You’ve got the idea. You’ve got the business plan. Now, you need ideas for online business names. How do you generate a list of ideas that you can be happy with? It’s time to get creative, and there are a few ideas to get you started.
The more ideas you have, the easier it will be to have something to work with. You’ll narrow down the possibilities over time. The hardest part is to get a list of ideas so you can put your creativity to the test.
Use a Name Generator
There’s no reason why you have to pull names for your business out of thin air. There are various name generators that you can use. This allows you to get some ideas for what your business name should be.
The generator will allow you to enter keywords or domain names. Then, it will show you options that are available – often based on whether a domain of the same name is available. A few keyword variations can open up a world of possibilities. While you might not decide on one of these, it can get your creativity churning.
Explore Website Availability
Website availability is a key part of figuring out a name for your online business. You should try to get the online business name the same as your domain name. If the domain isn’t available, maybe the name isn’t right.
It’s important not to settle for some of the basic extensions like .com or .net – sure, they’re what people are used to seeing, but that doesn’t mean that they’re better. With the .ONLINE extension, you can show off that you’re online – and it’s easy to remember. The best part is that there aren’t 100 million websites already on that extension, so you’ll have more luck finding the availability that you want.
Play with Alliteration
It can be a lot of fun to use alliteration when you’re coming up with ideas for online business names. Alliteration is all about choosing words or sounds that are the same at the start of a word. Names like Chuck E. Cheese and Coca-Cola are easy to remember because the words play well with each other.
Your goal should always be to make it easy for people to remember the name of your business. If your business has two words and they don’t roll off the tongue, people will never be able to recall the name of your business. It will make it that much harder for people to do business with you – and you won’t get much business from referrals or recommendations.
Make a List of Keywords
Think about the keywords that are used to describe who you are and what you do. Keywords can include your industry, your geographic region, and the products and services that you offer. Do you work with a specific niche? Do you solve a specific problem?
The keywords that you create will not only help you with brainstorming a name but can also be used for search engine optimization down the road.
Tell someone about your business model. Then, ask them what words they’d enter into a search engine to find you. Their response may help to kickstart your list of keywords.
Break Out the Thesaurus
A thesaurus can be a great way to learn about synonyms. If you find that your creativity is feeling a little stumped, you can give it the push that it needs. What is it that you do? Enter some of the keywords you’ve thought up into the thesaurus.
While you don’t want to go too far out of the box by choosing a word that most people have never thought of, you can find a word that isn’t used very often. It can also lead to an interesting domain name.
Write Down the Story of How Your Business Came to Be
Every business should have a story about how they came to be. Have you always wanted to open a business? When did you first get the idea? How did you make it happen? Write down the story as if you were going to read it out loud to someone. Then, go through with a highlighter to highlight some of the more interesting aspects.
You may stumble upon a cool name for your business that ties directly to your story. When you can accomplish this, it allows you to be unique. Plus, you can choose to share the story with everyone on your website. It will help to brand you and make you memorable. Plus, you may stand out more because of having a name that is unlike anything others have heard.
In the end, you need ideas for online business names that will truly work. Choose a name that not only gives you a great website but that is easy for people to remember. Once you’ve settled on a name, you can launch your brand and get started.
