How to Choose a Company Name: A 12-Point Test

For entrepreneurs, the importance of picking the right name for a company may rank second only to naming a child. (And it’s lot more expensive to change.)

Name consultants are paid millions each year to help decide what to call a company.

To test out a company’s name, first ask if it possesses these qualities:

Simple –- one easy-to-understand concept
Meaningful –- customer instantly “get it”
Imagery –- visually evocative, creates a mental picture
Legs –- carries the brand, lends itself to wordplay
Emotional –- empowers, entertains, engages, enlightens

Then scratch the name if it’s got these deal-breakers:

Spelling-challenged — you have to tell people how to spell it
Copycat – similar to competitor’s names
Random – disconnected from the brand
Annoying – hidden meaning, forced
Tame – flat, uninspired, boring, nonemotional
Curse of knowledge – only insiders get it
Hard-to-pronounce – not obvious, relies on punctuation

Reference: http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/1QaBZV/:C7-HtSNq:fp197-7$/blogs.wsj.com/independentstreet/2008/06/05/how-to-choose-a-company-name-a-12-point-test