“Gucci”, “Ford”, “Alexander McQueen” – these are all well-known companies, and it’s easy to guess what they have in common: they are all named after their founders.
These are just a few examples of businesses that went down this road. It’s quite a simple one, and it might be a good option. At the end of the day, they became household names – and surely that’s something you’d want for your company.
On the other hand, what happens when you decide to step down? In some cases, your successor might be fine with the name. But you might be familiar with some events where that doesn’t work, and compromises need to be made. For example, when Tom Ford took the lead in Gucci, all his collections were called “Tom Ford for Gucci”, posing a slight threat to the brand’s authority and leading position.
So, should you use your own name for your business, too? Or is it something to be avoided in all cases? Here is what we think.
You might want to consider naming the business after yourself if:
- You are planning to be the key figure behind your business publicly.
- You are the one who is delivering the service.
- It’s a small business, and you want to be close to your clients and create a sense of connection.
- You want to be seen as authentic.
You might NOT want to consider naming the business after yourself if:
- You established the business with equal partners, and they are also delivering the service.
- You want to expand your business to foreign markets, and your name will not be familiar or easy to read there.
- There are many other people with the same name as yours.
This is a basic list of pros and cons, but it might help you decide. And if you’re leaning towards using your name yet feel like it might be slightly risky, you can take inspiration from other great brands like IKEA or ADIDAS. Yes, the names of these companies still represent their founders’ names (Ingvar Kamprad and Adolf Dassler, respectively), but they are not as straightforward as in the previous cases. Creative use of your own initials certainly proved successful for them, so maybe it could work for you, too?
Naming a business after yourself is a choice. It might be a great one or… NOT. Therefore, we suggest you think wisely and choose the best option for your business.
Struggling to come up with a name for your business? Let’s talk! We are ready to help you and your business choose a lasting name. Contact us at hello@nomino.me.