What’s in a name? A lot apparently, as entrepreneurs, artists, and makers of all kinds spend enormous amounts of energy searching for the right name for their business, project, organization, or creation. Below, you’ll find the stories of how various successful brands, creators and entrepreneurs came up with their names.

Ronni Reed

The Nisha b collection Came from my middle name I came up with this name for my hair collection I’m authentic nothing but the best so that’s why I name my beauty supply after me which the bundles show and sell out fast Read more>>

Laurie Spugnardi

‘Dot Loves Line’ was inspired by a short and sweet book called ‘The Dot & the Line’ by Norton Juster. A design teacher introduced me to the illustrated book many years ago. I was charmed by the story of a Line and his quest to woo the object of his affection … the Dot. Read more>>

Charlette Lopez

Jikonikwenu means my kitchen in Swahili. KWENU is a Swahili word that also means “your Home”. I wanted a name that makes customers feel welcomed. I also wanted to represent East African culture. Read more>>

Sarah Ivey

After “trying on” a few other brand names that I had jotted down onto pastel-colored postits, the name “Stardust & Pixel” suddenly came to me. The more I sat with it, the deeper we became connected. Read more>>

Zach McCutchen

Naming a business IS hard. When I first set out to start my own small business, or really what I viewed as a “coffee project” at the time, what I wanted to do was clear. I wanted to bridge the gap between the “coffee industry” and the “coffee consumer” by producing exceptional quality coffees that were easy to understand and even easier to enjoy. Read more>>

Susie Lynn

Naming a business is way harder than I thought it would be! I’m in the process of starting something up with a dear friend of mine, and her and I are struggling on a name that identifies what we do, is succinct, and is catchy, all at the same time. As far as my blog name, I owe all the credit for the name to my husband, Vince. I knew for my blog that I wanted it to be “a lifestyle blog without all the filters.” Read more>>

Donelric Owens

Well it all started with trying to name my business after my dad. However, I was not very witty coming up with creative names, that is until I started using my middle name. “DemetrImagery” (its Demetrius for short) came in to fruition by just simply putting Demetri and imagery together. Read more>>

Rus Donida III

The name of the company I co-own is A GARDEN WORLD. Garden is an acronym for something deeper but also for me growing up I was heavily influenced by my grandmother. She lived in her garden telling me to -smile, be happy, life is beautiful. Read more>>

Maurizio Nardi

We came up with the name AQUA D’ KEYS ( “the water of the Keys” ) inspired by the image of the beautiful teal waters surrounding our islands. Our product is bottled in an elegant transparent teal glass bottle, there is a visual, as well as the olfactory sense that completes the whole product. It is actually grammatically incorrect, but it offers a great visual symmetry and reflects a bit on the “not always correct” lifestyle of the Keys, a very bohemian place where almost anything goes. Read more>>

Raul Garcia

As a faith-based brand, we truly believe God has ordered our steps and led us through all decisions, even before we involved Him in every choice. The name of the brand is no different. When we first began writing names on scratch paper to start the company, we settled on ‘BestBodiesforLife,’ thinking it was a great name oriented toward nutritional and health products. Read more>>

Jasmine Melegrito

I had no idea where to start when naming my business. I didn’t even know it would turn into a full blown business! It really started with wanting to create a separate Instagram because I didn’t want to post on my personal Instagram. And that’s when I needed to figure out a name. Read more>>

Joseph Jones

L-evated comes from two forms of thought process. My son, Landon, was the biggest inspiration behind the L in L-evated. At a young age, I would see him make the L symbol with his fingers and the majority of people would think that as if it represented losing/loser or something of that sort. Read more>>

Alicia Messmer

I moved to South Carolina from California in 2016 when I took a new position as a manager in distribution. I started to get into refinishing and painting furniture and was inspired by a few local businesses. After an opportunity to be a vendor in a local store and sell what I was creating my next step was to name my business. Read more>>

Sylvia Brownlee

A few years back my trademark for Pure Beauty Skinbar was opposed, At first i didn’t know how to feel because I had been building something for years, my attorney told me we could do one of two things: Fight it which meant who knows how much the legal fees would be or change the name. So after careful consideration I decided that i would rebrand and give a new name that had more meaning. Read more>>

