Naming a business feels like a big deal because it is. It goes on your invoices, your website, your business cards, and every phone call where someone asks, “Sorry, what’s it called again?”
I won’t pretend there’s a perfect name. There isn’t. But there are strong ones and shaky ones, and you can usually tell which is which in about five minutes. Here’s how I check.
1. The phone test
Say the name out loud to someone who can’t see it. Can they repeat it back? Can they spell it?
If you catch yourself saying “that’s with a K, and the second one is a Z,” you’ve found friction. Every extra explanation is one more chance for a customer to give up and type something else into the search bar.
2. The next-day test
Tell the name to a friend. Then, tomorrow, ask them what it was.
If they can’t remember it, your customers won’t either. Short, concrete words tend to stick better than invented or abstract ones. That’s not a rule, just a pattern worth respecting.
3. The room-to-grow test
“Jane’s Freelance Bookkeeping” works great until Jane wants to add payroll help, hire a second person, or sell the business someday.
A name that describes exactly one thing today can box you in later. Aim for specific enough to feel real, loose enough to stretch.
4. The already-taken test
Search the name. Look at what comes up. If a few businesses in a similar space already use it, you’ll be fighting for every click.
Then check whether the .com is open and whether the social handles you want are free. A great name you can’t get is just a nice idea.
5. The meaning test
Read it out loud, then read it as a stranger would. Look up any unusual word in it. If you plan to sell widely, check what it means in other languages too.
Names get embarrassed by accidents all the time, and a ten-second check can save you a rebrand.
How to use these
Give a name one point for each test it passes. Four or five out of five is usually worth keeping. Two or more misses? Keep looking. It’s easy to fall in love with the first idea, so let the tests do some of the arguing for you.
One honest note: passing these tests doesn’t mean a name is legally clear. Before you commit, run a trademark search. I’m not a lawyer, and this isn’t legal advice.
Where I come in
This is the same kind of thinking behind my naming sets. I use AI to generate the options, then I review each one myself and keep only the names worth considering.
If you’d like a starting point, the free generator on the homepage gives you three names to react to, and shows whether the .com looks open. If you want a full set of seven, that’s $30.