How to Choose a Regret-Free Name for Your Tech Company or IT Startup

It’s tempting to think of your company name as nothing more than a finishing touch, a cherry on top of your brilliant, bold idea. The product or service will speak for itself, and therefore the name is trivial, right?

This kind of thinking can put your tech or IT startup at a disadvantage. Your name is likely to be your target audience’s first encounter with your brand — and you don’t want it to be the last. That means you need a memorable name that facilitates that next encounter by communicating the positive aspects of your brand.

But naming a company isn’t easy, and it seems to only grow more challenging as more and more names are claimed and trademarked. Fortunately, there are proven methods for creating a name that stands out from the pack. Here are some guidelines for coming up with the best tech company name suggestions that are worthy of your boundary-pushing tech business.

Steer Clear of Name Generators

If name generators actually worked, they would be an ideal solution. They’re quick and affordable, and they typically provide at least a few usable names. But generators are limited by their lack of human creativity. They merely assemble mish-mashes of buzzwords related to your industry or product, meaning they are never going to deliver something entirely unexpected like Google, Nike, Apple, or Amazon. With a name generator, your brand story — everything that makes you unique — will not be part of the name’s DNA.

Start with a Naming Objective 

Before you begin brainstorming, narrow down what you want the name to accomplish. If you try to force it to communicate everything about your business, it will end up communicating nothing. Choose one or two defining aspects of your brand to put front and center. Do you pride yourself on being avant-garde? Or convenient and easy to use? Is your brand personality youthful and playful, or prestigious and sincere? It can’t be all of these at once, so don’t try to make your name be all of these, either.

Don’t Pigeonhole Yourself 

As your company grows, you may want to branch out or redefine your vision for the future. That can be difficult if you’ve chosen a name that makes reference to specific products or services.

For example, Best Buy used to be called Sound of Music due to its exclusive focus on selling home and car stereos. The company underwent a successful name change as it broadened its horizons, but not every name change is successful, and the rebranding efforts involved can be costly. Don’t set yourself up for that headache. Instead, choose a name that could work for other related pursuits.

In addition to being too specific, using “techspeak” can also limit your company’s appeal. Even if your product is aimed at people in a particular trade, you don’t want jargon to shut out other audiences who may be drawn to it.

You may also want to avoid trendy names. By the time you’re able to establish brand awareness and preference, that trend could be old news. Be careful with first names, wacky misspellings, and witty puns — the tide of public opinion can turn quickly, and these name types usually have an expiration date.

Keep It Concise 

Above all else, your name should be memorable. Consumers today are flooded with new information and exposed to an unprecedented number of brands on a daily basis. We have all trained ourselves to ignore brands that fail to make a splashy first impression. You won’t get a second chance, so it’s important to make your name easy to remember — which means being concise. The briefer the brand name, the more catchy it tends to be.

Do Your Homework

Coming up with an incredible name is not the end of the process — it’s only the beginning. You must make sure the name is viable, not only in a legal sense but also as it relates to domain and social media availability.

Unfortunately, even the search tool on the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office website does not always provide the full picture on name availability and likelihood of confusion. You need to do your research and perhaps even consult with a legal team before moving forward with your favorite name. Otherwise, you could face a world of trouble down the road. It’s disappointing to have to give up on a favorite name, but it’s so much more difficult to do so after you’ve already started using it.

Why Work with NameStormers?

At NameStormers, we understand that naming a company requires so much more than a single creative brainstorming session. Don’t get us wrong — we love brainstorming. But we’re also passionate about researching, tweaking, and testing, which our seven-step process reflects. You can feel confident that the names we provide are viable and uniquely tailored to your company.

If you’re looking for the best company name suggestions for your tech or IT startup, contact us today to get started.