The importance of a short, unique, pertinent startup name cannot be understated. After all, it will be the first thing most potential customers see and the last thing you want to do is scare them off with a weird, boring, nonsensical name. Much like naming your child, you need to take a lot of time to consider all the options and weigh the pros and cons of each. The difference between naming your startup and naming your child is that you can’t get sued for naming your child something that’s already been taken by someone else.
Fortunately, one company understands the necessity for finding out the legitimacy of your startup name and they have created an app to help you. Viable is a free mobile app designed to test the viability of your startup’s name. You’ll be able to find out if the name exists anywhere in the world, which will in turn help you decide the best monicker for your new venture. And with more than enough names out there, this kind of thing is more than necessary.
“After seeing countless startups and brands launch with cringeworthy names (even some that blatantly violate live trademarks), we decided to do something about it,” said a recent blog post.
Viable doesn’t just check the legitimacy of your startup name. This app brings the naming process to a whole new level by providing a score that will better inform you in your naming process. Your startup name will fall into one of four categories: not viable, fairly viable, extremely viable, or viable af. Users will also be able to interact with the four criteria for a viable name, including domains, products, trademarks, and definitions, which all deal with a particular aspect of naming your startup.
Viable is currently available for download in the Apple Store and was recently featured on Product Hunt as a key tool for budding startups. So before you pull the trigger on your startup’s name, take steps to make sure it’s Viable.