What to name your online boutique

Coming up with a name for your online boutique is so frustrating. Doesn't it seem like all the good names are already taken and everything you come up with just doesn't sound right? You want your boutique name to really represent your business, so this can't be a half-ass name. We know you're probably tired of thinking of name possibilities, but we're sharing some tips to get your creative juices flowing and lead you to the perfect name for your boutique. 

TIP 1: Name your boutique after yourself.

If you receive compliments about your name, like "Oh, that's such a pretty name" or "I like how your name sounds", and your name is easy to spell, this could be a good name choice for your boutique. On the other hand, if people have been butchering your name over the years, be prepared to correct more people. A good business name is easy to pronounce and spell because it makes it easier for customers to share and search for the business. 

If you use your name, be prepared to build your personal brand and your business brand at the same time. Customers will automatically tie you to the business and expect you to be the face of the company. To prepare, start working on your personal mission statement, outlining your long-term goals and your vision. 

TIP 2:  Name the boutique after your home city/state.

Paying homage to a local area could work in your favor and create a core base of customers. Because of the relatability and the community that it creates, having a business named after a local area is easy to share in conversation and pass along. Word of mouth still reigns supreme in advertising.

There's a possibility that another local business may have the same or similar name. Do some research locally and online to confirm. 

Here are some ideas we came up with to get you started.

New York: Haute New York, Harlem Hems, 

Georgia: Georgia Bloom, Georgia Moon, Peach Boutique; PeachyChic; 

Florida: Florida Shores, Hot Miami, Destin' for Fashion, 

TIP 3. Find synonyms to common words.

If the names you're coming up with sound too basic, just google some synonyms. Common words used in boutique names are pretty and chic. Some synonyms of pretty are: charming, fetching, delightful, bonny, adorn, beautify and synonyms of chic: dapper, dashing, stylish, elegant, snazzy, spiffy, a la mode. Make a list of common words for your boutique and then look up synonyms

TIP 4. Add a prefix or suffix to a common word.

A trending clothing brand did this exact thing with Fashionnova. Just take a common fashion related word and add a suffix to it. You could do something similar, like Fashionista, Fashiondom, Fashionism. Some prefix examples are Superfashion, Omnifashion, Hyperfashion. Do a quick google search on prefixes and suffixes for a list of different examples and prefix/suffix definitions. 

TIP 5. Creatively describe the brand in the name.

This tip will require you to know your brand and what it stands for. For example, Victoria Secret uses "secret" in the name to hint at the fact that it's a lingerie brand. Or something like Nasty Gal that gives the impression that this brand is more for a rebel female. When you go through the process of thinking about your boutique and the types of clothes you offer, you'll start to form your brand identity and you'll naturally start to come up with various words to describe it. Let's say you sold edgier clothes, some boutique names could be Edge of Fashion, Fashion Edge, Fashion Rebel. If you sold swimwear, you could do Fashion Splash, A Splash of Style, or Fashion Waves. 

After you come up with a good name, don't stop there. You need to check to make sure no one else is using the name and that the domain and social media handles are available. Here are some name check steps we go through before confirming new business names.

1. Go to Godaddy.com and see if someone is using the domain already. If you plan on having a website, you need to make sure that the domain is available. A domain is the URL for your website. For example, www.shopwholesalevendors.com, www.facebook.com, www.google.com are all domains. 

2. Go to the Trademark site and see if the name has been trademarked. You don't have to trademark your business right now, this is just a check. If it hasn't been trademarked and you want to trademark in the future, we recommend hiring a trademark lawyer to complete the trademark process with you. Although the trademark site looks easy to use, you can make a lot of costly mistakes by doing this on your own. 

3. Check social media to see if someone is using the name already. Do a quick search on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, etc to see if the name is already being used. If it is, don't worry. An easy way to get around this is to add "shop" in front or at the end of your name. 

For a consistent brand style and professional look, keep your business name, social pages and emails all the same or as close to the same as you can. Again, this makes it easier for people to find and share your business. Here's an example of what your set up would look like if your boutique name was Fashion Waves. 

Business Name: Fashion Waves

Domain: www.fashionwaves.com

Email: info@fashionwaves.com

IG: @fashionwaves

FB: @fashionwaves

Twitter: @fashionwaves

If the domain is available but someone is already using the social names, you could do something like this.

Business Name: Fashion Waves

Domain: www.fashionwaves.com

Email: info@fashionwaves.com

IG: @shopfashionwaves or @fashionwavesshop 

FB: @shopfashionwaves or @fashionwavesshop

Twitter @shopfashionwaves or @fashionwavesshop 

We hope the tips shared make coming up with a name for your boutique easier. Leave a comment below to let us know some names you came up with.