Because your name is your first impression. It’s how people remember, search for, and connect with your brand. A name gives your business identity and meaning, it tells a story before anyone even reads your tagline. Without a name, your brand has no anchor in people’s minds.
The article highlights that the best names are short, catchy, and easy to spell or pronounce. They’re unique enough to stand out, yet simple enough to recall instantly. A great name also reflects your story or values, helping people associate it with something meaningful.
Your domain should make it effortless for people to find you. Choose a .com when possible, avoid numbers and symbols, and keep it clear and readable. If your name has multiple words, hyphens can help, but shorter is better. A distinct domain, like Goldlilys Media, builds credibility and search visibility because no one else owns it.
Every name has a reason behind it, whether inspired by art, experiences, or personal meaning. Like Goldlilys Media, which blends “Gold” and “Lilies” from Monet’s Water Lilies, the story behind your name becomes part of your brand identity. The real question isn’t just what your name is, but who it’s for and who you want to attract.
“Experience is simply the name we give our mistakes.” – Oscar Wilde
Branding is nothing without a name. Your business will not be known if no one identifies who you are.
What makes a memorable name?
What is the best way to translate your business name to a domain name? Why is a domain name important?
To answer these questions, first let us understand why names exist in the first place.
Names are needed to recognize a person, place or thing.
Names allow the human brain to associate combinations of characters, letters and words to something.
To make it more memorable, the existence of names has a meaning.
The meaning of names usually come from the experiences of the parents of the baby they are naming or owner of the business or owner of a thing.
There is a reason for everything. What is the reason for your business?
Similarly, an unforgettable business name should translate well to its domain name.
The following is recommendations to create a memorable name:
For example, my business name is Goldlilys Media. From my previous blog post, my name was inspired by Monet’s “Water Lilies” painting.
I joined Gold with lilies and made it Goldlilys.
A name does not have to be grammatically correct for it to be easy to spell. Why?
Did Google or Yahoo exist before Google or Yahoo? Since there is no one else in the world that owns Goldlilys, if you search for it on search engines, the results are mostly related to my business.
In fact, the spelling mistake is an experience that made it perfect because it stood out, did it not?
Another reason for combining Goldlilys Media is that the only way for people to know my business is those who I have met online (someone searching for something related to my business) or in person (through networking).
What you do and who you come in contact with all relates to the people you want to do business with.
Therefore, who is your business for?
Better question to ask when deciding a name is who do you want to attract?
Frances Naty Go is the founder of Goldlilys Media, where she helps mission-driven organizations turn their websites into clear, durable systems that support meaningful work over time. She works with museums, nonprofits, health and wellness brands, higher education, life sciences, travel organizations, and expert-led businesses.
With a background in Computer Science from UC San Diego, Frances brings a thoughtful, strategic approach to building digital experiences that educate, orient, and build trust, without unnecessary complexity.
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