4. Choosing a name

What is the best name for your business?

Your business name is crucial because it influences how you are perceived and remembered by customers. There are only a few categories of company name, for example:

Surname: Hargreaves Lansdown

Signs or place name: Chesterfield Tires and Exhausts
Describes what the business does: Vintage Fun and Games Hire
Made up name: Accenture
Symbolic name: Virgin
Catchy memorable phrase: Hairway to Heaven

We chose the name Silver Startups because the name is easy to remember, says what it’s about and who it’s aimed at (older people who are interested in starting a business) and, equally as important, the .co.uk domain was available. We could have called the site Senior Startups, but the word silver is more elegant and Viv is not sure she likes to think of herself as a senior. (This is why it took her a year before she bought a senior railcard.) It’s also important to register your name as a trade mark, if possible, so no one else can use your brand without your permission. For more more information on this visit Apply to Register a Trade Mark at the GOV.UK website.

Further reading on this topic: How to choose a business name