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I'm pretty new to the forums but have loved how awesome this community is!

I'm looking to start a new business and am in need of a good name. I think this is easily the hardest part! MY name is Zach Horner and I'm in Salt Lake City Utah. I know its not much to work with  <_< .

Any ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated! I've asked for feedback on ideas from friends and family but they don't seem to take it as seriously as I do. They generally come up with names like "smokin pots"... Please help you amazing community you!

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Clay Art by Horner.

 

"Clay Art" does not restrict you in style or function as you grow and explore. Evoking the term "art" instead of pottery suggests you are high end aesthetically. Using your last name is branding / marketing. You want to create an association to your name over time. This also means you need to create a stamp to mark your pieces so they are readily identified as being your work. I wish you every good success in your new venture.

 

Nerd

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Finding a business name is notoriously tricky. I used Giselle No. 5 for my stamp business and kept it when I switched over to pottery. I'm fortunate that my business name transferred over so well; if not I would have created a new brand from scratch. Whatever you do it's VERY IMPORTANT to be consistent in using your business name across all platforms, physical and virtual. I see a lot of people who have a different name for every single social media account; it's hard to find them when you're actually looking for them. And it can be confusing to connect the different names with the original artist that you're interested in following. 

 

The reason for my business name, Giselle No. 5 Ceramics, is that I have six sisters, four older, two younger. So I'm the fifth-born. My oldest sister and I used to write each other letters signed "No. 1" and "No. 5" respectively and I chose this as my business name as kind of a fluke when all the other names I wanted were already taken on Etsy.  I tacked on the "Ceramics" just recently when I switched from supplies to pottery. I can't say that when I chose the name Giselle No. 5 I had any idea that I would be still using it today but I'm pretty happy with it and I don't know what other name I would use for my business at this point. I love just about anything vintage and in fact many of my designs and my color palette have been chosen to give my work a retro feel. So calling to mind Chanel No. 5 is fine with me! 

 

I highly recommend sitting down to write down things that are important to you, words that express the personality of your work, etc. Whatever you do I also recommend extensive web searches before you become extremely attached to a name to see if you're stepping on the toes of someone established before you. I'm going to make up a whole bunch of business names here for examples so if I happen to use a real one, sorry!! 

 

You can obviously choose your business name based on your location (examples: Hollywood Pottery, Whisper Creek Pottery, Copenhagen Ceramics). Others choose it based on a feature of the area (Pine Tree Pots, Blue Heron Ceramics, Golden Hills Clay). It can be based on your own name (Jones Clay, Fiona Woodfire, Chelsea Crinton Art). It can be a fun pun (Aim and Fire, Dressed to Kiln). Or it can be something important to you or expressive of your style (Inspirational Sculpture, Happy Pots, Grim Ceramics, Mountain Man Clay). 

 

I'm looking forward to seeing others' input on this topic and I hope this helps in some way! :)

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You might keep it simple, Horner Ceramcis. You could sign your pots with a stylized HC.

 

Mine was set years and years ago when I first started selling my Pug art, so Pugaboo was born. I use it EVERYWHERE, If you Google, Pugaboo, chances are you will find some form of me. I started out with Pugaboo Boutique, liked the way it sounded and looked and recently also started using Pugaboo Pottery for my ehem pottery only shop. Lol

 

So you don't HAVE to use your own name, just pick something that sings to you, inspires you or gets you out of bed and KEEP to it. I love, adore, am enslaved, by my Pugs and can't ever imagine not having at least one running my life. You can also go with something that you like the abbreviation of or one that even looks cool when signed.

 

Just some ideas to get you thinking. Good luck and let us know what you come up with!

 

T

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First off I need a bit more info-

What kind of things are you making-sculpture-funtional wares-animals-art? what is it you plan on focusing on in clay?

Are you low fire or high fire-pit fire or raku?

This will help in the name 

The name is important and you do not want to change it later on a whim

give us more info

 

My name is place name-its the place where the Pottery is made

I do not suggest this as most folks move around -I never have-but so much of my work gets sold so far away it does not matter as much  if I did move as I'm now known by this name 46 years later( 1973 was the start up with no investors or crowd funding)

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First off I need a bit more info-

What kind of things are you making-sculpture-funtional wares-animals-art? what is it you plan on focusing on in clay?

Are you low fire or high fire-pit fire or raku?

This will help in the name 

The name is important and you do not want to change it later on a whim

give us more info

 

 

 

My bread and butter is functional ware. High fire stoneware or porcelain.

Mostly thrown with a bit of hand building.

I totally agree that a name and brand should be something fairly permanent .

My style is still not super well defined so I don't really think something along those lines would be good.

 

My bread and butter is functional ware. High fire stoneware or porcelain.

Mostly thrown with a bit of hand building. I totally agree that a name and brand should be something fairly permanent .

