Naming a New Business – Do Acronyms Make Good Business Names?

how about an acronym for your business name

Are acronyms always boring for a business name?  Well, we’ve got a few examples that may change your mind!

How About a Acronym for a Business Name?

Recently we’ve come across an article describing acronyms as boring or non-interesting business names.  The Brandings Team think that statement is not really true.

We agree, there are way too many boring business names built from acronyms.  Likewise many businesses just uses acronyms in a boring way.  For example, some boring acronyms we see all the time include, AOL (America On Line), MSN (MicroSoft Network) even CNN (Cable Network News).

On the other hand, there are exciting names as well and boring doesn’t always have to be the name of the game.

Occasionally we come across a winner and recently we did just that.  This name was so interesting that we’d like to share it with you. In fact, our Brand Development Team just fell in love with it.

Acronyms make great Business Names

ATM was that exciting acronym business name and let us tell you why.  You may think you know what the letters stand for thus it just the standard boring business name but, you’re wrong.

While, the acronym ATM most commonly refers to Automated Teller Machine, as in the metal box where you get money but, that’s not the case this time.  This ATM stands for something rather different.  This was the name for a custom aquarium manufacturing business.

This ATM stands for Acrylic Tank Manufacturing and we think it’s brilliant.

Any fans of the Animal Channel or just big into fish, might recognize the name.  This business was prominently featured on the tv show “Tanked.”  Tanked is a show about fish tank builders hence the “Manufacturing.”  Their team of builders, create extraordinarily interesting tanks and deal with exotic fish.

We always say, interesting businesses need interesting business names!

Their acronym ATM actually stands for Aquatic Tank Management; we love it.  We love the twist, or the use of a common acronym for something completely different.  It grabbed our attention right away and is one great example of how they can be different.

Another great example of how acronyms can be used is SCUBA.  This acronym has entered the american vernacular so well, most people don’t even recognize it as an acronym.  SCUBA actually stands for Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus.

The fact that both of these acronyms stand out make great examples how they don’t necessarily mean that they have to be boring.

When approaching acronyms try to do something different our try making words that are appealing or different and don’t let anyone tell you that all of them are boring.

Do you have any examples of fun or different acronyms or do you think we’re well off the mark and that they are boring; either way we would love to hear it.

To see some of our four letter domains or domains that would make great acronyms please follow these links.  Thank you for reading and please post your thoughts and questions below.

8 thoughts on “Naming a New Business – Do Acronyms Make Good Business Names?”

  1. I think the Science Fiction Channel just changed to SYFY and SYFY.com recently, that would be a great acronym right? That’s a really cool business name and an acronym.

    • I think that is a really great example of how an acronym can be a really interesting domain name. The play with the “y” and playing with a commonly understood nickname. As the article illustrated, acronyms can be a fun and interesting business name choice if you’re smart with the name, play with the name or are able to manipulate the letters within the company to make a new and interesting word out of it (SCUBA).

      Thank you for your great observation and great comment!

  2. Wow, I guess Acronmys can make interesting company names but it’s tricky. As someone just starting out with a massage therapy company I’m not sure if I can handle coming up with a clever enough name.

    • Thanks for your comment, yes they are quite tricky and the best Acronyms can be the ones you don’t realize like Scuba. Other acronyms just have a good cadence or flow to them even if they don’t make a new word. Check out some of or four letter business names or five letter business names and see if they fit with what you’re looking to do with it.

      Also note that you can play with words a bit. Leave out “and” or “at” or even make one word into two letters like “AlWays.” You can use the “a” and “w.” There are no set rules to the word/letter names just make it sound good!

      Thanks again for your comment.

  3. I never realized that SCUBA was an anacronym! Everyone knew AOL but not scuba. I guess they can make good business names but I don’t think I’m cleaver enough to come up with a catchy one.

    • Thanks for your comment. Most people don’t realize that scuba is an acronym and that’s just great for the scuba people. Nabisco is also really just National Biscuit Company and people don’t get that either. Acronyms can be fun and exciting but you have to be a clever word person to do it otherwise it just comes up drab and boring and no one wants a boring company name!

      The Brandings team has developed some interesting four letter company names that work as acronyms that you may want to take a look at, at least for inspiration. Thanks again for your comment and keep playing with those letters till you get a great company name!

  4. That’s funny about scuba and I think you’re right, acronyms can make interesting business names but that doesn’t happen too often. If you’re smart enough and clever enough to make it interesting you have it enter the English vernacular like scuba.

    Not many people are smart and cleaver enough to do that though.

    • You are 100% correct, acronyms need to made into an interesting new word or take an existing acronym and turn it into something different like the example of ATM being used for Aquatic Tank Management. Gone are the days when AOL was interesting, but there is still a chance to make a good business name out of an acronym.

      Thanks for your comment and we would love to have your business name to discuss if you went with the acronym.

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