How to Choose a Name for Your Engineering Startup
What’s in a Name? How to Pick the Best Name for Your Engineering Startup Company
What’s in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet;
This is what William Shakespeare wrote in his 16th-century play, Romeo and Juliet. Little did he know the simple verses would trigger an avalanche of interpretations!
The quotation from the famous theatre piece applies to name-giving hundreds of years later.
Our topic for today is helping you give your new business a title.
Before we present the tips to you, let’s explain why it is crucial to select a suitable engineering business name.
Why Is Choosing a Good Name Important?
Your engineering startup title will be the first thing anyone learns about it. Secondly, it will come to present you, its founder, as a person. Therefore, think of how you want others to see you, and then think of a name.
For instance, when you hear or read the word Paris, what comes to your mind first? It is the biggest city in France, but it is also the capital of sublime cuisine and the world’s most expensive eau de parfums. Furthermore, it is the fashion hub, and where people of taste find themselves returning to.
We don’t know who named Paris, but it is a good example to show how much can be contained in just a few letters.
It is what the name elicits that matters.
Next up, in the world of IT, we have names like Google, Microsoft or Windows. All three of these names are objectively simple to spell pronounce, and most importantly – easy to remember. Why is that? It is because the word or the logo representing the firm often looks like the kind of service the brand offers.
A similar technique is applied in the online gaming world when choosing a name for games or video slots which are supposed to get your attention straight up, as soon as you read the title.
The giants of online gambling are aware of this. Therefore, these big companies first create a relevant logo for themselves and later go on to do the same for their slot machines which can be found in the extensive directory of online casinos, where hundreds of slots are at your disposal. There you can see the skill exercised in practice.
How to Choose the Best Name for Your Business
With the abstract part out of the way, let’s switch to practical advice. Here is what you ought to do to create a resonant name:
- Keep it short and simple.
All instances we’ve mentioned have one thing in common – they are one-worded names. Now, that does not have to be the case with your business. Many successful brands have names that are wordier than 007. However, simplicity is the key. You should pack a punch with the name you’re creating. Make it straightforward and powerful.
- But be original.
By all means, steer away from stereotypes. You want the air of uniqueness around your name. Avoid designing a name that sounds like someone else’s company, especially if it is a competitor.
- Make it reflect what your engineering startup is about.
To be creative, you have to think on an individual level. Entertain the thought of what you plan to achieve with your business. What are your goals and missions? How is your idea better and more important than anyone else’s? Why should people pay attention to it? These are some of the questions to help you out.
- Practice saying it aloud.
When you have completed the strenuous part of the task, it is time to put it into the world. Stand in front of a mirror and say the name you’ve created out loud. Do it a couple of times and then close your eyes. Say it again. Stay mindful and focus on how you feel when you listen to the sounds. Do you struggle to pronounce it several times in a row? Can you make a sentence with the name in it? Is it understandable?
- Ask friends for feedback.
Don’t be a stranger and seek help. After all, other people will have to hear the name eventually. Better safe than sorry, as they say. Gather the courage and ask a few reliable friends for their opinion. Think of how you want them to feel hearing the name, and see if that matches the outcome.
Lastly, if you plan on becoming a successful business person, you have to be able to face failure. It might not work out at first, and people might dislike your idea. But that does not mean you should give up. Fall down seven times, but get up eight. Always think to yourself, “I will make it work, eventually”.
