Mistake 6: Ignoring Trademark or Domain Conflicts

You come up with the perfect name – only to find out someone else thought of it first. If you fail to check

trademarks and domain availability, you might be stepping on another brand’s toes or setting yourself up for online branding headaches. Some entrepreneurs are so enamored with a name that they push forward with it despite a clear conflict, thinking “We’re small, it won’t matter,” but that can lead to serious consequences. For example, if your product name is similar to a competitor’s, customers might mix them up or you could receive a cease-and-desist letter forcing you to change your name after you’ve invested in it. Not securing a proper domain is another oversight – using a convoluted URL because the straightforward one was taken can bleed away traffic to whoever owns the “.com”.

How to avoid it: Do your due diligence early. Before you fall in love with a name, do a basic trademark search (use the USPTO database in the U.S. or your country’s equivalent) to see if it’s registered in your industry. Also search broadly online – if another company in a different field is using the name, you might not be legally barred, but it could still cause confusion or SEO competition. Ideally, you want a name that you can clearly own in your space. For domain names, check the major ones (.com, .net, country-specific domains) as soon as you have a frontrunner name. If ExampleName.com is taken, see what it is – an active business, a parked domain for sale, etc. If it’s a parked domain, maybe you can purchase it. If an active business uses it, you may need to reconsider your name or choose a different domain extension while understanding the risks. Generally, having YourName.com is a big advantage for credibility and discoverability, so weigh that heavily.

Remember to also check social media handles. Consistency is key for branding – you’d like to have the same username on Twitter, Instagram , Facebook, etc. It looks professional and prevents confusion. If your desired name is common, those handles might be taken. You might get creative with handles (like adding “HQ” or “Inc” to your name), but if you find a completely different company using your name on social, that’s problematic.

Lastly, think about trademarks beyond just registration – consider strength. Is your name distinctive enough to be protected? Generic or purely descriptive names often can’t be trademarked strongly (e.g., you couldn’t trademark “The Grocery Store” broadly). This is why adding a unique twist helps both marketing and legal protection. In summary, don’t skip the legal and digital legwork. It’s a lot easier to address naming conflicts before you’ve built your brand around the name. The moment you’re serious about a name, secure the domain if it’s available – even before you’re 100% sure – since domains go fast and are cheap to hold. Better to be safe than starting over because someone else beat you to the name.

Mistake 7: Chasing Trends and Fads in Naming

We touched on this earlier, but it’s worth its own spot on the list: don’t name your brand based solely on the latest trend. We saw waves where every startup was dropping vowels (e.g., Flickr, Scribd) or adding “-ly” or “-ify” or “-ster” to a root word. For a time, that might seem fresh. But when the trend passes, you’re left sounding dated or just like everyone else. For example, after Spotify and Shopify rose in prominence, there was an explosion of new apps with names like Rewardify, Gamify, Connectify, etc. Individually, those might not be terrible, but lumped together they become indistinguishable and cliché. The same with adding “app” to names or other fashionable syllables.

Another fad can be using names that mimic successful companies. When Coinbase became big, suddenly a ton of crypto startups named themselves “Coin____”. If you hop on a naming bandwagon, you run the risk of blending in with that crowd. It might even create wrong assumptions (is every “Coin-something” company related? Probably not, but customers might mix them up).

How to avoid it: Strive for a name that is timeless, not tied to a particular craze. One way to test this is to ask, “If I heard this name 5 years ago or 5 years in the future, would it still feel relevant or just oddly trendy?” Focus on names that reflect your brand’s unique story or values rather than what’s hot in naming this year. Classic doesn’t mean boring – it means it doesn’t rely on gimmicks. Brands like Coca-Cola, Amazon, or Microsoft aren’t trendy names; they just stand on their own meanings.

If you do want to leverage a trend (perhaps because it genuinely fits your concept), do so in moderation. For example, the “-ly” suffix craze gave us Bitly (a URL shortener). That name actually made sense (bit + ly for “bits of data” and it’s a short URL itself). But many others felt forced. Check that any stylized naming convention you use has a rationale rooted in your brand, not just style. Also, consider pronunciation and spelling with trendy stylizations. Tumblr (without the ‘e’) succeeded but probably caused some confusion initially until it was well known. If you remove vowels, are people going to know how to say your name? If you intentionally misspell (like Lyft instead of Lift), is it clear and simple enough to catch on? Sometimes it works, especially if marketing is strong. But if your budget or reach is limited, a straightforward name might serve you better. In short, don’t be a lemming with your brand name . It’s tempting to feel “everyone is naming companies like this now, maybe I should too,” but what works for others may not work for you – especially if it causes you to be the tenth clone with a similar-sounding name. Differentiate, don’t imitate.