Question : IT Consulting firm name ideas

I work for a consulting firm that is looking to change its name.  The firm was started like many other consulting firms, as a division of a larger, more stable company.  Now, the marketing guys want to change the name to diversify the consulting firm from the rest of the company (think Arthur Andersen Consulting turns Accenture, but for less scandolous reasons).

The fim wants to keep the current logo abreviation of HT, the H stands for the last name of the founder of the parent company; the T stands for technologies.  The challenge in this question is to come up with a replacement for the H.

All suggestions are welcome.

I'll split the points for the top three answers - 1000 points to the top answer and 500 to the two best runners up.  Easy points.

I'll leave this open for a week to see the reponse.


Thanks in advance

Answer : IT Consulting firm name ideas

Nprignano,

After thinking about your question, I think you might find more suggestions here on how to arrive at your business name rather then finding a good business name.  Indeed, it also becomes a trust issue as you might find a comment here with a great business name suggestion and then only minutes later find the domain already bought. That's business.

In saying that, I would suggest that you use a very good domain name program that would help you to think of some choice names, and to see if they are available at the same time, along with some other considerations.

One site that I often use to help me narrow-down my domain list, and to help me think of many others, is Whois Source <http://www.whois.sc>.  Their "Name Spinner" is a super program to help you think of names.  For example, I thought of "Helping Technologies" and I noticed it was available (helpingtechnologies.com) and also checked on some variations of other names.

Some other considerations.  

1. Assuming you will incorporate your name, you might want to first make a long list of name possibilities and then check to see, within your state, the Secretary of State, to see if that name is available.  

I know in many states you can telephone your local business license department, or snailmail or email, a few names at a time to check and see if they are available.  Also, for sole proprietors, or DBA names, your local county clerk can help you here too.

2. Trademarks.  You probably want check-out if the name you select is not already a trademark of some sort.  Start here if you haven't already checked, <http://www.uspto.gov/main/trademarks.htm>  A U.S. Trademark, or Service Mark, was around $325.00 the last time I checked.  A strong investment to have.  

Trademark = product
Service Mark = service

3. Brainstorm, again (grin) on business names that invoke a feeling from you and others, and if possible categorize them according to the types of service, or products, that you offer.  Use a dictionary and thesaurus and find all the synonyms related to the words you jotted down.  

Ask others in your group or division what do they think and feel when they hear those names you've collected.  While one person might say "consulting" another might say "a green tree."  So ask a number of people your proposed names.

4. Work the Internet a lot.  You would be surprised how many businesses yet have a website or domain name, but yet the name you might narrow-in on could be some brick-in-mortar business somewhere.  Check out the other companies that do come up during your searches just to see what they are doing, and saying, of services or products similar to yours.  

5. In regard to domain names, which are so tied together with business names and vice versa, avoid regional geographic names "unless" your business is pivotal to your local community, city, state etc.  Don't select a name that puts limits on what you might do in the future.  Think far ahead so that your name will work well both today and 10 year from now.

In short, I think you need to use a collection of help to arrive at your name.  You might even want to ask those involved in your naming process to sign a non-disclosure agreement just to keep things private.  

Good Luck!

Mark