One of the most creative parts of starting something new is finding a name and it’s also one of the most challenging. Below, you’ll find the stories of how various successful brands, creators and entrepreneurs came up with their names.

Zaria Fyffe

Cresetta is more than just a loungewear brand. Our story starts with my great-grandmother — Cresetta. She was a respected fashion designer and seamstress throughout Jamaica; sketching anything a client desired and creating beautiful pieces. She instilled the principles of passion, meticulous design, and creativity in me at a young age, so naturally I set out to share her gift with the world. Read more>>

Jantrice Johnson

I wanted a name that could tell a story. In Sudanese, Muka means open. We don’t wait for doors to open. We create our own doors and open them wide for others. My Mom is the inspiration behind the name, she has opened a lot of doors for minorities and women in walking in her calling. Read more>>

Timothy Wright.

Back in 1978/79, I heard Rapper’s Delight by the Sugar Hill Gang on the radio and something literally changed inside of me. I felt a real metamorphosis in every fiber of my being. What were they doing? Talk singing and rhyming over some sort of Good Times from Chic reconfiguration. I already had an affinity for music and was in the beginning of my drumming stage. After hearing more raps from Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five, becoming a DJ was birth in my spirit. Read more>>

Aiden Saroka

Unlike the other bands that I’ve been in, finding the name AKORAS NOIR (pronounced: “uh-core-us—nuh-war”) was the easiest part of starting the band. My last name is Saroka, so all I did was flip it and add “noir” to make it sound like a fancy cologne or something! Read more>>

Rhiannon Archuleta

I have always had an interest and fascination with bears. You could say that they are my spirit animal. I have received many messages through them during difficult times in my life and times of loss or change. They tend to show up in my life when I need guidance or direction. I am talking about actual bears in the wild! Spirit Bears are white-coated black bears that are found in British Columbia. They are rare and elusive and quite a gift to see in person. I hope that the work that I do is inspiring and magical, grounded and helpful just like bears have always been for me. Read more>>

Julie Manquen

I grew up in Cincinnati Ohio and knew from a very young age that I wanted to live close to a beach. My husband and I were able to make that dream come true back in 2019 when we moved to the Charleston SC area. That is when my blog, Hello South was born! I wanted to document our adventures of living in the South, my love of coastal décor, and my passion for sharing hair and skincare tips with other women. Read more>>

Justin Trotter.

I have to give all credits to my niece and nephew. They originally gave me my DJ name, DJ J- Tempo. We were all sitting in my bedroom back home in Mobile, Al. I told them I was thinking of taking this DJ thing seriously and they asked what would my name be? I told them how about you guys come up with it for me. They wanted to incorporated my initials, JT. My niece said what about DJ Tempo and my nephew said add the J in front and that was that! J-Tempo was born! So, from there I decided to name the company Tempo Entertainment. Read more>>

Stephenie Pittman

So my company is SkindulgebySteph. Skindulge means to indulge in your skin. I was literally in the bathroom when I came up with the name and it took me all of maybe five minutes. The meaning represents me wanting people to be able to love the skin that they’re in at its present stage. I say that because growing up I hated my skin. I despised it because of the way my eczema looked. There was times throughout high school where I’d get dressed in the dark just so I wouldn’t have to look at my skin as I got dressed. Read more>>

Joseph Rivers

I have enjoyed partaking in the fine arts ever since I was a child. My father played saxophone and my mom picked up piano while she was pregnant with me. I eventually learned to play piano, saxophone, and guitar as I progressed through school. I love music (that is why Sonata is a part of my studio name) and learned to appreciate all forms of the arts as I grew older Read more>>

Lexi Melone

Bali Basics is inspired by my travels to Bali. I had visited in 2019 and fell in love with the lifestyle and carefree nature out there. Flower baths are unmatched in Bali, and I wanted to bring that luxury experience back home to Vegas. I tried to keep my business name catchy, but dynamic so Bali Basics just stuck. Read more>>

