Picking the right name for your business

CEO Samchi Telecommunications Ltd Esther Muchemi released her autobiography, Give Me My Mountain, last week. In one of the chapters, she analyses how she came about naming her different businesses including, ElRoi Plaza, After 40 Hotel, and Heavenly Wings.

The right name makes all the difference when it comes to propelling a business to success. The question then is, what are the characteristics of a good name? Let’s use Esther’s first company, Samchi as an example.

1. The name sound good when said out loud. I hope yours ain’t a tongue twister.

2. It has meaning to it. Besides Samchi being a combination of her two children’s names, it has yet another meaning to it. Even the title of the book has a meaning to it.

3. Don’t pick a name that is long or confusing. Short is sweet.

4. Resist the obvious. Making up a word should not be a last resort; it should be the first option. Combine two words or concepts like Samchi did, or spell a word incorrectly like Oprah.