How do I name a consulting company?

Question

At some point, I'd like to follow some of the advice on SOFlow and start my own small consulting / software shop. (Consulting because it's easy to get work, software because it scales much better.)

I understand the naming behind "Less Everything" - they make minimalist products. But where does "37 Signals" come from? And "Fog Creek"?

I want to avoid using my name, because I'd like to build the business up to at least a few people. I'd also like to avoid the stuff that random-band-name generators spew out.

Answer 1

Fog Creek was named so because of a small stream outside their former office that had a habit of being dense with fog. He talks about it in the StackOverflow (Episode 13) podcast.

What I would suggest is try to find some unique thing around you.. it doesn't necessarily have to make sense in terms of relating to your product. Being relatively short and memorable is a huge plus.

Here are some guidelines outlined in "7 Tips for Naming your Startup" that I find useful:

1. Keep Length at a Minimum

What's easier to type in multiple a times for day for a simple web search, Google.com or AskJeeves.com? It's clear why AskJeeves shortened their name to Ask. If you can't beat competition on quality and functionality, you'd better be aiming to make it as easy as possible for users to access your service. How easily a domain name is typed can make a big difference in whether or not a visitor will want to visit often. Part of the reason I read CNN.com for news is how easily the three letters can be typed into the address bar. A good length for one word names is five to six letters. Names should typically also never exceed two words.

2. Be Generic or Be Original

When Flickr exploded in popularity, quite a few entrepreneurs seemed to think that it set some sort of de facto standard for Web 2.0 naming conventions. It didn't. Naming your service Locatr, Bookmarkr, Zooomr, Preloadr, or Frappr doesn't put you next in line on the Yahoo acquisition queue. Either go for an expensive generic name that accurately describes what you're about, or be creative by choosing an effective and unique name that stands out.

3. Encourage Word of Mouth

Company names should not be difficult to pronounce or spell. If a name doesn't roll of the tongue, then choose something simpler. Can you imagine people around the world asking each other, "Have you heard of the web service PriceWaterhouseCoopers?" Well, neither can I. Once a name has gone from one person's mouth to another person's ear, there shouldn't be any confusion as to how its spelled when typed into a browser.

4. Capture the .com

When Nintendo revealed that their seventh-generation console would be named "Wii", the domain name Wii.com was already registered by someone else. Luckily for them, they had the money it took to acquire the domain from the existing owner. If your pockets aren't as deep as Nintendo's, think about working your name around to fit a .com instead of working domain extensions around to fit your name. Even if a domain is unavailable, look up the whois information on the domain and attempt to negotiate for it directly from the existing owner. Ever wonder how many extra hits Disney's dig.com gets because of the popularity of Digg? It would greatly benefit Digg if they got their hands on Dig.com, but I doubt Disney would sell now. This is also why thefacebook.com quickly purchased facebook.com from the existing owner when they had the money to do so.

5. Avoid Using Hyphens

Only in special circumstances do hyphens benefit a website (e.g. experts-exchange.com instead of expertsexchange.com), but in most cases they don't. Don't burden your startup with a hyphen in the domain name just because the hyphen-less domain was already registered. How do you tell some to go to a website if there's a hyphen in the name? If Myspace used the domain name my-space.com, how many people a day would erroneously type in myspace.com? There's a whole industry of people who specialize in profiting off typo domains. Don't feed them with your ignorance.

6. Avoid Domain Hacks

Yes, there was a time when it was creative and unique to name your service something like Del.icio.us, but now domain hacks have gone from being special to being inconvenient. That's probably why Yahoo acquired the domain name delicious.com as an alternative (and easier) way to access the service through the address bar. Words in the English language don't usually have multiple periods within them, therefore it takes more brainpower and time to type them in (both of which are a limited resource these days). If for some reason you just have to use a domain hack, register the .com version and forward it to your domain hack, like competitious.com.

7. Keep it Meaningful

We all know generic domain names are hard to come by these days. That, however, does not mean it's hard to come up with a quality name for your company. An easy trick to an effective name is to combine a descriptive word with a meaningful, generic word. Examples include Feed/Burner, You/Tube, Hot/Mail, Tech/Crunch, etc... Make sure the descriptive word gives people a clear idea of what exactly your company does. The meaningful word should make sense and suggest something positive. Naming your startup something like FeedPorcupine or PictureSloth wouldn't fit this rule. Don't do it.

Answer 2

Names are largely irrelavant. The trick is getting a backing reputation. Kind of a Catch-22 to start off. Just avoid names that imply a lack of quality or that you are not serious. People will pick up on that in a second and not even let you in the door.

Answer 3

I really dont think this is a question for StackOverflow.. This is a question for you . It is/will be your company.

It definately is not however, a programming question. Sorry Gaius, I dont think this belongs here.

Answer 4

This is what I considered when I named my company:

• Personal but not private, a too close relation to you isn't that great once you take over the world
• Easy to remember, if you can, put a little pun in there.
• Googlable, but within limits (stuff like meebo, spurl or vimeo is a bit over the top)
• Descriptive, it's great if people can read your companys name and have some idea of what it is you're doing.
• Not taken, obviously!

Now, neither of these are too hard on their own, it's the whole combining part that's the trick ;)

Answer 5

Names that mean something are great if you can come up with one, but to me it is the made-up words that are really catchy. It doesn't help you for branding I guess, but once your name catches on a bit, it really sticks out in peoples minds. Things like Twitter, Joost, Hulu, etc. are easy to remember and have a sort of "cool" Web2.0 sound to them.

