Great names preframe a brand experience, attract attention, get remembered, connect with an audience, and facilitate buzz, referrals, and sales. Your service provider business name can be a true communication asset, helping you reach key business goals – and we’re not just talking about abstract goals like the development of brand recognition over time:

When the owners of a service provider business use a great name, they are likely to attract more customers from online searches than their competition who is using a flat, uninteresting name.  And no one wants to be the business that causes this awkward situation:

“Hey, where did you get that internet system? I’d love one just like it!”

“Oh, this. I got it from this great company that has plenty of options and great service. Over at … oh, I can remember the name right now.”

With this in mind, follow these guidelines to develop your own amazing service provider name ideas and finding a great name that will help you succeed:   

Know Where You’re Going Before You Get There

You are launching a brand new company, and you’re struggling to find the right name. The first step is to hone the creative process. Start by thinking about the brand that you’re trying to build, and determine some core concepts essential to the success of your company.

Ask yourself, What do I want people to know about my service provider business immediately?

Here are some common answers:

• It is High-end
• It is Modern
• It is Unique
• It is Fun

Deciding which direction works best for your company will give you a sharp focus and help you develop a name (and a brand) that will support your success.  

Know The Things You Really Need

Now that you’ve decided on a central direction, create a one or two sentence project statement to keep your naming efforts laser focused. Here are some examples:

• We need a name that’s on trend and really showcases our sense of style and our excellent taste
• We need a name that describes our value proposition of being user-friendly and environmentally friendly
• We need a name that embodies everything we can provide for our clients
• We need a name that’s all about what we have to offer and how it’s better than the competition

A lot of business owners dive into their naming project head first without taking the appropriate time to set the stage for success, hoping that “creativity” and “inspiration” will swoop in and provide an amazing outcome. After 30,000 naming projects and developing hundreds of professional services company names, we believe strongly in a more systemic and strategic approach.

Find Something to Push You On

Now it’s time to put pen to paper (fingers to keyboard … stylus to tablet). However you like to work, it’s time to brainstorm ideas.

Research your competition – Understanding the businesses you’re competing against is an important aspect of developing effective service provider name ideas. One of the major decisions you’ll want to make when naming your business is, Do I want to fit in or stand out from the service provider industry?

Develop an Inspiration Deck – You can find inspiration for your company name ideas in so many places. Take a drive around town writing down your favorite names that you find, get a list of successful brands across any industry you can image using your go-to search engine, or explore winning business names ideas from crowdsourced branding contests. Building a list of inspiration is a well respected copywriting technique, and it will certainly help you develop great business name ideas as well.

Essential Items for Your Name

From a technical naming standpoint there are some important principles that you want to keep in mind:

Is it easy to say? Unfortunately, you may have to pass on a meaningful name if it’s difficult to say. For example, the iae vowel construct of the Latin word patriae (country) could cause much confusion if used in a business name.

Is it easy to hear? Test your name by calling a friend and saying, “I’m thinking about [insert name] as the name of my business. What do you think?” If there is a long pause or the reply is “What’s the name again?” You might have an issue.

Is it easy to spell? Simple misspellings such as Lyft, Flickr, Xero can work really well for a brand. But names that are very hard to spell will hinder your marketing and communication efforts.

Is it appealing?  Is your name pleasant to see and hear? Many times, in a quest to be unique or edgy, companies will select a name that lacks appeal with the target market. Consumers should like how your name looks and sounds. If they do, it’s much more likely that they’ll want to learn more about your business and talk to friends about your brand.

Is it remarkable?  Is your name memorable, and does it start conversations? Today’s average consumer is constantly bombarded by companies and products vying for their attention and business.

Is it evocative? Is your name emotional, experiential, descriptive, elegant, witty? A name should inspire a response from your target audience.

Also remember to avoid …

Obscure names: Can your name only be understood by a few people? Don’t go for an obscure name that only a handful of your target audience will be able to recall quickly. While a small number of your customers may appreciate an obscure name that only they understand, the rest will be confused and move on.

Neutral names: Is your name too safe or too boring? While you don’t want to choose an obscure or difficult name, you also don’t want to overcorrect and select a name that simply doesn’t excite consumers. A dull name means that you won’t stand out in a sea of competitors, putting you at a disadvantage from the start.

Picture What it All Means

A great service provider name will always be less appealing than your competition’s mediocre brand. It’s very hard to look at a list of names and get excited about them. One, two, or three words on a page can often feel flat.

The ability to bring a company to life in your mind is critical to the naming process. Imagine the story. Visualize the logo. See it on your products and packaging. Without envisioning your brand, you’ll have trouble getting behind any of the business name ideas that you’ve generated.

Putting in Some Effort

Developing business name ideas is only the beginning of the process. There are four important name validation steps that you’ll definitely want to complete before deciding on your business name:

Once you’ve settled on a top choice name, it is crucial to perform a linguistics analysis to ensure that the name translates well globally. A number of companies have run into linguistic challenges, including Nokia. The manufacturing brand had no idea that their new line of Lumia cell phones would translate to “lady of the night” in Spanish.

Performing a linguistic analysis on your name can help you avoid an embarrassing situation that could ultimately alienate your brand as well as cost you expensive and time-consuming rebranding that will eat up your revenue and sales.

Words and language are powerful tools as they can play a crucial role in the success or failure of any company or product. Conducting the proper research can help you feel confident that your name choice will be well received on a global level.

Learn the three additional critical validation steps – discover how to pick a business name.

The Work is On You

Follow this tested process to create a business name that will become a true asset for years to come. Take the time to set the foundation for your project, develop great ideas, and validate there usability – and you’ll find a name that will attract attention, make connections, get remembered, and increase your bottom line.

Atom is a one-of-a-kind platform where entrepreneurs and marketers get business services name ideas (quickly and easily), and create strong brands by launching naming contests to engage hundreds of naming experts as you’re guided through our agency-level naming process, or explore our hand-picked collection of premium names available for immediate purchase.

View our full list of Professional Services Domains.