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.

Courtney Gardner

When it came time to choosing a name for the company, I wanted to make it unique and personal like I would make the trips for my clients. I grew up on the corner of Fisher Street in the Potato Capital of the World. I only moved once during my 18 years before college and it was literally next-door in a house my dad built. Many days and nights were spent on that street playing with friends and dreaming of exotic places. Read more>>

Nick Mendenhall

At this time I had been making jerky for awhile now, gaining traction with friends and family, when I decided to start my company. Everyone who supported me in the beginning was the driving factor to figure this out and bring it to the masses. I had been rifling through several different names, bouncing ideas off close friends and loved ones when my then girlfriend, now fiancé, shouts out “MoJerky!” The name hit me like a ton of bricks and gave me goosebumps, it was perfect! I turned back to her and said “because you’re going to want Mo of it!” Read more>>

Katie Tjosvold

Naming a business is really tough! Before moving to Seattle I owned a gift box and floral/succulent company in Marin County, California. I still love florals, and wanted to incorporate that into my interior design business. I have florals photographed in each of my spaces once the design is complete. My parting gift to each client and space, is a large bouquet of wildflowers. Thus, I loved the name Wildflower Interiors. I love that it incorporates both of my loves. Interior Design and flowers Read more>>

Talaya Woods

When I first decided to go into in business it took me awhile to find something that stuck but I really wanted the letters to be “TBE”. So I decided to go with ‘The Blooming Effect’. Which is similar to ‘The Butterfly Effect. If you are familiar with it, It has been said that something as small as the flutter of a butterfly’s wing can ultimately cause a typhoon halfway around the world meaning even a very minor event, action or small shift can have such a tremendous effect down the line. My name Talaya also means blooming so I hope my presence and creativity leave a mark on someone out there to inspire them in a way within my brand. Read more>>

Tori Crews

Naming a Business can definitely be a challenge! I remember working with my Life Coach and struggling Thru what I wanted to name my business. I knew people (including myself) struggled with Peace in their Bodies because they did not have peace in their minds. I also knew that when we we are stressed our bodies releases Cortisol in minutes and it can take hours to reverse the cortisol in our bodies. Our trauma manifests in our bodies as well. If we can quiet our minds most times we can quiet our bodies as well. Read more>>

Petra Haven

Over 8 years ago, I had a goal to create a boutique branding agency in The Bahamas that catered to small businesses and personal brands that met the needs of each individual client, regardless of what those needs were. Hence, Chameleon Management Group being born. Just like how the chameleon adapts to their environment, we blend in with our clients to ensure we provide them with the best brand building and marketing experience. Read more>>

Rhonda Caldwell

It’s pretty simple. I started my own company branded A Chick on The GO by Chef Rhonda. I do different personal chef jobs, catering, and so much more with this company. So, I wanted to keep Chick in the name so people knew it was the same Chef. I was partnering up with someone to open a restaurant, so that’s how the 2 came about. We both are pretty dope, so boom you got 2 Dope Chicks! Read more>>

Monica Kenyon

Coming up with the company name of UNWIND Mobile Massage & Spa was an evolution. Originally the name was Body Mechanix, then simply U N W I N D, and then UNWIND Mobile Massage & Spa. Body Mechanix worked because we were both working with spa specialists who use body mechanics in their own bodies to perform services and they are body mechanics for clients and their bodies. Read more>>

Jessica Minshall

Over 10 years ago when I decided to take my first steps (on stilts) I had no idea that it would lead to a business that employed over 30 people, scheduling hundreds of events a year, and hiring talent like balloon twisters and magicians along with fire breathing, walking and talking trees, and marching in parades all over Ohio. I had no intention of taking my stilts across the world with my best friends and driving large cargo vans full of costumes and equipment. Read more>>

Sioux Smith

I live a life of JOY… fully living in my Kingdom Identity, Power, and Authority as I run my business Kingdom Living Coach. But it hasn’t always been this way… I have experienced many incredible challenges throughout my life that tried to push me to my very limits, beat me down to break my spirit, strip me of all my joy, and derail my inner peace and my relationships. Read more>>

