So, you’ve decided that it’s time to name your side hustle — congrats! Choosing the right name for your side hustle is an exciting step in creating an overall signature brand. It’s also one of the biggest decisions you’ll ever make in your journey. It’s not a decision that should be made lightly, which is why I’ve put together some of my top tips to help you give your side hustle a name that will work with you — and not against you — as you grow your side hustle into a profitable side business.

But before we get into my top tips to help you name your side hustle, let’s start with a few basics.

Why Should You Name Your Side Hustle?

Your side hustle’s name will be vital to your brand’s visual identity. (Be sure not to confuse your brand identity with your visual identity; there’s an important difference!) Without a name, you can’t design your logo and brand yourself, which in turn, will make it virtually impossible to advertise and promote your service or product long term.

But beyond its impact on your visual identity, your side hustle’s name also plays a huge role in how your audience will perceive your business. A good name not only sets you apart from your competitors, but it can also hint to what you do or the industry you’re in. As an example, the name “Confetti & Crafts” makes it pretty clear off the bat that it’s business that’s all about fun.

So, now that we’ve covered why you should name your side hustle, let’s talk about how to name your side hustle.

Tips to help you name your side hustle

Make it memorable

Choose a side hustle name that’s easy to remember. A memorable name sticks in people’s minds, making it more likely that they’ll remember and recommend your business to others. If possible, try to keep it short and no more than two-to-three words.

But as important as it is to name your side hustle something memorable, be sure to avoid a name that’s overly complex, obscure, difficult to spell or potentially limiting. This can prove a real headache in the long run, for a few reasons — here are some examples:

• Pete’s Puppee Groomingg > Although it’s obvious what this side hustle does, the spelling of the name leaves lots of room for error. It might also be difficult for the business to rank in search results.
• Jane’s Window Cleaning > This side hustle name is so specific that it could potentially limit the business if ever it were to expand and offer general cleaning services.

Make sure it’s available

Before you name your side hustle, do some due diligence and make sure the name isn’t already in use and that it’s available as a domain and a social media handle. As much as possible, your side hustle’s name should be consistent across all platforms; this will help you create brand recognition as well as boost your side hustle’s credibility.

If the name you want for your side hustle isn’t available, it’s probably best to cut your losses now and go back to the drawing board so you can find a name that’s available on all platforms.

Before you name your side hustle, check that it’s available as a domain using a registrar like GoDaddy or Namecheap.

Think long-term

When thinking about what to name your side hustle, try to think big picture. As I mentioned earlier in this post, a name that’s too complex, obscure and difficult to spell can limit your business’ long-term growth. But another important factor that a lot of side hustlers overlook is trademarking.

When you trademark your side hustle’s name, you become the exclusive owner of that name, and you’re the only person who can legally use it. Trademarking has a lot of benefits and can strengthen your brand identity, which is why so many business owners do it. It requires a formal application process, though, and there are strict rules for what names can and can’t be trademarked.   It’s important to understand these rules before you name your side hustle, so that you can avoid potential headaches, legal troubles and overall disappointment.

Test it out

Before making a final decision on what to name your side hustle, be sure to test it out. Share the name with friends, family and potential customers, and see what feedback they have. Does the name resonate with them or leave them confused? Does it remind them of another business that already exists? Go back to them a few weeks later and ask them if they remember it; if they don’t, it could be that the name you’ve thought of isn’t memorable.

Not only is testing your side hustle name a great way to get constructive feedback, but it can also give you some great ideas that you maybe hadn’t thought of before!

Are you ready to name your side hustle?

If there’s one thing I want you take away from this post, it’s that the longer you’re in business and the more your side hustle grows, the harder it is to change your name. For this reason, it’s so important that you consider the long-term impact and factor these tips into your final decision.

Deciding what to name your side hustle is a big step, but it’s also an incredibly exciting one. I’d love to know what name you chose for yours — let me know in the comment section below!