Alongside his coaching practice, he runs his research portal Know Your True Self Research Academy (www.kyts.in).
He is among the pioneer promoters of Emotional Health and well-being in India since 2005 and runs his initiative MEHAC - Mental & Emotional Health Awareness Campaign to not only spread awareness but also to equip the individuals to take charge of their emotional health and well-being in their own hands.
Naming a business
Naming the business is a very important step for any entrepreneur. Afterall name of the organization or business or self-employment is the ultimate identity of that organization, business, or self-employment. Many entrepreneurs take either of the two extreme approaches while choosing a name for their enterprise or business. Either they take too much time in finding out a unique name for their business or take it very lightly and name it with anything that comes to their mind. This is a common phenomenon among entrepreneurs and I have first-hand experience in this regard. I took a lot of time – many sleepless nights – to name my organization and later I found out that I am not alone. Many entrepreneurs struggle in this field. Though naming is a very important aspect and process while starting a business and it requires many steps as far as availability of that name and inclusion of essence of what we do in the name is concerned but still in my research I found out that it’s not the name but what we do consistently, with the commitment builds the brand name.
Successful brands named after people’s names or surnames
And while researching on the subject I found a list of highly successful brands in the world which are named in a very obvious way – after their founder or co-founder’s name. And when I first knew about them I was surprised to know the basis of their names and how they are now big, established, and respectable brands we proudly use and take pride in being associated with them. And I was more surprised that most of us do not know the background of these names.
Here I am sharing with you the list, which I believe will surprise you as well. And may help you in the process of naming your business.
The names of big, established brands named after their founder’s (or peoples’) names
AbbottLaboratories (Pharmaceuticals) – Wallace Calvin Abbott (1888)
Adidas (Clothing) – Adi Dassler
Armani (Fashion and Leisure)- Giorgio Armani
Bayer (Pharmaceuticals) – Friedrich Bayer
Bloomberg L.P. (Financial Services) – Michael Bloomberg
Boeing (Aerospace and Defense) – William Boeing
Bulgari (Luxury Goods) – Sotirios Bulgari
Cadbury (Confectionery) – John Cadbury
Cadillac (Automobiles) – Antoine Laumet de La Mothe, sieur de Cadillac
Casio (Electronics) – Tadao Kashio
Chevrolet (Automotive) – Louis Chevrolet
Colgate-Palmolive (Personal products) – William Colgate
Dell (Compute & IT)– Michael Dell
Deloitte (Professional services) – William Welch Deloitte
DHL Express (Express Logistics) – Adrian Dalsey, Larry Hillblom, and Robert Lynn
Dow Jones & Company (News and Publishing) – Charles Dow and Edward Jones
Ducati (Motorcycle) – Antonio Cavalieri Ducati
Ericsson (Telecommunications) – Lars Magnus Ericsson
Ferrari (Automotive) – Enzo Ferrari
Ferrero (Confectionery) – Pietro Ferrero
Forbes (Publishing and Media) – B. C. Forbes
Ford Motor Company (Automotive) – Henry Ford
Franck Muller (Watch Maker) – Franck Muller
Gibson Guitar Corporation (Musical instruments) – Orville Gibson
Gillette (Safety razors) – King C. Gillette
Goodyear (Tire and Rubber) – Charles Goodyear
GT Bicycles (Bicycles) – Gary Turner
Gucci (Fashion and Leather Goods) – Guccio Gucci
Harley-Davidson (Motorcycles) – William Harley and Arthur Davidson
The Hershey Company (Confectionery) – Milton Hershey
Hewlett-Packard (Computer & IT) – William Hewlett and David Packard
Hilton Hotels (Hotel) – Conrad Hilton
Honda (Automotive) – Soichiro Honda
Hugo Boss (Luxury Goods) – Hugo Boss
Jacuzzi (whirlpool bathtubs and spas) – The Jacuzzi brothers (Frank, Rachel, Valeriano, Galindo, Candido, Giocondo and Ezekiel Jacuzzi)
Johnson & Johnson (Pharmaceuticals & Healthcare) – Robert Wood Johnson I, James Wood Johnson, and Edward Mead Johnson
J.P. Morgan & Co. (Investment Banking) – J. P. Morgan
Kawasaki (Motorcycles Automobiles) – Kawasaki Sh?z?
Kellogg Company (Food Processing) – Will Keith Kellogg
Kohl’s (Retail) – Max Kohl
Kraft Foods (Food Processing) – James L. Kraft
Lamborghini (Automobile) – Ferruccio Lamborghini
Levi Strauss & Co. (Clothing) – Levi Strauss
Louis Vuitton (Fashion and Luxury Goods) – Louis Vuitton
Lucasfilm (Film) – George Lucas
Marks & Spencer (Retail) – Michael Marks and Thomas Spencer
Matsushita Electric Industrial (Electronics) – Konosuke Matsushita
McAfee (Computer Security) – John McAfee
McDonald’s (Restaurants) – Richard and Maurice McDonald
Mercedes (Automobile) –Mercédès Jellinek
Merriam-Webster (Books Publication) – George and Charles Merriam, and Noah Webster
Merrill Lynch (Finance and Insurance) – Charles E. Merrill and Edmund C. Lynch
MGM or Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (Film) – Samuel Goldfish, Edgar and Archibald Selwyn, and Louis B. Mayer
Miramax Films (Film) – Max and Miriam Weinstein (parents of founders)
Morgan Stanley (Financial Services) – Henry S. Morgan and Harold Stanley
Nestlé (Food Processing) – Henri Nestlé
Nielsen (Marketing Research) – Arthur Nielsen
Pfizer (Pharmaceuticals) – Charles Pfizer
Philip Morris International and Philip Morris USA (Cigarettes) – Philip Morris
Philips (Electronics) – Gerard Philips
Porsche (Automotive) – Ferdinand Porsche
Prada (Fashion) – Mario Prada
PricewaterhouseCoopers (Professional Services) – Samuel Lowell Price, Edwin Waterhouse, William Cooper
Procter & Gamble (Consumer Good) – William Procter and James Gamble
Reuters (News and Media) – Paul Reuter
Singer Corporation (Sewing Machines) – Isaac Merritt Singer
Suzuki (automobile) – Michio Suzuki
Swarovski (Jewelry / Crystal) – Daniel Swarovski
TAG Heuer (Watch Manufacturer) – Eduardo Heuer
Tamiya (Radio Controlled Cars) – Yoshio Tamiya
Tata (Conglomerate) – Jamsetji Tata
Tesla Motors (Automotive) – named in honor of Nikola Tesla
Toyota Motor (Automobile) – Kiichiro Toyoda
Trump Organization (Conglomerate) – Fred Trump
Umbro (Sportswear and Football Equipment) – Harold and Wallace Humphreys (HUMphrey BROthers)
Valentino (Fashion) – Valentino Garavani
Versace (Fashion) – Gianni Versace
Wal-Mart (Retailing) – Sam Walton
Walt Disney (Media conglomerate) – Walt Disney
Warner Bros. (Entertainment) – Jack Warner, Sam Warner, Harold Warner, and Albert Warner
Wendy’s (Restaurant) – Dave Thomas’ daughter Melinda “Wendy” Thomas
Yamaha Corporation (Musical, Electronics, Motorcycles) – Torakusu Yamaha
Conclusion
So when you are facing the challenge of naming your business keep this in mind that although the process of naming the organization is very important and significant it can never supersede the consistent, commitment, work ethics, and values of the founder/founder’s of the organization, which will ultimately create the brand.
Sources: Wikipedia, Forbes, other resources available on the net, and the respective websites of the companies listed above.