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.

Jimmy Sorrells

Liberty Networking is an in-person networking organization focused on bringing patriot entrepreneurs and professional sales people together. our core values are liberty and integrity. That is where the name Liberty Networking came from. Read more>>

Joshua Williams

Well, throughout my life I have always been the creative type. In my teens, I played violin in the orchestra, snare drum in drumline, taught myself how to do origami, and learned how to draw and paint from my Dad and Grandad. When I got to college, I got involved doing Youtube and posting videos of me and my friends reacting to viral videos and music, but also started getting more involved in music writing personally. I even created a note in my phone titled “For when you want to be a rapper” and just added things in over time. My senior year of college, I started think about life after college and I knew I wanted to have my own business. Read more>>

Liz Mendez

When I was in school to become a nail technician naming my future business was one of the first things I thought about . I knew when I got out of school and got licensed that I didn’t want to work at a salon or under anyone, so the name was really important to me. I wanted something that would fit me and also kind of say where i’m from and what it is that I do . So then 210 Nail bby came to mind and that one just stuck. Now it’ll be almost 4 years of using that name and it just fits so well so I’m happy about that. Read more>>

MG & Jon Stevens

We knocked around so many different possibilities when choosing the name for our restaurant. Ultimately, we obviously landed on the name Stock & Barrel. We really liked the play on “Stock” for the food side and “Barrel” for the beverage side. In addition, Stock & Barrel is part of the term “Lock, Stock & Barrel”, which refers to owning someone outright and “completeness”. The name also fit into our visual aesthetic for space, logo and overall branding. It’s a strong name and felt solid! We really like the name, still…as we approach 11 years in business! Read more>>

Carla Doshi

Naming a business is definitely one of the most challenging yet rewarding parts of creating a brand! The story behind Forever Incredible Ceremonies is rooted in both my passion for the work I do and the idea of making weddings truly memorable for couples.

After making the move back to Chicago, I was contemplating a rebrand—moving away from simply using my name and finding something that better represented what I offer couples. I wanted a name that would convey the level of care, creativity, and personal touch I bring to every ceremony. Read more>>

Carly Mandarano

CarMELLA Design Studio is named in honor of my grandmother, Carmella, who, along with my grandfather Charlie, had a profound influence on my life. As a child, I spent a great deal of time at their home, and I have so many special memories with both of them. Carmella—who I called Grams—had a deep love for fashion and an impeccable sense of style. She loved to shop, and was always excited to share her latest finds, often saying, “Carly, let’s go look at my blouses—I want to show you the new ones I got.” Her closet was always meticulously organized, color-coded from light to dark, with pink being the most prominent color (it was her favorite).  Read more>>

Jennifer Viton

Liv for Cakes streams from my daughter’s name Olivia, a.k.a, Liv. It also streams from my love for both her and for baking. Read more>>

Vivian Valenzuela

Honestly, the name WOO GIRL! was born out of both necessity and serendipity. After multiple attempts to trademark my wine label were rejected due to conflicts with other beverage brands, I had to pivot. And in that process, I landed on something even better—something that truly represents me, my roots, and the spirit of my wines. Read more>>

Jennifer Horton

Our family of 5 lives in Mt Pleasant, South Carolina- just a 7 minute bridge ride over from Charleston-and we love it here! We are always bouncing from one sun-filled activity to the next: tennis matches, football games, pool parties, family picnics, the Volvo Car (now Credit One) Open, outdoor social gatherings, boat rides to barrier islands, beach and lake days- you name it! When my youngest was around 3 and our family was returning from a hot, sunburned boating trip to our favorite barrier island, Caper’s Island, I realized how desperately wonderful and convenient a blanket that could protect my little ones (and me) from harmful UV rays would be! I returned home to surf the internet to purchase one. There was no such product to be found. That was what I would say was my “a-hah moment.” Read more>>