How to Name Your Startup: A Founder's Complete Guide (2025)

Your startup's name is often the first impression you make on customers, investors, and talent. Get it right, and people remember you. Get it wrong, and you're constantly spelling it out, explaining it, or worse—rebranding.

This guide shares the exact naming process used by successful founders, with real examples from companies like Stripe, Notion, and Airbnb.

The 5-Step Startup Naming Framework

Step 1: Define Your Naming Criteria

Before generating any names, define what you need:

Must-haves:

• Easy to spell (no unusual spellings)
• Easy to pronounce (works in your target markets)
• Available as a domain (.com, .io, .app, etc.)
• Trademarkable (not too generic or similar to competitors)
• Short enough to remember (ideally under 10 characters)

Nice-to-haves:

• Hints at what you do
• Works as a verb ("Just Slack me")
• Looks good as a logo
• Has available social handles

Step 2: Choose Your Naming Style

The most successful startup names fall into these categories:

Invented Words (Highest Trademark Potential)

• Spotify - Invented, memorable
• Twilio - Sounds techy but friendly
• Figma - Short, unique
• Canva - Easy to spell

When to use: When you want maximum trademark protection and don't need the name to explain your product.

Real Words in New Context

• Stripe - Simple English word, new meaning
• Notion - Dictionary word, reimagined
• Linear - Mathematical term, represents simplicity
• Slack - Takes advantage of a word's multiple meanings

When to use: When you want immediate comprehension and brand personality.

Compound Words

• Airbnb - Air + BnB (Bed and Breakfast)
• Dropbox - Drop + Box
• Mailchimp - Mail + Chimp
• Facebook - Face + Book

When to use: When you want to hint at functionality while staying memorable.

Modified Spellings

• Lyft - Modified "lift"
• Tumblr - Modified "tumbler"
• Flickr - Modified "flicker"

When to use: When the obvious spelling is taken, but use cautiously—spelling confusion can hurt.

Step 3: Generate Name Candidates

Use multiple sources:

1. AI Name Generators - Tools like namemyapp generate hundreds of options based on your criteria
2. Thesaurus Mining - Find related words and concepts
3. Other Languages - Latin, Greek, Japanese words can be distinctive
4. Portmanteaus - Combine two relevant words
5. Founder Names - Sometimes the simplest option (Warby Parker, Hewlett-Packard)

Pro tip: Generate at least 50 candidates before narrowing down. The best name often comes after the obvious options.

Step 4: Validate Your Shortlist

For your top 5-10 names, run these checks:

Domain Availability

• Is .com available? (Ideal but not required)
• What about .io, .app, .co, .ai?
• Are there any conflicting .coms you'd compete against?

namemyapp checks all of this automatically—every name shown has a guaranteed available domain.

Trademark Search

• Search USPTO.gov for existing trademarks
• Check in your product category specifically
• Consider international trademarks if you'll expand globally

Social Handles

• Check Twitter/X, Instagram, LinkedIn
• Consider variations (@getYourName, @YourNameHQ)

Linguistic Check

• Does it mean something bad in other languages?
• Is it easy to pronounce in your target markets?
• Can it be easily misheard on the phone?

The "Radio Test"

Say your name out loud:

• "Check out [name]"
• "I work at [name]"
• "Have you heard of [name]?"

Does it sound natural? Can people spell it after hearing it once?

Step 5: Make the Decision

You've done the research. Now pick one and commit.

Don't fall into these traps:

• "Let's keep looking for the perfect name" (it doesn't exist)
• "We need everyone to agree" (someone will always dislike it)
• "Let's A/B test" (naming isn't testable in the traditional sense)

The best founders pick a solid name and make it great through their product and marketing.

Real Examples: How Famous Startups Got Their Names

Stripe

Patrick and John Collison wanted something simple. "Stripe" evokes the magnetic stripe on credit cards—relevant to payments but not limiting. The .com was available.

Lesson: Simple English words can work if they're versatile.

Notion

The founders wanted a word that felt intelligent and expansive. "Notion" means both an idea and a concept—perfect for a flexible productivity tool.

Lesson: Dictionary words with multiple meanings create brand depth.

Airbnb

Originally "AirBed & Breakfast" (the founders literally rented air mattresses), shortened to Airbnb. It described exactly what it was initially.

Lesson: It's okay to start descriptive and let the brand meaning evolve.

Slack

Originally an acronym for "Searchable Log of All Conversation and Knowledge." But it works because "slack" means casual and easy—exactly how communication should feel.

Lesson: Acronyms can work if the resulting word has independent meaning.

Common Naming Mistakes to Avoid

1. Chasing the .com at All Costs

Great companies use .io (Mercury.io), .app (Linear.app), .co (Loom.co), and others. A memorable name with a non-.com beats a forgettable .com.

2. Being Too Descriptive

"FastPaymentProcessingSolutions.com" tells you what it does but isn't brandable. Leave room for your brand to grow.

3. Using Hard-to-Spell Words

Unique spelling = constantly correcting people. "Flickr" works because "flicker" is commonly known. "Exxxxchange" would not.

4. Ignoring Domain Availability Until the End

Fall in love with a name, discover the domain is $50,000 or owned by a competitor. Check availability early (or use a tool that guarantees it).

5. Decision Paralysis

Teams often waste months on naming. Set a deadline. A good name you launch with beats a perfect name you never find.

The Modern Approach: AI-Powered Naming

Traditional naming meant:

1. Brainstorm names
2. Check each domain (one by one)
3. Find they're all taken
4. Repeat indefinitely
5. Settle for whatever's available

Modern naming with namemyapp:

1. Describe your business
2. Get names with guaranteed available domains
3. Pick your favorite and purchase
4. Launch

The AI understands context—tell it "B2B analytics for ecommerce" and it generates relevant, brandable options. Every name has an available domain because we check before showing results.

When to Rebrand (And When Not To)

Consider rebranding if:

• Your name causes constant confusion
• You've pivoted significantly
• There are serious trademark issues
• The name limits your growth

Don't rebrand just because:

• A few people mispronounce it
• You're bored of it
• Someone suggested something "better"
• You don't have .com

Rebranding costs time, money, and brand equity. Only do it for serious reasons.

Ready to Name Your Startup?

Stop overthinking. Use namemyapp to generate brandable names with guaranteed available domains. In 5 minutes, you could have your startup's name and domain secured.

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