There has never been a better opportunity to build your brand and start selling on the internet. In 2020 alone, almost two billion people purchased products or services online. Having stated that, the first and most critical step in launching any business is to come up with a memorable name.

What exactly is the meaning of a name? The basis of any eCommerce Store brand is a memorable name. The ideal name will assist you in gaining popularity. Customers remember it. It shows the buying public who you are as a firm. Regardless of how wonderful your products or services are, you need a memorable name.

A catchy business name can help you connect with more clients, raise brand awareness, and enhance sales. Customers notice your company name first, whether they visit a store in person or online. Furthermore, your company name defines your company and helps buyers build expectations about what your company does and the types of items or services you sell.

Customers must not be misled by your name because it is part of your primary marketing statement. Your name might also help you differentiate yourself from the competitors. Consumers shop based on their emotions, so if you can use your name to attract customers and influence how they feel, you can make your business name memorable.

Choosing a name is both an art and a science. As you think through your choices, these guidelines can help you through the process.

1. Make a list

Brainstorm and write down all the words and phrases that feel relevant to the store or business you’re creating. Be creative, but also keep it simple. Consider words and phrases that fit the brand identity you’re cultivating. Use available tools, like dictionaries, a thesaurus, and online business name generators for ideas. Anything goes at this point.

2. Narrow it down

Start eliminating the words and phrases that don’t resonate and prioritize the ones that do. Short and catchy is usually best, so start thinking about what will be easy for your average customers to type into an online search or pronounce to a friend. Start checking for domain availability for the best options. (More on this later.) Make sure your final list has at least one very literal name.

Read Also: How to Start an Ecommerce Business in The Philippines?

For example, Five Guys Burgers and Fries says exactly what it sells. To cover another base, make sure you have at least one option that incorporates your name or some other personal detail. (Think of McKinsey and Company, the consulting firm.) Other options you might include are acronyms, as in AT&T, or simple but thought-provoking words, like Google or Apple.

3. Get creative

Words that rhyme or that start with the same letter can be good options. Another may be to make up a word or modify an existing word—either in pronunciation or spelling (think Flickr) to create a brand name that makes people think. Beware of being too offbeat or choosing something that resonates with you but would confound your target audience. Not everyone gets a play on words or a subtle reference. Many times, literal, descriptive brand names of 1 or 2 words work best.

4. Compare and test

Look up your competitors and compare your online store name ideas to theirs. Make sure you can stand out and attract customers away from existing brands rather than appear to be another cookie-cutter version of similar businesses. Conduct tests with friends to see what resonates with them. Ask if the name embodies the business. Is it easy to pronounce, spell, and remember?

5. Make sure the name you want is available

Besides checking the domain name, check social media platforms to see if your brand name is available as a username. Also, if you’re in the US, check the US Patent and Trademark Office to see if your brand is legally open for you to trademark. Then, make sure to grab your domain name and social media accounts while they’re still available.

6. Register your business

Registering your business makes it a legal company, allowing you to create a brand and build better, more trustworthy relationships with customers. When registering your business, you must choose a business structure. Depending on your business, you may be a sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company (LLC), or C-Corp. This is also the time when you’ll register your business name or DBA.

When registering your business, you’ll need to register with the IRS, and state and local agencies. The IRS will give you an Employer Identification Number (EIN) for tax purposes. Meanwhile, you’ll also need to register with your state, especially if you have employees and will be responsible for payroll taxes.

As you narrow down your choice and finally select a name, there are a few things you may want to keep in mind.

• Avoid alternative spellings that may be hard to remember.
• Don’t choose a name that speaks to limited products or services, in case your business expands or diversifies later.
• Think twice before including place names in your business name if you might expand into a franchise. Also, specific geographic names can give the wrong impression when a store is virtual instead of physical.

There is no single formula for coming up with a company name. It’s often a combination of deliberate inventiveness and gut sense about what will pique people’s interest. Inspiration can strike at any time. But you’ll know when you’ve found the perfect name.

If you’re still lost, think about names that have been successful for other internet companies to help you with your own creative quest. Here are some examples to get you started.

1. Skullcandy. This well-known online store features innovative headphones and earbuds. You can almost imagine its creator thinking of colorful earbuds as “ear candy.” They pushed their creative process a little further resulting in the much more formidable and memorable Skullcandy.
2. Body Bliss. The store’s About page explains that the name and logo join the physical part of us, our body, with the ethereal part of us, the state of bliss. Two short words, both starting with the letter “b,” with a marriage of concepts create a memorable brand for their target audience.
3. Bon Bon Bon. This store sells artisan candies, especially featuring bonbons. The triple “bon” name is a strategic play on words, bringing to mind the bonbons the store is famous for but also meaning “good good good” in French.
4. Glory Cycles. This business started out just selling bikes but evolved into selling parts, accessories, and apparel. The name struck the perfect balance of specificity and generality—enough for customers to identify their product while allowing for growth.
5. Storq. It’s pronounced like “stork,” and you guessed it, they sell products for pregnant people and new parents. The name accomplishes its goal on two levels: the word “stork” relates to delivering babies, and the alternate spelling makes it fun and modern.
6. Etsy. Here’s an interesting approach: The founder says he was just looking for a nonsense word that wouldn’t limit the growth of the store he was starting from scratch. Various phonetic forms of the word in Latin-based languages mean “what if” or “just because.” His approach was obviously successful—the brand is now internationally recognizable, and it continues to grow.
7. Wish. Condensed from the term “wish list,” Wish is a mobile platform that other businesses can use to sell products. This is a good example of how just one word can embody a whole brand.