Business name vote

[Joe Punter]

Hi all,

I am setting up an e-commerce store, selling unique and quirky art, pottery, ornaments etc. and have two names registered.

paxada (paz-ar-da)
pretty motif

I'm undecided as to which one is the better choice for the brand name and was wondering what you guys would go for.

Thanks

 

[dotcomdude]

Me - Paxada out of those two.

 

[alan1302]

Don't like either - think a lot of people would think the x would need to be pronounced in the 1st and sound like a disease and the 2nd is very plain and dull.

 

[BusterBloodvessel]

Agree Paxarda would be pronounced incorrectly. Also pretty motif seems to fit more in line with what you're selling...ish.

 

[Simon-TP]

Don't go with anything that can easily be miss-spelt or miss-pronounced, just keep it simple. is what I would say. However, it is not such much the name but the marketing that will grab the attention of potential and eventual customers and get you noticed/remembered.

 

[Green Socks]

If your products are as quirky as name Paxada then it's a good fit.

 

[obscure]

Agree with Simon - anything that can be mispronounced can be mistyped and then you lose a customer.

 

[fisicx]

Neither.

Try a real name. Cath Kidson, Laura Ashley, Emma Bridgwater.

I know two of them have gone bust but you get the idea. Doesn’t have to be a real person. Betty Crocker isn’t.

 

[jo.ann]

I think the name must be simple. If you have any advertising plan, everyone can defend themselves.
If you are very attached to your two ideas. I would try the first one. If you know what you are doing, even pronunciation errors can work in your favor.

 

[Beyond]

I like the sound of the first one, but cant you swop the x for a z so its easy to read

 

[Alison Moore]

As you've already had to explain how to pronounce paxada (paz-ar-da), you'll have lots of people unable to find you. However I like the name pretty motif, but my only concern would be that 'motif' doesn't really sum up what you're selling...

 

[The Byre]

If someone asks me for a kewl brand name, I always name the Munich bookshop Hugendubel. It was started by a man called Karl Hugendubel and that's all you need to know.

I assume that you have a name - try using that! Failing that, use the place or the building where you are located.

 

[Joe Punter]

Thanks for the advice, so far. Some valid points have been raised here.

fisicx, using a fictional persons name for brand is actually my third plan and I came up with a name not long ago. I haven't registered the domain yet though.

I do think prettymotif.com is a good name for the right brand, probably not mine. Maybe I should consider selling it in the future?

I am starting to lean towards the fictional person route at the moment.

 

[Michael Beaumont]

One of the most crucial points in any business is getting the name right and you are tossing a coin on it?
Have a word with your local area business link (now closed) type organisation who run courses on branding. They can help you ask the right questions about who you are aiming your market at, what sector, what age, etc.
Put the words through a voice page reader to see how it would be picked up as an exercise. I work with products at the moment through one of my clients who sells locks and keys. The brand name is Ultion which some people pronounce at Ulshun and not Ul Te On. He was stopped in his tracks when someone asked can you cut Ulshun keys and didn't know what he was talking about until he realised he was talking about Ultion keys.

 

[intheTRADE]

I work with products at the moment through one of my clients who sells locks and keys. The brand name is Ultion which some people pronounce at Ulshun and not Ul Te On. He was stopped in his tracks when someone asked can you cut Ulshun keys and didn't know what he was talking about until he realised he was talking about Ultion keys.

I would imagine your own business couod suffer from exactly this being calles Seorch

 

[MyAccountantOnline]

Hi all,

I am setting up an e-commerce store, selling unique and quirky art, pottery, ornaments etc. and have two names registered.

paxada (paz-ar-da)
pretty motif

I'm undecided as to which one is the better choice for the brand name and was wondering what you guys would go for.

Thanks

I'm not keen on either.

If I have to choose it is Pretty Motif as I'd never remember Paxada and wouldnt pronounce or spell it correctly.

 

[alan1302]

One of the most crucial points in any business is getting the name right and you are tossing a coin on it?

Is it really that important though?

Think of large companies that have done well - Amazon/Google/Apple/BP/Shell/Microsoft/Tesco/Sainsburies/Guiness - are any of those special names in anyway?

 

[fisicx]

One of the most crucial points in any business is getting the name right and you are tossing a coin on it?

No it's not. Most people don't care what you call yourself as long as you deliver the goods.

Unless you are called seorch. How do you pronounce that? search? sorch? see orch? seo retch?

 

[Alexander Denholm]

No it's not. Most people don't care what you call yourself as long as you deliver the goods.

Unless you are called seorch. How do you pronounce that? search? sorch? see orch? seo retch?

Agreed, as long as Paxada/Pretty Motif can provide value to the marketplace, it doesn't matter.

 

[Dominikm]

Paxada is 'pax-a-da' not 'paz-ar-da'.

Why? Because this is how I read it. And I bet some others read it this way also. You can't explain how a business name is pronounced. It's prounouncd how people read it even if you think they read it incorrectly.

Lots of good advice in this thread already. I just figured I'd chime in about how it's pronounced.