What's in a name? For starters, your business name is a universal facet of your marketing; it shows up everywhere you do. Word of mouth is hard enough to earn, so there's no reason to make life harder with a dull, confusing, or irrelevant business name.

That said, the early days of starting a business are fluid, with very little being set in stone. Whatever name you come up with now isn't the one you have to live with forever. Keep things simple and focused: find a name for your business that makes it clear what you do, that’s short and memorable, and that aligns with your mission and vision statement. This isn’t an effortless task, but it’s very achievable with a bit of ingenuity.

Name generators can help you come up with an initial set of ideas—the rest is up to you. If you're starting from scratch, there are also a few time-tested practices to lean on for direction. A fitting and memorable name often has the following characteristics:

Short and simple. A good tripwire here is if you've spoken about your business idea before and people frequently ask you to repeat the name. Don't make customers work to remember your brand. One or two words is ideal, although three to four short words can also work if they form a concrete phrase. (E.g., Storq, Star Cadet)

Different. If your market research shows that everyone in your industry seems to have similar names or relies on similar elements, consider avoiding these tropes and veering in a completely different direction; many brands underestimate the marketing upside of wild originality. You can always amend your name with your product category to blend clever with clear, too. (E.g., Deathwish Coffee, Beefcake Swimwear)

Original. You’ll need to ensure your business name isn’t in use by another business, especially a competitor. To do that, run a free trademark search in the countries you’ll be doing business in, and make sure to check Google and social media sites, too. The same goes for URLs, so run a quick domain name search or a whois lookup before you register anything. (If you’re still unsure, it’s best to consult independent legal counsel for advice specific to your business.)