Your baking business name is not made for you.

Your baking business name is for your CUSTOMERS!

Make sure you are attracting the right kind of customer crowd, starting with a fabulous business name.

It’s not an easy task to figure out how to name your baking business, but once you get a handle on what works and what doesn’t, you’ll have a better chance of coming up with a name that is timeless and memorable.

In the video below, I will take you through my top tips on how to create a baking business name that will support your longevity and success.

(9 minute video)

Overview: How to Name Your Baking Business

NOTE: The list of business name precautions below is only my personal opinion. My opinions are not meant to hurt anyone or talk poorly of anyone who has made choices that I do not recommend. I have started 4 businesses myself, and with 3 of them I have made mistakes similar to what I am listing below. Because I am experiencing how the mistakes are now affecting my businesses, I hope to lay caution for those of you still deciding on your business name.

Naming your business is a very personal choice. The reality is that you should LIKE your baking business name, but the business name’s true purpose is to aid your customers in knowing who you are and identifying with what you aim to offer them.

Keep your business name and message understandable and clear! Make sure people know you BAKE by reading the name. You shouldn’t have to explain this to them.

Below are some points I suggest you keep in mind when naming your business.

1. Correct Spelling

DO make sure all the words in your business name are spelled correctly. No purposeful misspellings. This can cause issues with payment, people finding you on social media or Google search, and cause frustration for your customers. If they can’t spell your business name, they may look elsewhere.

Examples: Krazy Kakes, Baykeri Goodyes, Sweeet Treeets, etc.

2. Easy to Say

DO try to keep pronunciation in mind. If your local community cannot pronounce your business name correctly, people will not be confident in how to refer to you by word of mouth. This may mean that it’s not the best idea to name your business with a word from another language (not local) or something very difficult for most people to pronounce.

3. Careful with some words

I would stray away from using words like Crazy, Mad, Wild, Messy, etc. This could lead some customers to think your business might not be organized or trustworthy, simply because the words you are using remind them of disorganization.

4. Using the word CREATIONS or OCCASIONS

These words are just overused, period. You could use a thesaurus to come up with a similar word you like, so your business can stand out better. Or use a more specific word to describe your main products, like Cakes or Cookies, instead of a vague word, like Creations. Bakery or Bake Shop is an acceptable term that is open-ended, but tells your customers what category your business is in.

5. Mention your Product

If you can get your product word into your main business name or into your tagline, it will be easier to tell customers online and in person what you do. Clients need to be told up front what you offer so they can find you easily.

An example could be that the business name you want is: Cozy Cottage. You could add to it and make is something more descriptive like” Cozy Cottage Bakery, or Cozy Cottage: Designer Cakes, or Cozy Cottage: Cookie Designs, etc.

Mentioning your location and product somewhere in your name or tagline on social media is necessary. Example: Cozy Cottage Cakes - New Shore, California

6. Consider not using your given name

It is very popular to see bakery business names similar to these: Cakes by Melissa, Cake Creations by Melissa, Melissa’s Bakery, Melissa’s Sweet Treats, etc.

Naming your business with your own first name can be somewhat limiting.

Some people do decide to “brand themselves” by using their full name, and purchase their personal domain name. This works if you plan to diversify your business in certain ways and you have a memorable name that is easy to say and spell.

1. If you ever decide to grow your business or sell your business, no one is going to buy the name if you have named it after yourself. You may need to rebrand (which is a pain once you get started) to something different if you want to open a storefront.

2. Your own name is not a visual component and may be harder for a customer to remember. Customers remember visual words, like “The Iced Cupcake Shop” or “Purple Lace Cakery”, etc.

3. Think of all the other people with your same name, starting up bakeries! I am sure there are plenty of “Cakes by Melissa” out there, so take a chance to name your business something special and exciting for your customers.

4. If you would prefer to keep your business separate from your personal life, it would be best not to include your own name in your business name.

7. Using a Visual Business Name to Aid in Branding

Think of places or things you would like to represent your business. You can use things you like, things that are popular in your area, or something that is close to your heart. This will make your business name not only special to you, but also memorable for the customer.

Some good examples: Bluebird Bake Shop, The Paris Bakery, Cookie Crumbs, Cupid Cupcakes, etc.

Now that we have covered the basics, you may be feeling like you want more help with this.

Many bakers tend to have issues narrowing down ideas, and we don’t want you getting stuck here.

To assist those who want an actual formula to follow, making it much easier to determine a final name choice that truly works, we developed a mini course.

This course includes a workbook (to keep your ideas straight), videos and mentorship (to further explain all the intricate ideas behind name creation) and lifetime access (so you don’t have to rush through anything).

We will cover important industry information and strategies to create a unique name that is:

1.sustainable (will this work long term)

2. memorable (will my customers resonate and remember me)

3. expandable (can I add and grow easily with this name)

4. brandable (can I have a visual impact with this name)

4. AND available ( am I legally complying with trademarks, copyrights, DBAs, etc)