A business name generator helps entrepreneurs create unique, brand-ready name ideas based on keywords, industry, and tone. Strong names support branding, memorability, and market positioning while reducing the risk of duplication. Many generators also highlight name availability considerations, making the early stages of business formation more efficient.
Last Updated: January 7, 2026
ALL business name generators are only as good as the keywords you input. Remember, garbage in = garbage out!
To get the very best results using name generators like ours, first, you’ll need to brainstorm a list of “seed” keywords. This is the secret to generating the most creative and distinct names for your new business.
These “seeds” are words and phrases (two or more words) that relate to your company’s service and products. They don’t have to be necessarily the ones that will be contained in your final restaurant name — they can simply be related.
Here is an example of resources to use while you brainstorm keywords for naming a barbecue restaurant:
Arming yourself with the right keywords will help you use a business name generator effectively.
After you’ve used a business name generator, you might find yourself staring down a long list of possibilities. But how do you pick the right one? Here are some tips for choosing the best business name from your options.
Study your own and similar market niches. Draw inspiration from other companies’ names where you can. Double-check that you’ve not stolen other people’s ideas, though. This will bring you nothing but legal troubles. Plus, you’ll miss the opportunity to convey your brand personality through your name.
Think about your business. What is unique about it? What value does it offer to customers? Why people should choose your company over other businesses? Identify your advantages and key characteristics and rely on them when creating a name for your business.
Pick a name that’s simple and easy to remember. You want the name to “stick” in people’s minds. It’s also worth noting that a short name will look great on your branded products (business cards, mugs, etc).
Your name must create the right associations and emotions in the minds of your customers. Do any of the generated names evoke the associations you want? Or do they need some tweaks? A few association exercises can take an okay name and turn it into a great one.
Choosing the best name is the first step toward building a strong brand. To see how your business name will look on your logo and other branded designs, use the ZenBusiness brand generator. It’s a great way to make sure all your branded elements suit each other and create a coherent image of your company.
If you want your name to resonate with your customers, then who better to ask than your customers? If you can, try to run your ideas by your customers (perhaps in person or through a social media survey) and hear what they think. Which name do they like best? Do they have any changes they recommend? You never know what improvements your customers might suggest; helping you pick your name might even improve their resonance with your brand, even if only in a small way.
Create Your Logo
Design a professional logo in minutes. Affordable, simple, and no design skills needed.
Register Your Domain Name
Secure your perfect domain fast. Check availability and let us register it for you.
Create a Website
Build a business website quickly. Our builder makes it easy and budget-friendly.
The ZenBusiness name generator uses Velo, an AI-powered system, to create business name ideas based on a short series of prompts. It considers details such as the type of business, target audience, desired tone, preferred keywords, words to avoid, and location. Using this input, the tool generates name suggestions designed to align with brand intent and common naming patterns, while helping filter out options that feel generic, misleading, or off-brand.
If you’re starting a business like an LLC or a corporation, you’ll need to make sure that name is available in your state by using your state’s business name database search engine. You can find a link to your state’s database on our business name search page.
It’s also wise to check to see if your desired business name already has any state or federal trademarks. Most state websites have a search engine for looking up existing trademarks in their state. To check for federal trademarks, go to the trademark search engine on the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office website.
If you’re forming a state-registered business like an LLC or a corporation, your business name will become registered to you once you complete the state’s business formation paperwork. If you want to reserve a business name but you’re not ready to form your business, most states will allow you to reserve a business name for a set period of time by completing a name reservation application and paying a fee.
To obtain intellectual rights to your business name, you need to register it as a trademark. You can register a trademark at the state level, which gives you rights to the name within your state. If you want broader protection, you can register it at the federal level through the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. However, this is a more costly and time-consuming process.
Trademarks come in different types. For example, there are word- and graphic-based trademarks. If you’re going to add your business name to your logo, it makes sense to register your logo as a trademark as well. For more information, contact your local agency that deals with trademark registration. The registration procedure is fee-based and implies checking your trademark for uniqueness.
If you’re going to do business across several countries or worldwide, you’ll have to register your trademark in each of these countries, or use the Madrid system for the international registration of trademarks.
Your company name must convey the essence of your business, evoke the right associations, and be memorable. However, having a neat name is not enough. Great brands are made of multiple things, including a high-quality product and flawless customer service. On top of that, you need to work hard on promoting your brand and integrating it into your customers’ lives.
If the domain name you like is already occupied, you can consider other extensions, such as .ninja, .store, .guru, etc. Also, you may contact the domain owner and try to persuade them to sell their domain name to you.
Disclaimer: The content on this page is for information purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, or accounting advice. For specific questions about any of these topics, seek the counsel of a licensed professional.
Written by ZenBusiness Editorial Team
The ZenBusiness Editorial Team has more than 20 years of combined small business publishing experience and has helped over 850,000 entrepreneurs launch and grow their companies. The team’s writers and business formation experts are dedicated to providing accurate, practical, and trustworthy guidance so business owners can make confident decisions.