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.
Evan Iuzzolino
Throughout my childhood my main sport was motocross racing. I became absolutely obsessed with dirt bikes when I was a young kid, maybe 5 years old. My parents finally caved and gifted me my first bike on my 10th birthday. Still one of the best days of my life. I got into racing by the time I was 11, and raced competitively for about a decade. When it came to selecting my racing number I decided to just use my birthday, April 13th, or 413. Read more>>
Anna Crane
My brother and I wanted to come up with a name that both incorporated the meaning behind the business as well as gave credit to those that make it possible. “Udada” means “sisterhood” in Swahili. Sisterhood means uplifting each other, pursuing shared goals, and empowering one another collectively. We strive to embody the meaning of sisterhood by helping women share their stories and their craft with other women around the world. Read more>>
Jared Haworth
The concept of a lightship was the perfect metaphor for our neon design studio. Lightships were floating lighthouses, sent out to guard navigable approaches to land, operated by a small but dedicated crew keeping their lamp alight. I couldn’t think of a better parallel to our business, keeping neon lit in the face of challenges from more modern technologies. We’re the keepers of that light, allowing it to shine brightly, and helping to spread the awareness and enthusiasm for this unique art form. Read more>>
Seniorita Ivey
The name Ivey Lens Photography is elegant, creative, and personal! “Ivey Lens Photography” was inspired by my personal journey and creative vision. Ivey is my last name, representing my identity and roots. Lens reflects my unique perspective as a photographer, and Photography is, of course, what I love to do—capturing life’s most beautiful and meaningful moments. Read more>>
Florence Beers Araujo
It’s funny how pets’ names almost always evolve into nicknames, isn’t it? What starts as a simple, straightforward name often transforms over time into something more loving and playful. That’s how Micky (my precious little chihuahua) became Peanut, and my handsome terrier mix Rosco became Bean (Cocoa Bean, Rosco Bean, Beanie, Bean. You get the drift). From the moment these two joined our family, capturing their antics became an almost daily obsession—one that gave me immense joy. When the time to decide on a name for my business, the choice was easy. And so Peanut and Bean Photo was born. Micky and Rosco both inspired my brand and my heart, changed me for the better, and gifted me with the purest kind of love I have ever experienced. Long after they are gone, their legacy will live on in the thousands of images I have created in their honor. Read more>>
Neema Vedadi
There’s quite a few “Bat City (Blank)” companies around Austin these days. I wasn’t really aware of any back in 2017 when I named my DJ/Entertainment company Bat City Beats. I knew it was time to start my own company and I wanted something that connected with me and my vibe on a personal level but was at the same time catchy, recognizable and fitting. First I searched the internet for what other local DJ companies called themselves (I’d worked for a few but I knew there were many more out there). I was immediately jealous of a company called Made From Skratch Weddings. It had a lot of things I liked. A play on words, a nod to “real” DJing (instead of just playing songs from CDs or a computer). It definitely helped get my thoughts percolating. At the time my most frequent non-wedding DJ gig was on Capital Cruises’ downtown Bat Tours. Read more>>
Alli Mays
The name of my brand is actually My First Initial, “A” my last name “Mays” and my middle Initial “N”
AMaysNEats ( eats) of course to show case that’s it’s food Read more>>
Herve Tennessee
In my ninth year of scholastic endeavor, circa grade the ninth, I chanced upon ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’ penned by Oscar Wilde, that witty sage. Enthralled, I commissioned a grand tableau inspired thereby.
My fascination with Victorian epochs blossomed further upon viewing ‘The Gilded Age’ televise spectacle in 2023. As an historian and romantic, I confess enchantment with Gilded Age refinement. Read more>>
Jess Lebow
We wanted something that would be easy for people to remember and share with others. So it couldn’t be too long or too difficult to pronounce. We started playing with some simple combinations, and tinkered with several ideas before we encountered a story about the significance of cats to the distilling industry. Back in the day (and to a lesser degree today as well) most distillers malted their own grain–which meant they had large silos of grain around. Large silos of grain means there are rodents. Enter the cats. Distilleries have for hundreds of years kept cats to keep their grain safe from these rodents. Read more>>
Camellia Varnado
The idea for my brand and podcast had been brewing since 2020. It was originally called “Unfiltered Hummingbird with Camellia”. I’d bounce around topics with my husband, a whirlwind of procrastination tasks disguised as brainstorming. “Should I focus on productivity?” I’d ask, then veer off into a tangent about a particularly challenging life coaching client. “Or maybe mindfulness? No, wait! What about the power of hope?” Read more>>
Camille Barker
Chrysalis? The epiphany came when I was sitting in my living room. The word Chrysalis came to mind. I brushed it off, but it kept coming back to me. I looked it up, and it means the transformation from a caterpillar to a butterfly. But, I still didn’t know what I was supposed to do with it? It was the Lord! He reminded me of all of the parties I would hold for my students, and how I had the talent to transform an ordinary classroom, into the most awesome, thematic party! Chrysalis Event Planning LLC was created! Read more>>