How To Choose a Business Name in 2026

Choosing the perfect name for your business isn’t always as simple as asking an AI tool or using a name generator. In fact, a lot of consideration needs to be put into your potential name because it’ll serve as a cornerstone of your brand. It’s the first chance you get to make a good first impression among potential customers.

This article will discuss some tips when brainstorming business name ideas and what you can expect when you’ve found the right name for your small business.

Do freelancers need a business name?

A business name isn’t required to use Upwork—your freelancer profile will display your legal name. And in many places, lots of small business owners (including freelancers) do business under their own name. This is typically called being a sole proprietor or a sole trader.

But a freelancer might want or need to have a business name for a number of reasons, including:

• Forming a limited liability company (LLC) or an S corporation
• Presenting the business as a team vs. one individual
• Changing your legal name after marriage or divorce but continuing business under a previous surname 

The process for obtaining a business name varies based on where you live and work. In the U.S., sole proprietors without an LLC typically need to file a “doing business as” (DBA) or “fictitious name” certificate with their local government or secretary of state. And if you form an LLC or corporation, you’ll likely create your business name at the same time.

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Photo by Yan Krukau on Pexels

Pros and cons of working under your legal name vs. a business name

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11 tips for brainstorming a business name

It might be tempting to play around with a free business name generator to create a list of memorable names or combine a couple of words in another language to come up with a name for your new business. However, identifying a successful business name that will be memorable and create a good first impression can take a bit more work.

Here are some tips to help you when naming your business.

1. Decide on your business entity type

Your business structure can influence what kind of business name you choose. Let’s say a man named Joe Smith decides to start a business. He could:

• Work as a sole proprietor under the name “Joe Smith”
• Work as a sole proprietor with a business name, such as “Joe Smith DBA JS Web Design”
• Form an LLC as “Joe Smith, LLC” or “JS Web Design, LLC”
• Incorporate his business as “JS Web Design, Inc.” 

These are just examples—the actual legal name and structure of your business entity will depend on where you run your business. Different states and countries often have rules around how a business entity’s name needs to be structured and recorded, so it’s a good idea to think about your preferred structure when choosing a name.

Photo by the RDNE Stock Project on Pexels

2. Conduct a business name search

Before filing the paperwork to register a catchy business name, check to make sure that you aren’t choosing the same, or a similar, name as a potential competitor! You can do this by:

• Searching online to see what business names already exist and are taken by competitors in your niche
• Checking your state, province, or country’s business registration websites to search for existing businesses with the name you like
• Cross-referencing the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) database

3. Consider different connotations of a name

Think about how different people may interpret your business name. For example, intentionally choosing a pun or joke as a business name can work, but:

• Your target audience may not get the joke
• Some members of an international audience may find the pun offensive 
• A play on an existing brand name can invite confusion (and litigation, too)

If you plan to work with clients around the world, make sure your business name is something that can be understood or translated into any languages you’ll need to use when creating marketing materials. 

4. Avoid hard-to-spell names. Keep it simple

Making use of unique spellings can be tempting for new business owners in search of a name for their business. Playing around with the spelling of a word can make it seem fun and out of the ordinary, but you run the risk that potential customers may not be able to find you. Keep your business name simple to avoid constant misspellings and confusion.

Potential customers will most likely search for your business online, and if they’re having a hard time finding it or can’t remember the spelling, the last thing you want is for them to move on to your competitors. You want to be easily accessible.

Photo by R.F._.Studio_ on Pexels

5. Be careful with acronyms and mash-up entity names

Using an acronym to name your business can be challenging since most acronyms are not really memorable and can quickly lead to unpronounceable names. Creating a meaningful name using an acronym can also prove difficult and require a lot more time and marketing dollars to catch your target audience’s attention.

The same can be said for a company name containing abbreviations since customers may find it difficult to remember. Creating a mash-up of different words to form a new company name should also be done with care to avoid coming up with a name that’s too similar to another company.

Even though using an acronym can be a risky route to take, this can be effective and unique if done right. GE (General Electric) is one example of an effective acronym that is memorable due to successful branding. 

It’s OK to use your initials in your business name, too—just be sure that what you do is very clear. “DLP LLC” conveys nothing about what a business does, while “D.L. Plumbing Services” is straightforward.

6. Consider symbolism

The name of your company is the first piece of information potential customers will use to form an opinion about your business. Coming up with a good business name that has personality and meaning can be the difference between being memorable and gaining instant traction or staying stagnant.Think about what your brand stands for and what you want people to think of when they hear about your company.

