Name it right for the best head start
Your business name can shape and even limit the scope of your business. So how do you come up with a name that nails it?
Co-founder of organisational story-telling consultancy One Thousand and One, Yamini Naidu, says after deciding what your business will do, your business name is the second most important decision to make.
Naidu and her business partner, Gabrielle Dolan, came up with the name for their business while brainstorming on a park bench in Melbourne eight years ago. After the pair confirmed that story-telling would be their focus, the conversation turned to their favourite stories.
"We both loved [the book] One Thousand and One Nights, and we both loved [the heroine] Scheherazade but we thought, that's too difficult to pronounce and spell," Naidu says.
In the story, Scheherazade avoids being executed by the king in ancient Persia by ending every night with a cliff-hanging story, to be continued the next night.
"For us Scheherazade demonstrates the power of storytelling and that storytelling can save your life," Naidu says, a theme that resonated with their business focus.
The pair decided to call the business One Thousand and One, in reference to the book: a name that was easy to remember, spell, pronounce and had meaning.
It was then a practical matter of checking the business name register and domain name availability, Naidu says.
"We also wanted to spell out the number: it's about slowing down and creating authentic connections with people," she says.
Naidu often discusses business names with her clients, and she says it's important your business name doesn't restrict the scope of your business into the future.
"You don't know what you'll be doing five years down the track."
Video Ezy is an example of a name that has dated, she says.
"For me Video Ezy is about entertainment. If they'd had entertainment in their name they would be more timeless," she says.
"Think about what you really stand for -are you about connecting people, inspiring, communicating? - and go with that hierarchy."
For Abi Crompton, director of Third Drawer Down, which began 10 years ago offering limited edition artwork on tea-towels, the name of her business was self-evident.
"When I look back there was no other option except Third Drawer Down because that is where people keep their tea-towels. But for me to use that name I really needed to know that that was where other people kept them," she says.
Crompton took on a "sociological project" looking at historical research and vox-popped friends and random strangers.
"I'd be in a nightclub and go up to a stranger and ask, 'Excuse me, do you mind me asking where you keep your tea towels?' I had the most fascinating conversations with people about their domestic lives," she says.
The name has continued to be a talking point and has also generated publicity. Soon after her business launch, Reader's Digest interviewed Crompton and ran a reader survey to ask if people kept their tea-towels in their third drawer: 75 per cent said yes.
Crompton says the great thing about the third drawer in the kitchen is that it is also used to store other random items - "[Comedian] Jimeoin had a song about the third drawer and all the shite that you keep in it" - so the name didn't limit her business scope when she began stocking quirky design products.
Global relevance is also important when naming your business, if you plan to expand overseas. Crompton says while Americans commonly use the third drawer, Europeans have different storage habits for tea-towels, but they enjoy hearing the quirky origins of the name, she says.
Byron Bay resident Sarita Merlo was not worried about limiting the scope of her business with the practical and descriptive name of her herbal tea company, The Byron Bay Tea Company, and she hasn't regretted it in the eight years she has been in business.
"The first name that came to me was Byron Bay Tea Company, then I sort of got into this creative head-space and started thinking of all these cute, creative names. One was a cute Japanesy name that meant nothing. And I did the full circle and came back to the start," Merlo says.
"It's such an obvious name that I resisted it because I thought it was unoriginal. But I think when it's a product, it's good to communicate what it actually is and not make it too difficult for the consumer."
Merlo says the name of her home-town also reflects the qualities of her brand.
"Byron Bay does have a connotation in people's minds of it being healthy and good for you, and Byron Bay tends to breed something that may be a bit different to the conventional products we're used to seeing."
10 NAMING TIPS
1. Make it unique
2. Give it authentic meaning or a story
3. Keep it simple
4. Make it easy to remember
5. It should make sense and give clues to what your business does
6. Don't make it hard to spell or pronounce
7. Check the business name and domain name are available
8. Make sure it doesn't limit the future scope of your business
9. Test it with your target market
10. If you plan to expand, check its meaning in other languages
Frequently Asked Questions about this Article…
A business name is more than a label — it can be a talking point, shape customer perceptions and even limit future growth. The article notes co-founder Yamini Naidu calls the name the second most important decision after deciding what the business will do, so investors should pay attention to how a name reflects strategy, positioning and long‑term potential.
Simple, SEO-friendly naming tips from the article: make the name unique, give it authentic meaning or a story, keep it simple and easy to spell/pronounce, make it memorable and indicative of what the business does, check domain and business name register availability, avoid names that limit future scope, test it with your target market, and if you plan to expand, check meanings in other languages.
Storytelling can make a name meaningful and memorable. The article uses One Thousand and One as an example — the founders picked a name tied to Scheherazade and storytelling because it reflected their focus, was easy to remember and helped communicate brand purpose, which can add value for customers and investors.
A dated or overly literal name can signal an older business model or limit perceived relevance. The article cites Video Ezy as an example where the name now feels dated; a more timeless descriptor (like including ‘entertainment’) might have preserved broader relevance. Investors should consider whether a name still matches the business’s present and future strategy.
Very important. The article highlights that after settling on a name the founders checked the business name register and domain availability — a practical step to ensure you can legally use the name and secure an online presence, both of which are important for growth and investor confidence.
Yes — a descriptive or geographic name can communicate product and brand qualities. The article’s Byron Bay Tea Company founder chose the obvious name because it told customers what the product was and reflected the hometown’s healthy, premium connotations. For some consumer brands this clarity can be an advantage.
Possibly, but you should test global relevance. The article notes Third Drawer Down kept a quirky, local origin that generated publicity, and while storage habits differ across regions, people still enjoy the story. The advice: check meanings in other languages and consider whether the name will resonate overseas before expanding.
Use quick customer checks and surveys. The article describes Third Drawer Down doing vox pops and Reader’s Digest running a survey (75% said they kept tea‑towels in the third drawer). Testing with your target market — informal interviews, street questions or short surveys — helps ensure the name is understandable, memorable and appealing.
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