Hi all,

I DESPERATELY need help with coming up with my "business name". For right now I'm thinking small... I am doing cakes via word of mouth, Here and there, and for fun....However eventually someday I hope to be able to grow into something more.
I'd like to put together a blog/site of sorts just to have a place for myself online to grow and be promoted. Marketing wise its a good idea to have a name that you can grow with, Id hate for years down the road want to or need to change.... just a bad idea.

My problem is... out of EVERYTHING, this is where I am most stumped! going on 6 months with out a tangible idea... is killing me.... I hope you all would mind giving me a little push in the right direction!

I'll give you some background info... hoping that might help spark some ideas...and of course you need anything from me just ask!

I love the idea of a short, simple, unique, maybe even edgy name. I would like something that, like i said can grow... right now I'm doing just cakes... but I'd like the option of, if need be, that I could do something like, tack on the idea of (but not limited to) "and bakery" say if someday I'm lucky enough to have a shop or want to provide more than just decorated cakes.

I come from a Art/Graphic Design background. Graduated Design school, been working the the Advertising and Marketing world for the last 5 years. I can definitely say that because of this background it has helped me by leaps and bounds in the cakes I have done thus far.

Another thought... My mother (Gail Beine Cook) passed away a few months ago from cancer...She has been a HUGE influence on me, expecially over the last year in determining that cakes is the direction i want to go in my creative career. "Faith, Hope, Love" was something she stood for and I definitely want to reflect that in my endeavors. It would be wonderful if in some way i can pay her tribute in the name... maybe not directly obvious... but having a "story" to tell would be awesome.

I appreciate this more than you guys know... but any and all help is wonderful. if you need more info from me please feel free to ask away.

Thanks

sorry for the loss of your mother. I am not good at this but what you said about branching out into other things besides cake made me think of confections, so maybe "creative confections" or other names incorporating the word confections

ooh yeah sorry... i forgot... I'd prefer to stay away from using the word "creative" ...My husband and I do wedding photography with the company name of "Curtis Creative" Photography.

Sorry forgot about that part. But yeah, Pattycakesnj, I like your thinking!

FHL confections (then when someone asks what the fhl stands for you can say faith, hope and love). see i told you I was bad at this

I went thru this very same thing. It took me a month (solid) of thinking, writing, trying names at every available moment to come up with something that I liked, AND that the url was available. Here's what helped me.

1. Make a list (or several) of anything/everything you think of that revolves around cake. Any word that comes to mind, jot it down...no matter how ridiculous it might sound at the time.

2. Keep adding to that list. Even when you think you've thought of everything, email your list to your friends, have them add words. (sugar, confection, batter, etc.)

3. Start putting your keywords together to make a name, pull from all of your lists. Pick one word you like, then pair it with every other word on your list to see how it sounds/ looks. Do this with each word, you should have a few pairings/phrases/names that you at least sort of like.

4. Take your new list of combined words/phrases/bakery names, and go to GoDaddy_com, or a similar site. Plug all of your combinations in to see if the urls are available. If they aren't they will give you a list of similar words/phrases/urls that are, this can be helpful too.

When I went thru this, I thought I was going to pull my hair out! I finally settled on 2, BatterMakesItBetter_com, and SheBakesCakes_com. I bought them both, then eventually went with shebakescakes.

You could incorporate your mother with the tagline, doesn't have to be with the business/website name. Your tagline could be "Faith, Hope, Love, CAKE!"

Oh, and we have very similar backgrounds! I too am a former graphic designer. Hope this helps & good luck to you!

How about Word Of Mouth Cakes or Word of Mouth Confections ....and then you could have 3 small logos that stand for the faith, love, hope. You know like the monkeys, everyone sees the 3 monkeys and knows they're see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil. So it'd be a name and then a logo. IDK, I'm having issues with this too, I keep changing my blog name

Live, Laugh, Love Cake...

What about...

CiNoRi

(with or without the extra capitals). Frankly, I think this would be perfect. Since it's not a word per se (at least in English), you would define it by whatever you do as a business. I also think it sounds interesting and edgy. Another benefitis that you are already associated with the name at least on here, and already identify yourself with it. I also assume that there's a story behind it

I also like the idea of having "Faith, Hope, Love" or "Faith, Hope, Love, CAKES!" as a tagline. It would allow you to incorporate the concept into your business without having to try to build a name around those words.

- Leisel

I had the same problem. I posted a note on my FB page and had all my friends send in names they liked. Then I picked the top 5 that I liked and had them all vote. The winner got a free cake but I did reserve the right to change the name if I didn't like it You would be amazed at how creative some people are and if they are your friends they would know you better than any of us on CC. Just thought that might be a creative way to help you get the juices flowing.

"NOT JUST CAKES"

Oh man, I went through this same thing when I started too! (who doesnt, right) Here are the ones I didnt choose, but I did like them all

Mix It Up Bakery
For The Love Of Cake
Just Beat It Bakery (I'm a big Michael Jackson fan )
Filling Good Bakery
Sweet Results Bakery

ETA: I havent checked to see if any of these have been taken since I came up with them. It's been awhile, so you should definitely double check!!