The Business Name Checklist for Freelancers
While many of us go into business with nothing more than our names, there are others who prefer to use a company name. There are many good reasons for doing this, but it’s not for everyone. You need to know what sort of name will suit you best, and this article provides you with a checklist to see if you have good reason to ditch the given name in favor of something more impersonal.
1. Your own name is hard to pronounce.
Yes, it’s true that Barack Obama overcame this problem and was elected President of the United States, but take it from someone who also has an unusual name. It can create barriers that can present problems at the worst possible moment. Like when you’re trying to sell your services.
2. You want to make your business sound more professional.
Giving it a name that isn’t your own name can help you accomplish this goal.
3. You may be a freelance writer or Web designer now, but you plan to diversify into other areas later.
Having a company name as an umbrella over your ventures will give you more credibility when you seek investor financing.
4. You’re planning to grow your freelance business into a company that hires employees, and, someday, can be sold.
Your company will be easier to sell if it doesn’t have your name on it.
Okay, those are the advantages of giving your business a name that is separate from your own. But there’s something about business names. When you’re in the process of choosing a name for yours, it’s easy to get seduced by a name that just isn’t good for you. I’ve had a few of those during my business career, and they were like lousy boyfriends. The less that’s said about them, the better.
But, having lived through the bad business name experience, I have a bit of advice, and here it is:
1. Learn what the customs are in your field.
If you’re a freelance writer or editor, you’ll probably find a lot of people marrying their last name with the word “Communications.” As in, Jones Communications. Same thing for photography. Quite often, it’s Smith Photography. Graphic designers tend to get more creative in naming their studios, and sometimes this can work quite well. This can also lead to some truly baffling names. Which leads me to my next point…
2. Be like the big companies and brainstorm names for your business.
In addition to shaking your own brain for names, ask your clients for ideas. After all, they’re supporting your creativity with their money. If you want them to continue doing so, it’s vital that they like your business name.
3. Let’s say that you decide to go with what you think is a good business name, but it turns out to be a real stinker.
The clients (and everyone else) are directing some major hatred at it. Although it may pain you to ditch those nice business cards, letterheads, and envelopes you just had designed and printed, do it. Let them go. Same goes for that logo with The Name That Just Isn’t Working. Get rid of it. You may also have to do some redesigning of your website, and, yes, that will cost you time and money as well, but do it. The longer that dysfunctional name sticks around, the more it’s going to stink up your business.
This would be a good time to send your clients an e-mail saying something like this:
“I really thought that Snapping Turtle Design would be a great name for my studio, but obviously the public disagrees. I’ve already started brainstorming some better ideas. Would you like to join in?”
For those who join you on the Journey to a Better Name, a reward might be in order. Perhaps a bottle of wine or some other favorite drink. Or a gift certificate to a wonderful local restaurant. Or a discount on your next project together.
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Ah, I was wondering about the same thing! I named my service as DESIGNPENSARY.
It’s an option to play with phrases. To me it always seems funny. If that’s the personality you want people to get, you did well.
And don’t forget to write it as a potential URL… remember Pen Island…
I named my service Mulgrew Design. Admittedly, it is the least creative name I could have come up with. There were a number of reasons why I chose it though;
1. Mulgrew isn’t a particularly common surname, unlike a Jones or a Smith, for example.
2. It also has the benefit of looking like it sounds and vice versa, I’ve never had anyone mispronounce my name.
3. It’s simple and concise (2 words, 4 syllables).
4. It still retains that personal touch.
I know from experience that creating my business name was the best thing I could do. I often get complements on it. Frankly, I was tired of hearing the same song and dance about my given surname, that I decided I had to take things to the next step, literally.
I’m kind of doing a two-pronged approach. While Donald Livingston isn’t particularly common or hard to pronounce, I wanted it as my personal space. The name I’ve chosen to conduct my freelance development and design work under is The Infinite Monkey Studio. I’ve got the url (http://infinitemonkeystudio.com) but the site is still in development).