Gina VK

The business is named after my mother. It is a take on it, to be broken down Rose Marie, but her name full name is Rosemary. I wanted it to be about her and in honor of her. My mother quit her job and was my full time caretaker while I was on bedrest. She did everything, from bed baths, to feedings. to adjusting my pillow. I would cry often at the overwhelming humility and gratitude I have towards her. Read more>>

 Rashida McGuire

The Name Creative Kids Learning was discovered in early 2020. A few months prior to that I started creating learning boards within my community. The idea was to create something that’ll grab the child & parents eyes and will keep them engaged in learning inside and outside of the classroom. The learning boards consisted of one of the child’s favorite character/theme , color and what ever material the parent thought was necessary for the child. Read more>>

Sasha Monroe

This might have been on of the hardest things to do when starting the business was picking the perfect name. I began to think of the important things in my life and how I could tie them to my business world. Why not use my last name ? I didn’t just choose it because its a part of my name. Read more>>

Seth Flora

When I first started getting serious about making my business idea a reality I went to the local Small Business Development Center in Springfield, Ohio for help. One of the things that my business coach, Chuck, helped me with was coming up with a name. We thought and threw ideas out there until one stuck – LEO Digital Marketing. We thought that the LEO should stand for something other than just a word. Chuck came up with the idea of Leading Edge Opportunities. Which has also doubled as a guiding principle and goal for what we offer out clients. Read more>>

Daniel Torres

Well there is long story behind, the name came 13 years ago TOPIXNOW is the mix with our last names and children’s we started 3 years ago with the company Read more>>

Ruby Franzen

I started Pass Down the Gown when I was 17, with the help of many other 17-year-olds, who all had similar complaints around prom: the dresses I want are too expensive, it seems wasteful to buy a dress and wear it only once, it’s hard to find a dress that fits my size and style at thrift stores, or my mom offered me her prom dress. Read more>>

Amanda Bell

My husband and I started the process of trying to purchase the property in 2013. We had trouble putting together an offer that we felt comfortable with and that the owner would accept. Heartbroken we drove by and stared at the property from outside the gates for 3 years. One day, the owner’s Realtor called and said that we could make an other offer if we were interested. Read more>>

Jae Henderson

My company began in 2003 as a professional writing service. I provided content for websites, brochures, business proposals, resumes, bios, etc. When the market crashed in 2005 and I was let go from my job at a marketing/pr company, I decided to add public relations to my list of offerings. So, the name expanded to Put It In Writing Professional Writing Service & PR. It wasn’t easy but eventually, I made enough money to support myself without the assistance of a full-time job. Read more>>

Vernell Dillingham

Everything I do revolves around legacy. Several years ago my grandfather (James Howard Dillingham Jr.) and my Uncle (James III) ran their own business in Newport News, VA. It was a computer security business. They ran it successfully for seven years. My grandfather passed away in July 2003. When I began getting into film and photography. and I was told to get my LLC, Read more>>

Martin Lopez

Naming a company can be challenging for many, but for me, it was a simple decision. I named my company Salsa Toro after my father, who introduced me to the world of hot sauce and peppers at a young age. My father’s nickname was “El Toro,” and I vividly remember the day when I was just five years old, and I watched him bite into a jalapeño. His love for spicy food was contagious, and I couldn’t resist asking him for one for my taco. After taking my first bite, I was hooked. It brings me great joy to honor my father’s legacy by naming my company after him. Read more>>

JeTaun Barron

Coming up with the perfect name for your business can be a daunting task, but it’s also an opportunity to showcase your creativity and convey the essence of your brand. Your business name is your first impression to potential customers – it’s what they’ll see on your website, storefront, and business cards. Therefore, it’s important to choose a name that is meaningful, memorable, and representative of your brand. Read more>>

Joel Orellana

I have always enjoyed the meaning behind words. Etymology of everything, even the mundane. When it came time to label this new business, this new step in my life, I knew it had to look back to where we started. Before getting into food as a profession, I had always experienced excellent food at home. Home, for years, changed often. Good food was a constant. As my family traveled from Mexico to Florida to Texas and finally to Ohio, they picked up some new flavors along the way. Read more>>

