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.

McKenna Majors

I (McKenna) started making our menu and each items name before coming up with a business name.. there weren’t any names we LOVED yet so the plan was to figure everything else out and then come back to it. In the beginning I started off naming the bowls after some of my favorite movies quotes. One of the bowls name was “Killin’ me Smalls” Read more>>

Rachel Hazlett

The name of my company comes from my little boxer mix and sidekick Ruby. She always goes with me everywhere and thought it would be so fitting to have her name representing my company Read more>>

Wandile Khomo

The name comes from my artist name which is The Immortal DemiGod KÀI(T.I.D KÀI) and since The Immortality Music Records company makes godly and unique music wich will never die(immortal), It made alot of sense naming my company The Immortality Music Records and as you go deeper, You’ll find alot of things which is related to the name Read more>>

Shelah Coleman

OutSpoken Headquarters was forged in the fire of a crummy childhood in poverty and abusive stepdads and a mom who struggled to be so amazing. As a child I was the protector of my family despite being the only girl and being the baby. I was always bold enough to call out abusive behavior, volatile words, and inappropriate actions. As an adult, I married a military man and have maintained my ability to always speak up for those who didn’t have a voice or who lost their voice. Read more>>

Link West

Stage names are goofy things. But it seems like everyone’s got one, It always amazes me to read a Wikipedia page on some normal-sounding novelist and find out that their birth certificate bears a completely different appellation. But I like it. I think there’s something romantic in distancing the artist from the man. Read more>>

Haiya Rodriguez

It’s my initials! :D Haiya E. Rodríguez – When my career with curly hair started i had no idea what it would become so as i began to see the fast growth i thought to myself “well i guess i better give it a name” haha As a kid i always thought it was so cool my initials spelled HER so i thought, how fitting since the majority of my clients are women. That’s when HERcurls came to life! But don’t get it twisted, we love and welcome all genders. HERcurls is a safe space for everyone. Read more>>

Amobi Okugo

Frugal Athlete was birthed by putting a spin on getting called cheap by teammates and friends. Frugal is taking ownership in being efficient with your money while cheap is what it means being low priced. When it comes to financial literacy as it pertains to athletes I wanted to create a name that spoke to what it meant. That’s how A Frugal Athlete was born. Read more>>

Heather Joslin

Why Burnt at Both Ends Candle Co.? The name Burnt at Both Ends Candle Co. came from the need to always overextend myself and fit in “just one more thing” even when there isn’t time for it. I have four kids, two dogs, a husband and a more-than-full family calendar. I even had a full-time job but decided to leave that to focus fully on my family, myself and—of course—my candle business. I feel like my husband and I are literally burning candles at both ends to keep up! Read more>>

Nori Rose

I named this company after my first daughter, Nori Rosalie. She is named after my late grandmother, who passed two months before Nori was born. I thought it would be special to have a business my daughter and I could do together. Read more>>

Ashleigh & Andrew Mutty

In the early stages of building our business, we were mostly gearing our brand around our 1968 Volkswagen bus that we converted into a mobile bar. We wanted the name to evoke feelings of wanderlust and adventure. After weeks of brainstorming, all of a sudden “Free Spirits” popped into Ashleigh’s head late one evening. Full-body chills confirmed to her that there was something special in this name selection. It was so perfect to us because, not only was it a play on the words, Read more>>

Martha Bourlakas

I love this question. Stories have always been important to me, and I have always written to interweave my inner and outer lives. I received my MFA in Creative Nonfiction in 2012, and wrote my thesis, which later became my first book, Love Feast: Together at the Table, on the joys and difficulties of raising a child with ID and autism. Read more>>

Vanessa Fulton

AuVan Clinic Health and Wellness Group derived from Aubrey and Vanessa, nurse practitioners who were inspired about 10 years ago to open a medical practice that would serve our communities. Our mission statement is at the core of our practice which is” to serve our communities by bridging health disparities while providing patient centered-care.” Read more>>

Yvette Pappoe

Sureway is named after my grandmother’s first business. She opened a pub in front of her house where she sold liquors, wines, and beers, along with essential provisions. That shop became a staple in the neighborhood and a meeting place for many. It was also home to anyone who decided to step foot in it. I created Sureway to honor her legacy and most importantly, to replicate the feeling of home she gave to all. Read more>>

Jessica Haywood

Growing up we always drank cafe con leche, it’s something that all Latinos around the world have in common, regardless of your age. It’s a perfect name that resonates with all Latinas. It’s a reminder of our culture and the shared memories that we have. Read more>>