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I tend to like your first name as it snappy so 

Zacks Pottery

Zacks pots

Zacks clay works

Zackoclay 

Zack in the mud

One other thing is over time people will be using your name for payment so you'll need a business account with this name . So people will not be using your personal full name but your business name so think that thru some.

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On the thread that GEP/Mea posted I said I was going to use Ceramitech Studio, but after getting feedback from folks here & elsewhere about the value of one's name, keeping it simple, not using a location in the name, and other long-term considerations, I went with LeeU Ceramics (my first name, last initial, and a nice vague, but to the point, reference to what I do. So far so good. It does nicely on for my website leeuceramics.com ,for banking, and on my business card, stationary/invoices -digital and paper- my stamp is LeeU in a small oval.

 

I am glad I did not use Ceramitech, because I could not possibly imply that I am particularly knowledgeable about the chemistry etc. I studied Rhodes and Lawrence in practice for several years (large gas kiln only), but do I remember any of it...NO!!!  So that is an example of a naming mistake avoided! 

 

Personally, I like the sound of Zach's Pottery or Horner Clay Works

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If you are certain that your main focus will be functional pots for the long haul, then use "pottery" your name. Clarity is good. If your company name is listed in the program of a large art festival as "Horner Pottery," the functional pottery fans will know they need to see you. However, if you might want to venture into other areas of ceramics, then use "ceramics" or "clay." If you might want to try other mediums, use "studio." Any of these names can still represent functional pottery, and will give you room to shift around without renaming. Renaming is a no-no, once you've established yourself to any extent.

 

Using your own name in your business name is always a solid choice, because it grows with you. Like I said in the other linked thread, I would have used my own name if people could pronounce it. I guess it depends on how much you like your name, I've never been all that crazy about mine. I also endorse naming your business after a place, either your home or someplace that is special to you. But not something that too many people share, like "Salt Lake" or "Utah." Pick something personal and lesser known, so it doesn't become obsolete if you move.

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Just as somewhat of an update, here are some spitball ideas. Let me know what you think on a professional/marketing level.

 

ZachArt Ceramics/Pottery/Studio

 

Horner Studios

 

RavenTree Pottery

 

Little Zach Horner's Pottery Corner :P

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I like both Horner Studios and RavenTree Pottery. They both sound nice. Make sure to google the word "raventree" to see what other businesses are already using it. It's fine if others are using it, just make yourself aware of them.

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I agree with the 2 previous. In fact Raventree Pottery is my favorite. I could see your signature/logo as a tree, a raven or a combination of both. It would be an attractive addition to your pots, business card, or signage to stamp them with one of those designs.

 

T

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I was going to say Zaho Pottery, but then I googled Zaho and found an Algerian R&B singer. So that wont work. I googled Raven Tree Pottery, and nothing for that business came up, although there were a million mugs with trees and ravens on them, by some potter called Muddy Raven in Arizona. That is something to think about. 

 

Could change it up and do something like, Raven Mountain Pottery, since you live in the Rockies. I personally like mountain better than tree, since the earth is what clay comes from, but maybe im thinking to deep here.

 

keep up the search! 

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  • 2 months later...

You want to create a new business name it is a very difficult to choose one but here are some tips which help to create your good business name..

 

  • Keep an eye on the Competition :- what sort of names do your rivals have? Make a rundown and think about them 
  • Consider Your Target Audience :- You need your business name to reverberate with the general population you are attempting to reach 
  • Grasp Your Creativity :- While you need your name to be anything but difficult to declare and recall, don't skirt the benefit of making a name that is totally interesting. 
  • Take a gander at It from All Angles :- Think about how the name will fit into the regular operations of your business, and what it will make others think and feel. 
  • Try not to Limit Yourself 
  • Get Input :- Once you have a couple of conceivable outcomes, ricochet them off of companions, family, associates and potential customers if conceivable. 
  • Visualise the Brand : Your business name is more than only a name, it's a major some portion of your company brand image. 
  • Use Tools: utilize a portion of the apparatuses that are accessible to get roused.
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  • 2 weeks later...

I personally think your name is a great place to start. It rolls off the tongue nicely. You can do Zach Horner Studios/Horner Studios, Zach Horner Ceramics, Zach Horner Pottery....

 

I have changed my business name a few times, so learn from me that it is VERY important to stay consistent with your branding! I originally used my maiden name years ago, Sydney Zmitrewicz, but it is a mouthful and I ended up getting married and changing my name. It changed to Sun State Galleries when I was primarily selling my traditional paintings and drawings to galleries and private collectors. I don't like the gallery aspect anymore, as I am now a graphic designer who does pottery on the side, so really my art has little to do with galleries. My (hopefully) final business name is Infuzed Design, it translates from my traditional paintings and illustrations, my graphic design, and my pottery. It has taken me a while to come up with a theme and be consistent, but it is important for you, your customers, and your business. I sign my work with my first and middle name, and market it under my business name. I now have almost all of my social media under Infuzed Design, which is helping me corral in my client base. Think about how and where you will advertise!

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