Haritha Nukala

Photographs/pictures remind us of wonderful times, and help us remember stories and shared moments around that picture. That’s why I named my business “Memories by Haritha”, because I want to help capture these precious moments/memories in people’s lives. Read more>>

Rhonda Alexia Webb

Thanks so much for the opportunity to be featured in your magazine. Your publication is amazing and I’m honored to be able to continue my story. Kids Rule Now!, the name of my non-profit organization is closely aligned with the entrepreneurship curriculum I designed called I’m The Boss Now! I wanted the name to be something unconventional and unexpected. Read more>>

Amanda Farley

The name ‘Colony Art Collective’ is inspired by the honey bee. Bees are unique insects because they thrive best when they can build things together in a colony. In my mind, creatives can be very similar. Every artist in the collective has a special talent on their own but when we collaborate together on one platform, I believe we can build something even greater. Read more>>

Lisa Wiley

Lisa, appreciate you joining us today. Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken. Well, besides starting my business, which I think is the biggest risk of all, we recently purchased our own warehouse and manufacturing facility! Read more>>

Megan Koenig

I created the name of my brand after my two daughters. My children are the biggest reason I started photography, and they are the very reason I work hard each and everyday to make my dream job become a reality. My oldest daughters middle name is Marie and my youngest daughters middle name is Dale. I have actually been told a few times by clients that they originally thought they would be meeting a guy to take their photos, Read more>>

Maria Banda

Well the story behind my business name Mariposa which means Butterfly. You know how the butterfly has a life cycle well I fealt I was chrysalis for a while and then became a butterfly my self when I decide to open up My business. I went through a phrase that had me stuck for a while with my son having compromised health issues. Growing and spreading my wings is what a butterfly does. Read more>>

Daneen Kreuzer

We wanted to have a name that told customers EXACTLY who we are and what we do. We have unique and handmade items from over 110 local artists, and almost all of them make custom orders as well. Read more>>

Celeste Brown

It was back in 2019 and I was doing some self-reflection. In that reflection I knew I wanted to be intentional and positive moving forward in life. I’ve come to learn the power of the words “I AM”. I began writing I AM affirmation statements on post-it notes, like, I Am Loved, I Am Enough, I Am Capable, I Am a Boss, I am Successful, and posting them on my bedroom wall. It was during that time something, inside of me said “YOU DEFINE YOU:” Read more>>

Lauren Klein

I had been thinking about what to name the business for a long time. It was weighing on me. One day while in a storage room at my parents house, I looked up and saw a rocking horse my grandfather made for my sister. He was a carpenter. He had signed the bottom, “Handcrafted with Pride” and signed his name. I thought it was fitting for what I was doing with my bon bon designs! Thus Handcrafted Chocolate was born. Read more>>

Tamara Empty

I started to quilt back in high school my sophomore year, so since I was 15 years old. It was a great hobby to do and it helped to keep me relaxed during those angst, dramatic teen days. As I got older, I still loved the art of sewing and in my senior year of college, I was afforded the opportunity to live out my last semester in Accra, Ghana [Africa}. It was there were I really found my purpose in sewing and was introduce to all the different types of African Fabric and their meanings. Read more>>

Mindy Warren

When I was playing around with words for a name that would represent me, I immediately went to what has always occupied my imagination and happy spaces. Rainbows, unicorns, the beach and mermaids. In hair, business names that incorporate rainbow or unicorn tend to make the public think of a stylist that specializes in vivid color (purple, green, blue ect). That is definitely not my niche, so those words were out. But, the beach, ocean, and mermaids…I love to style and curl. Read more>>

Elizibeth “Beth” Erwin

Being a mother, wife, also working full time I found myself doing stuff for everyone but myself. I had to learn I had learn to find time for myself and love me. So LuvinMi Infinity is a reminder to myself and to anyone who finds their selves in the same place I was to loves yourself forever and put yourself first! Read more>>

Avery Woods

Our company Texas Toting came from my Instagram name @Texas_Tote_em. We felt that name sticks with me (since I was already on the scene and known) and kind of describes my personality. I wanted it to feel personal, but also give people someone they could relate to in a company. When they hear “Texas Toting” it’s grabbing. It’s different, pretty original in my opinion (lol), and puts my stamp on it. Read more>>