Startup Name Ideas: 50+ Examples and How to Create Your Own

Every successful startup started with a name. From Google to Stripe to Notion, the right name can become synonymous with an entire category. Here's how to find startup name ideas that stick.

Startup Naming Patterns That Work

1. Invented Words

Made-up words that sound natural and are easy to trademark.

• Spotify — Spot + identify
• Skype — Sky + peer-to-peer
• Zillow — Zillion + pillow
• Hulu — Chinese for 'gourd'
• Etsy — Invented, no meaning

2. Real Words, New Context

Common words used in unexpected ways.

• Apple — Fruit → Tech company
• Slack — Lazy → Productivity tool
• Discord — Conflict → Community platform
• Notion — Idea → Workspace tool
• Linear — Straight → Project management

3. Compound Words

Two words combined into one.

• Facebook — Face + book
• Snapchat — Snap + chat
• Mailchimp — Mail + chimp
• Dropbox — Drop + box
• Coinbase — Coin + base

4. Modified Spellings

Real words with creative spelling changes.

• Lyft — Lift
• Fiverr — Fiver
• Tumblr — Tumbler
• Flickr — Flicker
• Dribbble — Dribble

Startup Name Ideas by Industry

Tech/SaaS Names

• Short, punchy names work best
• Consider .io or .ai extensions
• Avoid overly technical terms
• Examples: Vercel, Supabase, Prisma

E-commerce Names

• Memorable and easy to spell
• Consider the product category
• .com is essential for trust
• Examples: Warby Parker, Allbirds, Glossier

Fintech Names

• Balance trust with innovation
• Avoid overly playful names
• Consider international expansion
• Examples: Stripe, Plaid, Brex

How to Brainstorm Startup Names

• Write down 50+ keywords related to your business
• Combine words in unexpected ways
• Try removing or adding letters
• Use a thesaurus for alternatives
• Test names with potential customers
• Check domain and trademark availability