Emily Stump

When I suddenly had the opportunity to own my own business I knew one of the first things that needed to happen was a name for it! I brainstormed ideas I could live with and polled my friends and family (maybe even a few strangers!),. Most thought it should have my name in it somewhere. So I settled on Sweet-Em’s Cake Shoppe. My mom who is a part of the business is often asked if she is “Emily”…she has fun telling them “NO, she isn’t sweet enough to be Sweet-Em” We have a lot of fun with it! Read more>>

Monique Trevett

Hi my name is Monique Antoinette and I am the owner of Hello From Sur La Route. The name goes back a ways to when I was in high school. I originally had Sur La Route set as my Tumblr name when I was into blogging. Over the years it just stuck as I went on to travel quite a bit. I love being on the road and traveling so I got to thinking well what does on the road mean in French? I’m part French and thought it would be a cute way to spruce up the idea and that’s how Sur La Route came to be. Read more>>

Gavin Crusoe

How I came up with the name SDE Images was in high school actually, a homie and I were kicking back talking about our dreams of just being involved in the industry he wanted to do music. I had a passion for photos and video at the time, and we realized we wanted to start a label/ production company under the same name. SlumDogEmpire(SDE) slum because that’s what was around us Dog because we were always the underdogs, hanging with folks older than us tryna gain knowledge on how to make money at young age and have our own legacy. Read more>>

RnB Dreams

RnB Dreams was a dream we both shared, Rino and Bri. Named after ourselves, RnB also stands for R&B music – a genre we both adored. But it was more than just music to us. We believed that the frequency of music had the power to impact people’s lives in a big way. We were passionate about using music to spread love and positivity amongst listeners. That’s why RnB Dreams was more than just our brand name, it was a mission – to bring love back into the music that touches people’s souls. Read more>>

Faye Warrington

Picking the name for your business is a really fun experience because the sky is the limit! We chose Skunkworks Distillery because at our roots we are geeky science people. The term ‘Skunk Works” has been used for decades by many companies to refer to their specialty teams working on innovative projects driven by science and engineering. The goal of our team at Skunkworks Distillery is to engineer fantastic tasting moonshine! Read more>>

Yamile Meza

Around eight years ago I had become disillusioned with the graphic design scene around me and as a creative outlet started to make dolls for a few friends, that December a friend asked me to join her Christmas bazaar with a doll stand and on a pinch I had to come up with a name and logo in two days flat. All things British (Japanese as well) have held a special place in my heart since forever and Alfie just appeared in my head, ding! Read more>>

Patrick Moss

During the process of creating a name for my business, there were a several factors that were considered and put into play. The first that came to mind was to create something that was universal that everyone could identify and relate. Secondly, it had to be short for the sake of being easy to remember. Lastly, I wanted something that would uniquely identify the brand. Part of my presentation as Black Santa consists of a multicolored wardrobe. I wanted a direct correlation to come to mind. All while factoring in mind the placement of the alphabet in regards to a search on the internet. Thus the name Black Santa EFX was formed. Read more>>

Alex Rogers

LFW is short for Look For Work clothing co. It’s a saying used a lot in my time in the military. Whether it’s in the kill house, around the platoon hut or at home on the weekend. Being proactive and productive is how you achieve success. No matter what you want to be successful in, you need to put in the work, even if that means being uncomfortable and trying something new without guidance. Learning along the way to set yourself, your family, your team, your community up for the future. Read more>>

Sonam Ghag

I like to say that I am a Scientist by day and Baker by night! I received my Phd in Biochemistry and for my day job I work in R&D at a diagnostic company. So, when it came to naming my newly minted baking business it was only natural to tie in my passion for science. Plus, we all know that baking is truly a Science. So after a long brainstorming session with my sister-in-law we came up with a short list of names. The Bake Lab was the clear winner! I knew I wanted to incorporate the periodic table somehow and it just worked out that Ba and La are both symbols for elements on the periodic table. Thus, The Bake Lab was born! Read more>>

Kristen White-Scully

From a very young age, I have had a deep appreciation for the arts, particularly drawing and painting. Growing up in southern California, I was consistently engaged in various dance classes, including Jazz, Ballet, and Gymnastics, and I also enjoyed playing the piano as a hobby. My father who is a skilled pianist and computer science enthusiast, instilled a love of music within our household, which furthered my passion for creative expression. Read more>>

Frances Armstrong

Pheme is the personification of fame and renown. As a hairstylist and business owner, I wanted people to feel as fabulous by providing the best service and haircare for natural curly hair that I can offer. That involves ensuring the products are made with natural ingredients. When using Pheme Hair Care, your hair will look and feel healthy, moisturized, and hydrated that it will have people acknowledging its splendor. Read more>>