Asia Ruoma

Yes, I have to agree that coming up with a name for your business can definitely be difficult. In 2015 I launched my business, and unfortunately I was unable to trademark the name I chose due to legal reasons. At that time I had already became known for the name. Read more>>

Heidi Wiest

When asked about how I came up with the name “Wyld Kī,” it’s a combination of various elements that hold personal significance. The name “Kī” is the central piece, and it derives from the concept of “life force” or “chi.” This idea encapsulates the essence of energy and vitality, reflecting a deep appreciation for the interconnectedness of life and the flow of one’s inner energy. “Kī” is a nod to the Eastern philosophy that resonates with me on a spiritual level. Read more>>

Dallas Dellinger Hlatky

Merle Works was inspired by the spirit of radical innovation pioneered in the Skunk Works division of Lockheed Martin during the second World War. They were endeavoring to build fighter jets. My Merle Works, (the Merle being inspired by my pandemic puppy with a mottled, tie-dyed like coat), is also a high-flying attempt. Read more>>

Chantelle Kirstie Leon

Once day during my class breaks at CSUF, I was thinking about what my business name could be. I wanted something that included my name (CK is my nickname), but also included my cake jars. After brainstorming, I came up with the name Jar’d Up by CK. This name was cute and simple. It made sense because I am the one who is making the cake in the jar. Read more>>

Laura Houghton

Lapis Room has deep meaning behind the name. Notably, Lapis Lazuli holds significant relevance in art history as the precious stone was revered by many ancient cultures. Lapis was reserved to adorn the holiest of deities, and considered to be a royal stone because of its metaphysical properties. Read more>>

Meredith Johnson

Women’s Haven came up because we want to provide a safe space, place and products for women. One of the meanings of haven is refuge and shelter. The name should make a woman confident that the products and service we provide will make them feel and be better. Read more>>

Corey Brausch Hurley

When I was first pondering my business name, I knew I wanted it to be unique, holistic and grounding. Being the owner of a boutique social media agency, I wanted something that represented our essence of really tuning into our client and their brand – to best serve them and create content that really resonates with their audience and showcased their expertise. But, I also wanted something that showcased our expertise in the social media marketing world. Read more>>

Hannah Achille

Vanity Hearts Beauty came to me at a time where I was still working for other employers; my vision still developing. The “Vanity” comes from vanity table, where I spent a lot of time practicing and creating looks. I put a lot of heart and soul into my work and the connections I build with my clients so that’s where the “Hearts” comes in. Then we have beauty to tie everything together, and there you have it; Vanity Hearts Beauty. Read more>>

Tanner Gould

Here’s the breakdown of how I came up with Seven Lakes Productions: Read more>>

Tiffany Blue

Attention To Detail Barber Studio was named because I pay attention to the detail of the clients needs, as well as I want people to start paying attention to detail in life. We often miss out on things or even fail at a task because we fail to pay attention to the details of the task at hand. Paying attention to detail no matter the task will allow us to be more effective with greater chances of succeeded in said task Read more>>

Tonya Portis

The genesis of my company’s name is a journey woven with threads of passion for nature and a love for all living beings. In my younger years, I was affectionately dubbed ‘Ellie Mae’ by dear friends who recognized my affinity for animals. Whether astride a horse or caring for the rescued pets that filled my life, nature became my haven. Read more>>

Oris Shaw

This name was commonly used in my family. It was used to remind me that I had responsibilities even as a child. I was used to letting me know that even though I was surrounded by others I had my own space and things, special things too. I didn’t expect that this name would have been the name I chose or it chose me but it befitting when you think about it. Read more>>

Gwen Hughes

I was a facilitator for a women’s small group at my church. We would meet once a month, and I would always try to give each lady an inexpensive but “thoughtful” gift that expressed my appreciation. Since I handwrite everything, I was able to personalize each gift. One of the gifts prompted one of the ladies to suggest that people would buy what I was giving to them. Read more>>

Sarah Greene

I actually came up with the logo before I came up with the name for my business. For some reason, I just had this vision that I could not get out of my head of an herbivorous dinosaur being the cake baker. This was because I only make vegan cakes so I thought the use of an herbivore would be super fun for my branding. Read more>>