictionary or ask ChatGPT for ideas to find a good company name?

You probably already know the answer—but it’s no!

Like a visual identity, your company name must meet certain criteria to ensure it’s viable.

Here are the 9 criteria your name must meet to make sure it’s the RIGHT one. We’ll break them down together across three different areas.

Strategic aspect 🧠

Meaningful

Your name will be much stronger if it’s connected to your company’s positioning. It doesn’t have to explicitly describe the services you offer—in fact, that’s often not recommended (you’ll soon see why). Instead, can it carry a hidden meaning? For example, does it echo your values, your mission, your target audience, your strengths, or the benefits of doing business with you?

Flexible

Does your name allow you to build a lexical field and create connections within your copywriting? Is it interesting enough to let you develop an entire universe around it?

Distinctive

One advantage of not referencing your services directly in your name is that it immediately sets you apart from competitors. It’s often the first instinct—and it does make things clear—but it won’t spark your audience’s curiosity and will position you at the same level as competitors who use this same “strategy.”

Technical aspect 🔧

Legally available

It’s extremely important to check whether your name is already taken. Is it a problem if you share the same name as a pizzeria if you don’t sell pizza? No. What matters is that there must be no confusion between your business and a competing company operating in the same industry. If that were the case, the company that has registered the trademark would be the one legally protected.

Functional

The simpler your name, the easier it will be to use. If your business name is 50 characters long, imagine how difficult it will be to integrate into a logo, a website, your Google My Business profile, and more. If you’re targeting a bilingual market, make sure your name can be easily understood in both languages.

Easy to spell and pronounce

You can certainly swap a C for a K to make your name feel more original. However, this kind of letterplay can be harmful when networking. Is your company called Korail? You’ll constantly have to say “Korail with a K.” If word of mouth takes effect, a prospect might search for you online but won’t find you easily because they typed Corail. We write what we hear.

Creative aspect 🎨

Memorable

If your name sparks your audience’s curiosity, it will be easier for them to remember it. Shorter is always better. Ideally, aim for a name with three syllables or fewer. If your name is hard to pronounce, there’s a good chance your audience will mispronounce it—or simply forget it.

Sounds good

What is the sonic perception of your name? Every letter and syllable has its own sound, and they should align with your positioning. Does the combination of these sounds feel soft, fast, heavy, or aggressive? For example: Celeste vs. Course vs. Knife.

Visually appealing

Is your name pleasant to look at, or is it discouraging? The more effort people need to read a name, the less they’ll want to do it. Read “Mikugnashognyka.” Did you find it difficult? Did you even make it to the end?

Struggling to find a name for your business? We can help you find the right one.

Write to us.