Hmm with the title of this article including “checklist” I was kind of expecting it to cover the basics of actually using another business name (eg: copyrighting, incorporating it, getting a chequebook, etc), not just another article debating the pros/cons of using your own name vs a business name.
I agree. I’m waiting for a more specific article about what needs to be done when you find a name. Like copyright…
I named my service V – render
.
pronounced as “V render” or “We render”
Intention is
render means to deliver, V can be treated as we..
rendering means to make happen your visual on paper,
basic process of thought on new concept starts with pencil rendering.
Also resembles process of 3d animation process for final output.
it resembles my name Veerendra in Punjabi accent
more on my website home banner
thats it .. V-render is also a rare name. I googled it and found one company of that name which owns .com domain.
This article is nice overview of all reasons and I felt great while reading that I thought all this before deciding my business name !
thanks
“I named my service V – render’
Honestly, I would think it has something to do with 3-D and rendering 3D object an animation. My first thinking was – a render farm for rent.
Also resembles V-ray renderer, a common renderer used in 3D.
I like having a business name that’s lengthy enough to be informative, but has a single word that can be taken from the rest to represent the whole. So my d/b/a is officially “StenoKnight CART Services” (I provide communication access realtime transcription for Deaf and hard of hearing clients), but my email address and Twitter name are just “StenoKnight”, and many of my clients refer to my business that way. It gives me a nice amount of flexibility.
the big obstacle to just blithely changing your name is that, if you are a LEGAL business, there is licensing and paperwork (and the related fees) involved.
Guys…how is CreativeFlicker sounds?
good post. My last name is hard to pronouce “Aguiñaga” so probably I’ll go with a different name for my company.
They say “Whats in the name?”
But what if:
- Google was named “Froogle”?
- Microsoft was named “Big Microscope”?
- Apple was named “Red Berries”?
Brrrrrrrrr Names can only signify in speech rather than your work!
FYI: Google started a product search called “Froogle” … they renamed it to Google Product Search.
Freelance writers might want to consider “publications” too… However, since we added translation services, I’ve wanted to switch to Communications…but…haven’t. GardenWall is actually based on my last name, which means adobe wall, garden wall or patio wall in spanish…hence GardenWall Publications
It definitely has to be something catchy, easy to remember and witty. Maybe even a little crazy so it’ll have people wondering and asking what it means. Great icebreakers in meetings and interviews!
Similar to the above comment about StenoKnight (having a long official name but going by a shorter version of it), I’m thinking about some names that are longer but I would want to go by a shortened one-word version of the name. I’ve been wondering if this is more common than we realize since it is very hard to trademark a single word as a business name.
For example there is a pretty well-known design company called Hatch, and I wonder if their official company name is something longer (maybe Hatch Design or Hatch Studios) and they just go by “Hatch”.
Great post.
I guess for a stress free life living under your own name is easier as it is less likely to change. If you are anything like me I change my mind of good business names on an almost daily basis. At least with your name there is no reason to change.
hows easy peasy
I think a business name is important if you plan to grow it to have more employees (like the article says). However, if it’s just you, sometimes your name is best because then potential clients assume there are more than two people if it’s a business name.
#4 is enough to convince me to go the company name route over my own. The ability to grow and pursue future interests outside my current focus is something that is really important to me, which is why I decided to go with a company name over my own name.
Branding a name has work for me I also use my avatar as a kind of image recognition symbol which also has help in community forums.
““I named my service V – render’
Honestly, I would think it has something to do with 3-D and rendering 3D object an animation. My first thinking was – a render farm for rent.
Also resembles V-ray renderer, a common renderer used in 3D.”
yea.. due to some conditions, I was unable to start as 3d studio. but i am willing to start so in next couple of years . name also intended that way.. cause it is my favorite renderer also. ..
but over all v-render is all what i said as above. most and first it resembles or sounds like to my name..