Shelby Jaq

My late father is responsible for this one. When I was eighteen, we were at a marina outside of Los Angeles, admiring the boats. Unprompted, he pointed at one of the bigger sailboats and said, “If I ever buy a boat, I’ll name it Shelby Jaq.” Jacqueline is my middle name, but I had never been called that before. I chuckled at him, but the nickname stuck. Years later, after he passed, I started my photography career. Read more>>

Samika Traylor

I came up with the name “Laundry Day” because one Saturday morning, I had my music playing while separating laundry forming a pile of white and colors. I was organizing and cleaning up. I poured a glass of wine and was dancing to my tunes and I felt the missing piece was a candle. My laundry day candle. So, I named the business “Laundry Day”. Every candle is named after a piece of laundry. They have unique names and scents. Read more>>

Jamekia Glenn

Figuring out a name for this company was a process. I knew I wanted the name to FEEL cozy, because in my mind I’m already thinking “I want the name to be a household staple! I actually jotted down a few names. Krown’d Kandle Kompany. Excelsior Kandles. Kandle House Company. I consulted with my closest confidants, which are 2 of my cousins. The Kandle House Company came out the victor! It feels cozy, comfortable, & homey. Read more>>

Elliott Smith

Candles have always been my favorite thing to buy for my home. I loved watching candles burn just to get lost in the flame that danced around as the aroma from the flame filled my nose. This led me to begin making my own candles as a hobby. Making candles is my outlet to get lost in my own world and relax. As I began gifting my candles to loved ones and getting great feedback, I got inspired to turn my hobby into a business venture. It was exciting to know that others enjoyed something that I made. Read more>>

Shirley Harvey

I came up with the name Shirley Harvey Experience after planning and designing my own wedding. After facing some harsh realities and pushing through some obstacles I planned & ultimately created the wedding of our dreams. I thought it would be great to help ease the stress of other couples and help them along the way during their wedding planning process. Each wedding provides me with more and more experience of what can be utilized or altered for the next celebration. Shirley Harvey Experience was named with intention. Its always a lovely reminder that the “experience” started with my personal wedding which is so special to me. Read more>>

Veronica LaCour

My main draw was intended to be the mushroom witch Hats I’d designed, accompanied by fantasy inspired products I had worked for another artist as my first job and at the time his company had a longer thematic name and a little blurb that explained the name. Combining all of those I came up with The Shop in the Mushroom Woods, a rather long name but one that brings an imagine to mind of what to expect. Read more>>

Cris Dishner Adams

— Before Alpha Leonis Drip came about I had already carved out a few names for an LLC as recommended by a MLM group I was following at the time. I wanted to choose a name that would turn heads and one that no other business would have. It had to represent both me as the individual and my business because there would be no Alpha Leonis Drip without Cris the powerlifting vegan. Read more>>

UNDNBL JAH

When I made the decision to start a clothing company, I knew I needed a name that would draw attention. I needed something that could accurately depict the lifestyle I want to embody with my designs and creations. As an athlete, everything I strived for came down to becoming so proficient and prolific in every facet of my game that there was no denying my talent or skill. That personal ethos birthed Undeniable Players. A luxury streetwear, lifestyle brand inspired by golden Era/00’s Hip hop, black athletic excellence, revolutionary spirit, and knowledge of self. Read more>>

Jennifer Sanger

It was very simply, actually. I created the company while I was pregnant with my son Jamison. I wanted to provide a different clothing for my children than what you typically find in big box retailers. So while creating the company, I turned to my own experience as a mother and tried to figure out what kind of clothing I wanted for my kids. So it made the perfect sense to name the company after them. I want to create a legacy for them and a company they could work at potentially when they get older, if they want to. Read more>>

Kelly Newman

The name Luv the Paw comes from our hearts. We do not have human children, so our pets are spoiled beyond belief! We love pets and found a name that is short and sweet. Luv the Paw! Our name was born from this love and as we were formulating our business plan it had to be more than making money. That’s when we knew giving back to pet-related charities and rescues would be the driving force behind our company. Read more>>

