A Rose By Any Other Thingy...

Jimlad

Well-Known Member
...name. That's the one. Names are important. Fewer people would take me seriously if I was known as Smelly McStupidhead rather than Jim Algar.
So I was thinking about names, my business name specifically, Algar Illustration, and it got me wondering: How did you choose yours?

For my name I decided against using Jim Algar as some call me Jim and officially I'm James and at the time I used my middle initial in signing my work and it would've all been too confusing. So I dropped the first name and it's handy that my surname begins with A, top of most lists! And I mostly do illustration so the name seemed obvious.

But these days I find myself doing more and more graphic design such as logos or posters or even takeaway menus... so I sometimes wonder if I should've gone with something like Algar Creative or Algar Design... but I'm more an illustrator than designer and Creative just feels like a cop-out. Maybe one day I'll tack "& Design" onto the end and be like those Bathrooms "& Kitchens" companies...

So yeah, sticking with Algar Illustration.
 
I'm jealous of your surname, I'm on at least one site where it's done alphabetically, annoyingly, and of course I come way down the list!

At least you've got 'illustration' in your site name, which surely helps with SEO etc as it's your main income. I wish I'd included that in mine.
 
I didn't actually spend a whole lot of time deliberating over my business name. Some times I wish I wasn't stuck in between a business/agency and a freelancer; that's what it feels like with LA Designs. It has actually worked out quite well though, I've always enjoyed working with small business owners and I think this name helps me to attract them. I'll admit, it's not massively creative or unique, but it works. I believe a brand name just has to communicate what it is you do, there are varying degrees of success with it but for the most part people care more about the work you produce. If you're planning to focus on local trade then I don't think it's a massive issue anyway.
 
I guess it depends on what you do.

As I do mostly illustration I thought it best to use my name and Scotty is what my family call me although since I used it for my site, everyone calls me it which kinda makes me feel about 12.
 
I am thinking of going with a mixture of a nickname and the word Design afterwards. Unfortunately, my initials are VD so not really the kind of thing you want plastered over your logo (or anywhere else, ever, for that matter!!). :wacko:

All my other ideas using versions of my actual name - V / Vee / Daly etc. - were all taken when I searched available business names in Companies House, so I started to get quite frustrated trying to find something that inspired a concept but was still about 'me!'

On that note, sorry to hijack your question Jim, but how have others registered their design names? CH only seem to offer LTD companies to register there and the National Business Register I found charge £80 a year which doesn't include a trademark!
 
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