8 startup names that sound like brands already
We love seeing startups flying the flag for great branding, so we’re always on the look out for new businesses with great names. But to be honest, they’re pretty hard to find.
For every creative, distinctive, original business name, there are dozens of companies adopting unimaginative, derivative, or just plain clunky names. And too many compromise with their domain name. When it comes to great business name ideas, many companies are somewhat lacking.
We understand that business naming is tough and, to some degree, subjective. But I believe strongly that far too many new businesses (make that most new businesses) settle for names that lack the personality or originality to become brand names. And when they're not able to own the perfect .com domain of their chosen business name, they’re really making life difficult for themselves.
So here are 8 of those rare, brilliant startup names that we have discovered recently...
Hipture
Hipture is a great new online picture framing service (the service can be pre-ordered at Kickstarter). Using an app, you’ll be able to upload pictures from your Instagram, or from your smartphone’s photo gallery. The frames are hand-crafted, so Hipture is effectively a bridge between a traditional craft business and the digital world. Just like its name.
Wonderush
This is a really interesting concept. For a fixed monthly fee, you get access to tons of things to do in your area; music events, fitness classes, learning and education, arts/crafts events and classes …the list goes on. The name Wonderush neatly captures the energy and positivity of discovering new experiences, but without being descriptive. Wonderful.
Synergyse
Synergyse is a platform that gives developers the ability to include app training, embedded inside the Google Apps they develop. The name Synergyse of course suggests the synergies they have with their clients. Software business names often use a technical sounding, slick phonetics. On a more right-brained level, the name just sounds smart and sophisticated. Job done.
elumeo
Aside from its elegance, brevity and instinctive spelling, one of the things I really love about this name is that it’s not what you’d expect from a jewellery brand. It takes boldness to avoid following the herd. The company’s mission is to make high quality gemstone jewellery an affordable luxury for everyone. So a warm, accessible brand name is exactly what was required.
Itly.com
Securing this domain was a real coup for this impossibly stylish importer of ‘Made in Italy’ products, sourced directly from Italian manufacturers. By owning this amazing domain name, Itly.com has established incredible brand authority from day one. It’s as close as anyone will ever get to ‘owning’ the word Italy. The icing on the cake is that the name looks and sounds upbeat and fun, so it has strong brand engagement too.
Gradberry
Available in tech hot-spots around the US, Gradberry is a new breed recruitment service that puts employers in touch with talented programmers and software engineers. And the way it does this is suitably clever, and a bit awesome; Gradberry analyses programmers’ code to match their suitability for certain positions.
Vacatia
Vacatia.com is the very definition of a brandable domain name. We couldn't have imagined this holiday themed business name jetting off to a better home. Vacatia is a resort marketplace for families looking for a great holiday venue, and for family-owned resorts to increase bookings. A first class brand name with real authority.
Aprenita
Aprenita offers app developers a whole new way to fund their ideas and grow their businesses. Why is it called Aprenita? Maybe it comes from ‘app’ …but who cares? It just sounds nice and friendly, like the guys running it. For me, the important thing is that the name doesn’t contain the words fund, grow, VC, angel (etc etc). Good brand names give a business the flexibility to change and develop over time. Aprenita is such a brand name.
Although these companies cover a range of industry sectors, they have three things in common: they demonstrate confidence by ploughing their own furrow; they have the authority of owning the perfect .com domain; and they have more than just a business name …they have a brand name.