What's in a Name?

Hello,

Deciding on a name for your business may appear to be an easy task.  However, some businesses will spend thousands on branding.  That's the thing you see, a name is not just a name it is a brand... your brand.

So think long and hard, you do not want to choose a name that is too long, hard to spell, hard to remember.  Or even a name that will date over time.  You want a name that is fairly quirky, extremely memorable and one that when mentioned will make people instantly think about your business.

How did I come up with my business names?  Well, 'Jewellery by Annaliese' is fairly obvious.  My name is Annaliese and I design and create jewellery, so to quote a well-know brand, my brand name 'does what it says on the tin'.

Alongside my 'Everyday Wear' jewellery, I also design and create bridal jewellery and accessories.  My brand name for that is 'Tatty Angel Designs'.

Okay, so it's fairly long but it's easy to spell and easy to remember because it's a bit different.  Designs is a bit ambiguous but it does suggest something of an arty nature.  Designs seem to run off the tongue a little better than 'Tatty Angel Jewellery'.  And as my bridal range extends beyond jewellery to accessories, cake toppers and beaded bouquets I figured I could work around my own set rule about making the name fit the business.

My bridal brand name is personal as it is a play on words.  I have an angel tattoo, my email tag is angeltatt74, so tatty angel was just another fun option.  To me the name represents two extremes.  Angels are considered pure whereas tatty is, well, not so perfect.   My handmade items are made to the highest standard using the highest quality materials but because they are not precision cut and machine manufactured no two pieces will be exactly the same.  This is the beauty of handmade items and adds that unique quality to each piece.

I will admit a couple of people have mentioned 'tatty' as having negative connotations.  Yet, I see the positive side to this, the name will definitely stick in their minds.  (Who was it who said even bad publicity is good publicity??)

However, the majority of people have commented on my business name using phrases such as 'it's so quirky', 'I love it', 'so original' and the best talking point 'how did you come up with that name?'

So, do not rush your naming process, it's more important than it seems.

I will leave you with this thought.  In a year or so when all the top celeb are wearing jewellery with a 'JBA' or a 'TAD' tag you'll know I was right, haha.  Positive thinking right!

Annaliese
(JBA)