For example, the TikTok company name is thought to represent the quick, snappy speed of videos on the platform—similar to the second hand ticking away on a clock.

7. Research keywords

Your business name can be a gold mine of search engine optimization (SEO) potential and allow you to climb your way up the search engine results pages (SERPs). If you have a unique, memorable business name that clearly states what you do, it’ll be easier for people to find you online. 

Research the keywords you want your business to rank for and ensure they resonate with your brand and personality and the products or services you’re offering.

For example, let’s say you’re an AI consultant named Tina Evans and you’re considering these business names: 

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One more tip—if you’re thinking about working under your legal name, consider how common it is. If a lot of people share your name, you may have a hard time getting your self-branded business to show up in online search results. In this case, registering a different business name may make your business marketing efforts easier. 

Your business name doesn’t have to be directly related to your legal name at all. When camera entrepreneur George Eastman registered the Kodak trademark, he did so simply because he liked the name. He thought “Kodak” sounded like a good business—and it was! 

Photo by the RDNE Stock project on Pexels

8. Don’t limit it by a category or specific product

Avoid being too narrow or specific with your business name. You might be excluding customers if your name suggests you only sell one specific product or service. This could also limit potential growth in the future if you decide to expand your product or service selection. 

When Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne started the Apple Computer Company in 1976, their business name stated exactly what the company made: computers. Over time, the company changed its name to Apple Computer, Inc. and then simply “Apple, Inc.” These changes reflected the evolution of Apple’s product lines to include music players, phones, TV streaming devices, software for car stereos, and even a film studio. 

In this case, the company’s name change was fairly easy as many customers already referred to the brand as simply “Apple.” A smaller company may need to do a lot of legwork to update its audience, marketing campaigns, and more.

Tasks associated with changing your business name can include:

• Adjusting all of your marketing materials
• Buying a new domain name
• Hiring a consultant to help you maintain brand recognition and avoid confusing customers during the transition 
• Replacing signage, business cards, branded gifts, and uniforms

9. Exercise caution with geographical names

This can be just as limiting as the product category limitation. Once you specify a location in your business name, it can be hard to expand to other locations and can hamper growth. For example, the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company was originally formed with the intent to mine for minerals to make sandpaper. Over time, the company expanded its focus to creating and selling products for construction, office work, and even healthcare. At first, they trademarked a name (3M) under which to sell these products. Eventually, the organization changed its legal business name to the 3M Company.

Avoiding geographical names is especially important for online businesses with a target audience in multiple locations.

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels

10. Tell a story

Your business name gives you the opportunity to tell a unique story that you want potential customers to know, whether it’s something about the origins of your business or values you prioritize. For example, “Grandma Beck’s Old-Fashioned Bakery” can create the visual image of fresh bread and warm baked goods made from scratch using a recipe that has been in the family for generations. Telling a story is a great way to ensure you have a unique business name.

11. Get feedback

Getting feedback is vital during many stages of your business, and the naming stage is no different. Your business name will be the first piece of information your customers will receive about your business, and first impressions are important.

Make sure your business name will create the desired first impression and is relevant to your type of business. Brand name testing is one form of market research that can help you choose the most effective brand name. Present multiple brand name options to your target audience and ask them to provide feedback on each name’s ease of pronunciation, appeal, and relevance. 

This type of audience feedback is typically gathered from focus groups or surveys. A market research consultant can help you figure out what audience groups to assess and how to best present your questions.

Photo by Yan Krukau on Pexels

What comes next?

After choosing a good name for your company, you still have other tasks left to take care of before you can start doing business. These actions can include registering your company with the government, establishing a business address, creating a website, securing social media handles, creating your brand logo, and registering trademarks.

Register your business

Whether you decide to work as a sole proprietor, form an LLC, or become a corporation, you may need to file specific paperwork with your state, provincial, or national government. 

• Sole proprietors may need to register their intended “doing business as” name in every location where they operate. In the U.S., sole proprietors may also want to obtain an employer identification number (EIN) from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), even if they don’t have employees.
• LLC owners typically need to file articles of organization and name a registered agent in the same location that the business is formed.
• Business owners working as an S corporation in the U.S. need to file specific tax forms with the IRS.

A business attorney or accountant can help you make sure you have the correct paperwork in order before you begin operations.

