In the first part of this article we looked at some of the positive things you should focus on when naming your small business. This time we examine some of the things you should avoid, and get you started on a business naming brainstorming session.

Don’t Just Concentrate on The Concrete

Many get too caught up in the concrete when brainstorming business names, but you can get some extra mileage out of a name by being more descriptive. Descriptive names will help to convey what your business is about, while also providing atmosphere and appeal on an emotional level. For example, which seems more effective and salivating: Bob’s Bakery, or Brick Oven Breads?

Don’t Limit Yourself With Narrow Naming

You make widgets and hail from Walla Walla, so the obvious perfect name is Walla Walla Widgets, right? Not if you expand into cogs and springs a couple of years down the road, or open up shops in Spokane, Seattle and Portland. Particularly with local naming, it might be tempting to get your town, city or state into the business naming process, but be aware that this can create problems as your business expands.

Is Your Name a Personal Insult in Florence?

If you have any plans on bringing your business global, do some research to make sure that the word/phrase you’ve used for a name doesn’t have negative connotations in another language or culture.

Avoid Making the Next Joke

Take a little time to play around with your name, swapping out letters and words to make sure that it can’t easily be turned into a joke, swear word or negative. If someone can change one letter in your name and make it into an x-rated slang phrase, they will. And if it sticks and catches on… Well, some word of mouth campaigns are less beneficial than others. Take a few minutes to try and limit this potential as much as you can.

Don’t Bury Your Name… Alphabetically

Something else to consider is the natural order that things such as phone books and directories have. These generally are organized alphabetically, and I guarantee you Al’s Dry Cleaning is getting more calls than Zoey’s Dry Cleaning. Just saying (sorry Zoey).

Don’t Limit Yourself to Real Words

While real words are easier to spell (an important point raised earlier), don’t be limited to them. Choosing your own words to create a business name does have its advantages. A term that you’ve coined yourself can convey a lot more meaning than a regular word, or it can serve as a blank slate, with no worries about negative connotations popping up before you’ve even opened your doors. It’s also the easiest way to get a business name trademarked and to lock up a domain name for your business’ website.

Time To Brainstorm

Now it’s time to take all of this information and just sit and think. Grab as many friends and family members as you can find to sit and think with you. Look through dictionaries, thesauruses, books, magazines as you sit and think. Look at your competition to see what names they use, if only to know what to avoid. Take your time, sitting and thinking!

What you’re trying to do here is come up with a list of a dozen names or more, which you will then slowly narrow down. This name is too long, this one too obscure. This name will get you a broken nose in several Scandinavian countries. Run your names through a domain registry to see if you’ll have problems getting a usable website address out of any of them. Do a general search using a couple of different search engines to see if anyone is using your potential names in ANY capacity.

Narrow, narrow, narrow. Check with your state’s Secretary of State to make sure the names on your remaining list are available (this is also a good time to see what if any other state requirements you might have to fulfill to start your business). Check the US Patent and Trademark Office (http://www.uspto.gov/) to see if anyone has registered the names on your list through them. It’s nice to know if someone across the country is doing business under your name now, as opposed to ten years from now when you go to expand into their turf.

By the time this is all done, you should have a short list with maybe 2-3 really good names on it. If you’re still stuck, try having a graphic artist mock up logos to see if anything appeals to you. If nothing helps, you can always throw up your hands and turn the whole mess over to a naming professional. Much like an accountant or tax attorney, a naming professional is skilled at considering every angle when it comes to naming your business. They will find you the perfect name, given enough time and money (lots of the latter, be warned). You can find naming professionals easily enough through an online search engine.

In the end, it may just come down to going with your gut and selecting the name that feels right. If it doesn’t work out, so be it. Don’t be afraid to ditch a poor name down the road for a more perfect one.