Mistakes is maybe a strong word. You can go against these suggestions without it being a mistake. But, these are things to keep in mind and consider when you make a decision. Like how you might want to wear your new leather boots to a concert until someone points out that they should be broken in first. You can still wear them, but you're making an informed decision.

I look at trademark applications like it's my job; because, well...it is. And I keep seeing the same issues creep up. No shame. I can't imagine most people to have an intuition about how to do this. Also, it's easy, really, really easy, to get stuck in these traps. There's a certain something about the first name that you like, and it's hard to shake that, even when you know you should choose something else. I hate to admit it, but when I've named a business or product I get stuck in the same places. Even when I know I need to rebrand, I can't shake it and make a clean break to an entirely new name.

Naming It After Yourself

I understand the appeal. It's your company, your vision, your risk. Why not put your name on it? Lots of successful brands carry founders' names. Ford. Disney. Goldman Sachs.But here's what those names have in common: decades of brand-building and, in most cases, the founder is long dead. You're not so lucky.

There's a bit on Steve Martin's Wild and Crazy Guy album about branding. He asks why banks always have a name like "'First Amalgamated National Bank' instead of something like 'Bob's Bank' -- Hi, I'm Bob, I have a bank. Let's....let's put your money over here." It's better when he does it.

When you're starting out, "O'Donnell Consulting" creates two problems. First, it's hard to scale beyond you personally. If you ever want to sell the business or bring on partners who are equal in stature, the name ties it to one person. Second, it's usually not distinctive enough to trademark easily against the thousands of other surnames out there.

There are exceptions. If your surname is unusual or you're already a known quantity in your field, it can work. But for most people starting fresh, it's a limiting choice.

Choosing Something Too Generic or Descriptive

Apologies to Steve Martin, but "Bob's Bank" is too descriptive. 

Bob's Bank feels safe because it explains what it is. But it doesn't differentiate that bank from other banks across the country with nearly identical names.

Ok, maybe there's not a lot of Bob's Banks, so let's say instead it's a restaurant called "Main Street Diner."

Maybe in the case of Main Street Diner, that's the perfect name because it is a small family place that won't expand to other locations, and it tells people in that town not only what it is (a diner) but where it is (Main Street). So again, there are exceptions.

Being too Trendy

Such descriptive or generic names are nearly impossible to protect legally. Try trademarking "Advanced Tech Solutions," and you'll spend years and thousands of dollars arguing for protection you may never get. Meanwhile, a competitor can operate under a confusingly similar name, and there's little you can do about it.

Remember when people were naming businesses by just adding either "-ly" or "-ify" to a word (Openly, Grammarly, Spotify, Shopify)? Or, maybe "-ster" (Napster, Namester) or when dropping vowels was all the rage (Tumblr, Flickr)? How about that month in the 90s when everyone was into Gregorian chants, or that summer when swing dancing had a resurgence? How about Pet Rocks or mullets?

All those things had an unexplainable popularity for a brief time. But, how do you feel about mullets now? Do you seriously wish you could find your Benedictine Monks CD? 

A name that feels fresh today might feel like a time capsule in five years. Maybe you like that, maybe you don't care and really love the name. Whatever. Just be aware.

Trends date you. Your business name shouldn't.

Rhis is part of series on brand naming. Here's the previous post, and here's the next post.