The first place a lot of folks get stopped in starting a business, a website, or even a social media account is The Naming of The Thing.
There is so much pressure to “get it right” and I’m here to tell you that’s simply a roadblock to hold you in place and keep you from proceeding. Names can be changed. Apple did it. You can, too.
It’s all a matter of opinion
You have a name already. Either your given name, a name you use in your social circles or the nickname you’ve used since you were a kid (and actually like).
You can use any name you want, but know this: names are powerful things. When we name something we are giving, or taking away, its power. When we name our fears, we conquer them. When we name our children (human, animal, and plant), we imbue them with our love.
As our businesses change, as they grow, as they evolve we are allowed to change their names.
Apple did it.
In 1976 Apple was Apple Computers, Inc. In 2007, it dropped “Computers” and became Apple, Inc. because the company had evolved into so much more than just computers.
Google did it.
In 2015, Google became a product of a new company Alphabet. The Google name stayed, but the company that controls Google is no longer Google, but the new parent company Alphabet.
Most recently, Facebook, Inc. became Meta. Since its inception in 2004, Facebook was just that… Facebook. And then in 2021, Facebook became a product of Meta.
What do these name changes have in common? Yes, they’re big brands, but note the time differences. Name changes happened decades after they had started and after their companies had evolved to be more than what they started.
Their audiences evolved, their product line evolved with their audience, and at some point they went “Hey, we’re more than what we started. We need to restructure a bit.”
And you can do that, too.
So is there pressure to get the name perfect at the start? Yep. And most of it is coming from outside sources you’re currently following: brand strategists, branding designers, copywriters, and people you pay thousands of dollars to polish and tighten up things for your brand long after you have been established.
You are not starting at the top of the game and you don’t have to pretend you are either. In fact, I suggest you embrace the stage where you are now: the beginner.
Stop following brand strategists. Stop following web designers. Stop following social media coaches.
Stop following anyone that is telling you that you “should” be doing something at the start of your business that is meant for established, well-defined, consistently earning businesses.
Stop listening to advice meant for established businesses and trying to apply it to your beginning: such as trademarks, incorporating, spending thousands of dollars on websites, branding, or photo shoots, etc. It’s a quick path to frustration.
The name of your business can simply be your name. If you are satisfied with your given name, I recommend this option for many reasons:
- You already have it
- It builds name recognition directly for you
- Folks are used to calling you by it
- It gives you room to change course on your offering without changing your name
- If registered, it can easily become your parent company of any other ventures down the line
Now, if you have a popular name or one that’s taken everywhere, it can be harder. That’s when you have to play with modifiers, middle names, middle initials, last name initials, full last names, etc.
If your given name is your dead name, or name you just really have always disliked, choose a name for yourself. Embrace who you are today and bestow that person a name imbued with the love and care you have for yourself.