Maddy Scholar

Built on Christian values, the Red Letter Project got its name from the words Jesus spoke, which are typically written in red ink in traditional Bibles. Read more>>

Bailey Driver

I’m a firm believer that first impressions are EVERYTHING. They stick with you whether that impression was good, bad, or ugly. And we have the power to define our ‘brand’ by aligning our intentions with powerful visual identity… so that’s where I come in! ‘Branding’ looks different for every service I offer – for branding creation its about helping business owners (who are often times making a shift in their business, or starting from scratch) show up confidently with a brand identity that speaks to their target audience. Read more>>

Megan Ronning-Kodet.

Having dreamed of starting my own business for 20 years, I knew I wanted the name of my company to be personal with special meaning. My middle name is Foster, and I’m named after my great, maternal-grandmother whose name was Lillian Violet Foster, so I shortened the name to Lily Foster Read more>>

Sierra Si

The name Infinite Essentials comes from knowing God is forever and he is needed in ever part of our life’s. Infinite is endless and limitless, God is beyond what we could ever imagine. Read more>>

Chelsea Guevara

Mini-Me Confections… My business name is inspired by my oldest daughter Aria, My literal “Mini-Me”. She is a straight clone of myself, its a little freaky. When I started this I was a mother of one who found this life passion for cookies out of nowhere that I was molding and creating into my own. This was my first true success in life that I had accomplished from start to finish. I knew the name had to be meaningful, and stand for something I loved or something that made me happy and inspired me. Your business name sets the tone for the rest of your journey. Read more>>

Denesha McCormick

There’s really no interesting story behind the name of my companies. I simply focused on what services I’d be offering and/or producing and tailored the names behind those services. So, for Pressed Expressions by Nesh, I know I would be creating t-shirts, sublimation items, and I would be pressing the items with a heat press. mug press and tumbler press. Read more>>

Kynia Hill

Without question, the holiday season is my favorite time of year. I unapologetically get to bring out the holiday besties… 15 foot Christmas trees, 12 foot garlands, flowers, ribbon, lights, and GLITTERED EVERYTHING! All the things that bring those warm, fuzzy feelings of love, hope, and family togetherness get put on full display for everyone to enjoy. What if I could create events for people that elicit that kind of emotion each and every time? How can I provide every client with an encounter that feels like so much more than JUST an event? The answer? Holiday Hill Couture Events and Decor! Read more>>

Twin Topic Podcast

Twin Topic Was developed by the original creators, Crystal Smart and Diamond Smart. With both of us being twins and well known in Atlanta, we thought we would come together and produce the latest topics and stories with influencers, content creators, artists and much more. Twin Topic caught our attention as we shared wine nights and conversations between us too. We both would make a joke and just say the phrase “It’s a twin topic for sure”. After a year we decided to really brand the name and bring it to life somehow and someway The Podcast was created. Read more>>

Jada Clarke

This is a good one cause people are so used to referring to me by my first name (Jada) that when I first started my business I would always hear ‘Who is Kiara’. I came up with the name ‘Designs by Kiara’ after I exhausted every other possibility. I wanted my name to be unique and I tried thinking outside of the box so much it hurt. I prayed about it, slept on it, cried over it, even talked to different people to get their perspective. Then I thought, well why can’t it just be me. Read more>>

Chris Duke

The name of our company is a combination of the logo and a word from my childhood, goodie. The logo is from a silhouette done by master scissor artist Karl Johnson at the NC State Fair. Karl (or his brother Erik) have had a booth at the fair for as long as we’ve been going. It is in the Village of Yesteryear building that houses a variety of artists and crafts people. It is framed and hangs on the wall of our office. Read more>>

Yolanda Dowe

One of the biggest complaints, concerns or loves about natural hair is dealing with frizz. That’s why Frizzy Tresses Studio was born. Read more>>

KaLeena Thomas

The name of my business has been an ongoing topic of debate for years. Initially, I had a named selected that I loved. It was simple (symbolic of our simplicity of design) and, of course, not available to trademark. After going through several iterations of name ideas with friends in marketing and too much back and forth with IP attorneys, I decided to mash up several names of people who matter to me, and J. Margaret Weaver was born. Read more>>

Mani Parris.