Nice article at the nice time….
I am currently working on my new website launch. So for this I have to do branding and much more.
The main difficulty in this process was to choose the perfect Name for the adventure and this article now comes in handy for me.
Really Really Thanks for this excellent Sharing.
Nikhil
What do you guys think about Pixel Prophets for a web design company?
Seems self explanatory in the web field. Could be a design studio name, so keep asking around if it fits for a web design company, an also: In what sort of company makes you think of? What would you expect for a company with that name?
About the name itself.
- Makes wanna say it many times.
- Sounds elegant yet creative. I will expect an Apple kind of effective service.
- Double initial names are well destined, has been said: Marilyn Monroe, Brigite Bardot, BlackBerry…
Get the book The Brand Gap by Marty Neumeier at Amazon.com. Its has a chapter about naming. It will help after reading it, observing around, and reading it again. In this PDF presentation, pg98, you’ll see 7 criteria for a stand-out name.
In this PDF presentation, pg98, you’ll see 7 criteria for a stand-out name. http://www.slideshare.net/diab5/the-brand-gap-presentation-855872#
I have tons of weird ass domain names. I try to merge two names to one…like
Domain + Place = Domainapolis.com
i know its silly but it works like a munkey !!!
Thanks Martha – great food for thought! Makes me feel good about my choice for keeping my Company Name [ The Medium http://www.themedium.co.za ] even though I am a solo freelancer now. With a name like SteHan, it helps
I’ve just gone freelance and decided to use a name that tries to get the best of both worlds – Caruso & Co. Design Studio. It’s not the sexiest name I know, but hopefully it builds on my own name and leaves room to grow for other planned ventures in the near future.
Nice article.. Never though so much before naming my company haha.. I named it Codepal – Which kinda means your friend for coding.. I have to admit I got the inspiration from PayPal
Hows it? 
I named my business Almog Design Almog being my name but the reason is more about what Almog means which is coral in Hebrew. I think one its a great icebreaker two interesting, there very different no one has and four I really don’t care that its my name. I like it.
I do product photography full time but I would like to freelance on the side and eventually start my own business. Right now I would like to focus on family portraiture and maybe weddings and events.freelancing as a photographer
I started off as Artifice Designs, but then later renamed to Artifice Studios so I wouldnt be limited to just “design”.
I chose to use my own name as then I can build up my reputation as an expert in my field. It is going to be a problem when I start to grow, but I thought of doing something like adding ‘Associates’ to the end of it. Is that a good idea?
I use my name. If you’re prepared to use your name as your business; it’s investment in itself as you’re prepared to put your name on the line.
Whatever you do, don’t pick this for a name of your business.
http://doodiepants.com/2009/09/21/rape-store-ramdass-worst-marketing-idea/
Great article.
I think a business name is very important, which is one of the main reasons I chose Random Photography. It truly does represent my work, which can be an aerial shoot from a helicopter one day, in -studio commercial work the next, and the sidelines at an NFL game the next. It truly is Random, and I love it that way.
In an industry where the norm is using one’s own name as their photography business, the use of Random somewhat helps to set me apart, and people tend to remember it much easier than my own name. And I just didn’t want to follow that trend. It also tends to get people asking just what the “Random” part means. I also designed my logo to look “Random” when you view it, and most people agree that it does.
I have also now successfully registered Random Photography as an official mark with the Trademark office, of which I’m very happy and proud.
I’ve recently started doing freelance work (copywriting, editing, translating, design), and have not settled on a business name.
The name “tecla” keeps coming back though; it means “key” in Spanish (like typewriter key).
Any thoughts?
Please suggest a names ???
I am just starting out in the freelance world and I am trying to think of a company name that does not limit me. I freelance as a graphic designer as well as administrative support. How do you come up with a company name that portrays both aspects of my freelance work?