After reading this blog post, you’ll be sure to come up with a great business name in no time.
With there being so many online boutiques across the world, there is a possibility your dream name may be taken. To avoid this, you will need to think outside the box to come up with something completely original and unique. Think hard!
Before stamping your business name in stone, you need to do your due diligence by checking a few places to be sure that name isn’t taken.
- Google Search - simply type in your business name and see if it is already taken. If there is a business with your exact name, you may as well try to find another name.
- Instagram - be sure your potential business name hasn’t already been taken on Instagram. There are one-off cases where people had an idea and created an Instagram, but never posted, didn’t even get a domain or gave up on the business a while ago. In this case, you may still want to keep the name and add a prefix or suffix (i.e. shop, boutique) to the Instagram name.
- Trademark Search - it doesn’t hurt to search the trademark database here: http://tess2.uspto.gov/ for your business name in the case the name has been registered, they just haven’t opened the business yet. If it is taken, but it is for selling something totally different from you, you can use the name. Just remember, your business could be found in searches along with theirs confusing potential customers and possibly causing conflict between you and the other business regardless of what they sell.
- Search for Domain Name Availability - in most cases, you want to make sure your business name is available as a domain. If it is not, try adding words to the front or the back (i.e. shop, boutique). You can search for a domain on any domain site such as Google Domains or Godaddy.
It sucks to give up what you feel is the perfect name, but it’s seriously just not worth keeping It. On one hand, it may seem like it would be good because people searching for them could potentially find you instead and help you get more traffic. However, the traffic is likely unqualified and not likely to buy from you, the other business may be more popular thus pushing all of your website content way further down in Google searches, and much more potential risks.
Related: 28 Available Boutique Names
Here are a few different ways brands come up with a great business name:
- Identifies what you sell (I.e. Fashion Nova sells fashion, House of Lashes)
- Choose a unique name that can still work if you want to sell products in multiple categories (i.e Nike)
- Try using acronyms to spell something cool or leave out the vowels in your ideal name (i.e. WRLDINVSN)
- Try adding popular foreign words (i.e. Crème de la Crème Boutique)
- Use your own name and add the category you will sell in. Great if you plan to sell in niche specific categories only like: lashes, hair, childrens clothing, candles, nails, etc. (i.e. Lilly Lashes)
- Is catchy, unexpected or memorable (i.e. Nasty Gal)
- To get customers to respond to your business on an emotional level, choose a comforting or familiar name that may conjures up pleasant memories. (i.e. joythestore.com, toysrus.com)
- Try not to pick a name that's long or confusing (social media usernames can be limited characters)
- Try alternate spellings of popular words (i.e. Lillyskloset.com, Klosetenvy.com
- Use a thesaurus to look up synonyms for popular words
Once you have thought of a bunch of different keywords, you can use a generator to help you put those ideas into a name. You can also see if the domain for a potential business name is available as well. Our favorite generators are:
It could take hours, days or weeks to come up with the perfect name for your brand. Don't let that stop you from being productive in the mean time. As you begin figuring out who you want your target customer to be and the type of clothing you will sell, a great name will eventually come to you.
Once you successfully determine a name (or a few names) you believe have the potential of being THE ONE, ask yourself these final questions:
- Is it too many words?
- Will customers know what services I'm offering or selling?
- Am I happy with the name? (You will have to live with it a long time)
- Does it make sense?
- Is the name too specific and will limit my business?