Polar is an acronym that means Positive Out-Look About Reality. The Polar Movement’s purpose is to spread positivity and inspire followers to navigate through life as visionaries with an optimistic mindset. Read more>>

Niloufer Khatri

In 2018, my family faced some medical challenges dealing with which started to take a toll on my well-being. The stress and worry would start to get me very numb. We had just moved to Austin, Tx from Omaha , NE. To distract me, a friend insisted I bake her daughter a birthday cake. Working on that cake and the creative freedom she gave me calmed the turmoil inside. I was surprised at how therapeutic it was. I felt calm, present and meditative. And that’s the pushing reason ‘The Austin Cakery’ was born. The first cake I sold and the wonderful feedback it received encouraged me. I haven’t looked back since. Read more>>

Staci Franklin.

One day while sitting in the office of one of my co-workers, I mentioned that I was trying to come up with a name for my business. During the discussion, I kept mentioning how I like for my clients to feel special on “their day” and that they needed to feel comfortable in making choices because it was “their day”. It was if a light bulb went off in both of our heads at the same time and we both said “It’s Your Day”. From that moment on, I knew that was the name for the business. Read more>>

Amber Sackett

Well, I think it’s safe to say that I have always been a bit eccentric. Maybe this eccentricity stems from my Aquarius moon, or perhaps it’s certain traumatic events from my early life or even my neurodivergence. Still, no matter the roots, I have ALWAYS felt different from those around me. My “oddness” has always manifested in creativity for as long as I can remember. As a small child, I found joy in making my toys. Read more>>

Domi Alcock.

When I was pregnant I considered re-branding my business name after our child. I’ve never been a fan of my personal name on things, but liked the idea of leaving something to carry on for any children. The week I found out I was having a girl, I immediately changed the name to K. Elizabeth Photography. I knew if I was having a girl her middle name would be Elizabeth, and there were several “K” names I loved, so I let my husband pick which one, and he came up with Kali on his own. Read more>>

Kyleigh Wentworth

When I first started freelancing I knew I wanted a business name that wasn’t just my name. It took me a couple of days of brainstorming, but the right name showed up eventually. My last name is Wentworth and once upon a time I wanted to convert a bus/van into a tiny home to travel the US. I also love a good play on words, and so Went Designing came to be. Read more>>

Gabrielle Mullinix

This is such a beautiful question! It happened to be a day that I was at home sick from work and I decided to make a vision board and journal. At the time I had been working for a hair salon in Austin, Texas and was recently posed with the question from a close friend of mine “If you were to open your own space, What would you stand for as a business owner?” To be honest, I hadn’t really thought of owning my own space, and this felt really empowering. So, I leaned into it and thought.. “WHY NOT DREAM ON IT”. Read more>>

Alexis Phan .

I knew when I first began thinking about a company name that I wanted to pay homage to my Asian roots. I also knew that I wanted it to spread the message of Love. Yeu means love in Vietnamese. So, the name of the brand is Love, the brand was created in love, and we just want to promote love in all its forms especially self-love. Through our products customers are able to gain a new sense of confidence and love the skin they are in. Thats what it’s all about. Read more>>

Anna O’Connor

I came up with the name of my company Black Eyed Bunny one day as I was listening to an episode of one of my favorite podcasts , Astonishing Legends. The episode was about The Black Eyed Kids a strange phenomenon where people have been approached by children sometimes by a knock on their home door and for various reasons ask if they can enter the home. Read more>>