If you want to stick with meaningful, then find words that you would use to describe your company. So if you wanted to be associated with the idea of innovation, then use that in your name somehow.

Answer 6

Just be sure you can get the domain name for whatever you go with.

I agree that this question does not belong at SO however.

Answer 7

My Answer I've just used things I've found interesting in the past. There are no bad names that you like and your friends don't immediately point out an obvious double entendre; at least not in your locale. Internationally you are always at risk of having a really silly name.

why the question is valid IMHO I hate to be a hater (to quote some terrible think that I saw on tv the other day) but Joel does speak of a volume of the business of software questions building up a nice knowledge base for programmer who want to step up to management or entrepreneurial roles.

Answer 8

Put together natural names that evoke things:

• stability: rock, hill, mountain,
• peak flow: river, creek
• energy: wind, hurricane, tempest, storm, cascade.
• confusion: dark, fog, cloud
• clarity: light, sky, sun, fresh water
• greenery: moss, leaf, flower, grass, stem
• resource: harvest, grain, fruit
• energetic animals: squirrel, gerbil, spider, bee, beetle,
• (you get the idea)

Then put those together in non-obvious way, but in a way that makes sense for how you see your business. fruit creek, rock harvest, grain cascade, sky peak, hurricane spider, squirrel hill

Be creative. Look at being positive and allowing people to connect with the name at an emotional, basic nature level.

Answer 9

@grapefrukt

At first, I read Googlable as "goo-glayble". I would have written googleable; apparently, the majority agree. Nevertheless, I think the goo-glayble pronunciation would make a great word - it just needs a suitable definition :)

Answer 10

If you can't come up with something terribly catchy, then a simple "Your Name Consulting, LLC" would work fine.

Answer 11

Some criteria that come to mind would be:

Rule 1: Not Easily Misunderstood When Spoken Outloud

If your company was called Fair Hair, people might think it was Fare Hair, Fair Hare or Fare Hare

Rule 2: Short and Sweet

Makes it easy to remember. And combined with Rule 1, they won't remember it wrongly.

Rule 3: .com Domain Still Available

Don't settle for a .net or .org because .com was taken. It's pretty much guaranteed that you'll miss out on some important mails because people will send it to the .com domain whether it is subconsciously or by pure habit.

Unfortunately, you'll have to bend Rule 2 a little due to the lack of short .com domain names that are available at this point in time. Unless of course you are willing pay off some domain squatter.

Rule 4: Make Sure It Doesn't Infringe On Existing Trademark/Company Names

Do some research and make sure there isn't already some other company using the same or similar name in the same industry. It might cause you legal grief further down the road.

Answer 12

I suggest that you use "Google". The lawsuit might generate page views.

Answer 13

Don't go with the temptation to make yourself sound bigger than you are. For example, don't do "The Haile Group" or something like that. It actually makes you sound smaller.

There are some pretty good ideas in Tim Ferris' book "The Four Hour Work Week" on how to start out small and build things.

At the end of the day, I think it is important to know for what you stand. That knowledge moves you toward how to describe yourself and your company. An interesting read on that is at Fast Company (http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/10/brandyou.html).

Answer 14

@jttraino: I think you're definitely right about the size issue, but man I hated that book :)

Answer 15

Keep in mind that you're not a Web 2.0 startup that needs a catchy, pronounceable, spellable name. You're a consulting firm, so the rules are a bit different.

Relative to a Web 2.0 startup, Your name can be:

• longer
• more meaningful (thus conveying a message about your company)
• Googlable when searching for "software consulting"

As an example, google "software consulting services" and note the top result (it was my company last time I checked.) You'll learn a bit about the company just from that SERP, and I bet you'll remember the name a year from now!

Answer 16

The big difference between consulting company names and mass market, retail brand names, is that they don't have to be dumb downed. In other words, since you are dealing with a smaller, industry specific client set, you can have an intriguing name that will open the door to further, more meaningful conversations. That's not possible when you are mass marketing to millions of customers. But when you consult, you will typically deal directly with potential clients, so your name can be a bit evocative. I think Bearing Point is a good example of this. It conveys the message of being able to help handle the load, and provide leverage, etc.

It is important to follow the basics of good naming/branding though, (i.e. making sure it's easy to say and spell, doing the trademark research, etc.) The .com can be overcome some of the time by adding a good descriptor word to the name. I believe Nissan is still using NissanDriven.com. Another example is TeamLogicIT.com. We added the word "Pure" in front of "Tungsten." Just make sure the main .com domain is not owned by a competitor. Yikes! You might also look for names at places such as BuyDomains.com. They have some reasonably priced domains for around $1500 to $2500. I've bought a few there for clients and they have about 700,000 to search from. Hope this helps.

Answer 17

Before you create a name you should firmly establish your identity: what do you stand for, what products do you deliver, how do you react during tough times. These are the things that you embody in you daily work, and since that is front and center about who you are you can select the proper name that communicates that you current and potential customers. When you are on your own, you are the emobdiment of your company, and that identity should be refelcted in what you call your enterprise.

Answer 18

Define your positioning, from which you will get the segment you are targeting. Then, the name should match that position in the minds of your targeted customers.

That is, a name should be in sync with the answers to the following questions:

• What's your differentiatior?
• What's your main product?
• What's your target customer?

It's weird that nobody mentions the name as part of a positioning strategy.

Answer 19

Name it after a food that everyone wants.

I would gladly use something made by 'Tasty Bacon Inc.'

Everyone loves bacon. Exploit that.