Get a business address

Many freelancers use their home address as their business address. If you don’t want to, or can’t, do that, then you’ll need a business address. Depending on your location, options may include: 

• Joining a coworking space that allows you to receive mail and register your business at their address
• Renting a P.O. box
• Renting a mailbox at a UPS Store
• Leasing or buying commercial office space
• Using a virtual mailbox service

Create your brand logo

After spending all this time to find your perfect business name, it’s important to have a brand logo that’s just as memorable. Having a unique logo that stands out from the crowd and helps customers instantly recognize your company is vital for long-term success.

The incredible independent talent on Upwork can help you design a business logo that is unique and memorable. Whatever you’re looking for, Upwork makes it easy to connect with design professionals who can create a logo that makes you stand apart from the competition.

Photo by Elevate on Pexels

Register a domain name

Once you’ve settled on a business name, you’ll want to register a domain name. This is the URL that potential customers can use to visit your company’s website. 

It’s important to try and secure your domain name ending with “.com” since it’s the largest and oldest domain extension, as well as the most memorable. A .com domain extension is also considered better for SEO purposes. If you’re not able to obtain a “.com” domain, it’s OK to use other top-level domains (TLDs) like “.net” or one specific to your country—think “.ca” for Canada and “.co.uk” for the United Kingdom.

You may see many other TLDs for sale when checking domain name availability. These can include domains like:

• .co
• .so
• .io
• .ai
• .studio
• .shop
• .info

Using one of these alternate TLDs has pros and cons.

Pros:

• They’re often affordable. 
• They’re easy to type.
• They may be directly related to your business.
• They can turn your domain into a complete phrase.

Cons:

• The TLD may actually be a country code that’s open to everyone (“.co” is for Colombia). This can negatively impact SEO if you’re located elsewhere.
• They may be commonly used by scammers.
• They can be hard for customers accustomed to “.com” domains to remember.

When considering a domain name, it’s also important to make sure that the web address you choose is easy to say, read, and type. Adding hyphens between the words in your domain name may make it available for purchase, but that punctuation isn’t easy to communicate verbally when saying your domain name out loud. For example,”Upwork.com” is a lot easier to remember, say, and type than “Upwork-Talent-Marketplace.com.”

You can check domain availability and purchase your favorite through registrar services like:

• GoDaddy
• Squarespace
• Porkbun
• Namecheap

Launch a website

When your great business name, logo, and domain are all squared away, you’re ready to launch a website! A variety of content management systems (CMS) function as simple drag-and-drop website builders. Platforms like Carrd, Wix, and Shopify make it easy for many people to build their own website.

However, even the simplest drag-and-drop interface still requires that you think about design and spend time arranging website components just the way you want them. This takes time and energy that you might not have as a busy new startup owner. Hiring a professional web designer on Upwork takes this process off your plate and makes it even easier to get a great new website that you and your customers will love. 

Secure your social media handles

You may also want to secure your business’s social media account names now, even if you aren’t ready to start posting on different platforms. Choose the social media apps that your customers are most likely to use, then search for variations on your business name. 

Creating a business account and claiming a username on major social media platforms is free; doing so as early as possible reduces the chance that someone else will grab your preferred handle before you do!

Photo by the RDNE Stock project on Pexels

Start working on your trademark

You may also want to formalize the names of your unique products and services. This isn’t quite the same process as forming a business name—instead, you’ll need to register the use of your product name. In the United States, this is done by registering a trademark or service mark with the USPTO. 

• Trademarks are for the names of physical goods
• Service marks are for servicers that you or your business provide

Registering a trademark or service mark doesn’t mean that you’re the only person who can use that word or phrase, but it does give your business some additional legal protections against counterfeit and fraud. (Know, though, that USPTO isn’t responsible for enforcing the trademark. It’s your responsibility to enforce your rights and bring any legal action in the event that another party infringes on your mark.)

The registration process begins with conducting a trademark search on the USPTO Trademark Search system. If the name you want to register is available, and not already in use by another business, you can go ahead and start the trademark registration process. 

There are other criteria for registering a mark, so it may be helpful to engage the services of an attorney who is experienced in USPTO applications.

Choose your business name and get started

Entrepreneurs clearly face a lot of pressure when choosing a trade name for their startup. The naming process is supposed to be exciting, but it can quickly turn into a daunting task.

Upwork can help you hire a brand identity specialist so you can rest assured that you’re in great hands. Starting a business is hard work; let the right talent make things easier.

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This article is intended for educational purposes and should not be viewed as legal or tax advice. Please consult a professional to find the solution that best fits your situation.

Upwork is not affiliated with and does not sponsor or endorse any of the tools or services discussed in this article. These tools and services are provided only as potential options, and each reader and company should take the time needed to adequately analyze and determine the tools or services that would best fit their specific needs and situation.