Key takeaways:

• Majority of founders (52%) extensively considered the long-term impact of their name
• One-in-five founders did not consider, or only minimally considered, the long-term impact of their name
• Still, one-in-three (37%) of founders have felt limited in expansion by their original name

Objective: Naming your product, service, or innovation is an exciting stage, but some founders can be blinkered on local markets, customer segments, or product features when naming. To aid entrepreneurs and founders in considering the long-term impact of a name, we asked our audience of business leaders how important growth and expansion were in their naming process, and whether they’ve ever felt limited by their name.

Question:

Question one: When choosing your brand name and domain, how much did you consider your company’s potential future expansion (e.g., new products, markets, or geographies)?

• Considered extensively — the name was chosen to support long-term growth
• Considered somewhat — future expansion was a factor, but not primary
• Considered minimally — focus was mainly on immediate needs
• Did not consider — the name reflects only the initial offering
• Not sure / don’t recall

Question two: Has your original name/domain ever limited your ability to expand or reposition your brand?

• Yes — significantly
• Yes — somewhat
• No — not at all
• Not sure

Audience:

Founders and C-Suite leaders (e.g., CEO, CFO, COO) who have been running their business for over three years.

Overall Results

• Majority of founders (52%) extensively considered the long-term impact of their name
• One-in-five of founders did not consider, or only minimally considered, the long-term impact of their name
• Still, one-in-three (37%) of founders have felt limited in expansion by their original name

When choosing your brand name and domain, how much did you consider your company’s potential future expansion (e.g., new products, markets, or geographies)?

Has your original name/domain ever limited your ability to expand or reposition your brand?

Conclusion

Despite a majority of founders considering the long-term impact of their name, a significant number (over one in three) still feel limited by their name when it comes to future markets or product diversification. This research serves to emphasize the importance of long-term considerations. Niche domain extensions or overly-specific name scan hamper growth or require expensive rebrands. Choosing a name that serves your long-term vision is a worthwhile investment now.

If you’re interested in digging deeper into our findings, or asking your own questions on domain choice and branding topics, contact thom@atomradar.com to learn more.

Further Reading

• Must-Read Insights on Domain Names Backed by Deep Audience Research
• Domain Return on Investment: Most Founders (74%) See ROI in Strong Domains
• Owning Your Identity: 75% of Founders Consider it Risky to Not Own the .com Domain of Your Brand Name

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About The Author

Thom Davies

Thom Davies is a researcher at AtomRadar and content strategist for Atom.com. His background in quantitative and qualitative analysis is the foundation for data-led brand strategy.

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