Branding questions

[classiccandle]

Has anyone used words like candle, scent, flame, wick or wicks, or any other word associated with home fragrance in their business name or brand name and regretted it?

I'm wanting to take our company in a different direction and would like to use a new brand name (possibly making it a company name in the future) but don't want to limit future growth possibilities by using those types of words in the name. I'll still be making and selling candles, melts, lotion, soap, bath salts, etc., but I'm adding a new mission to the business (it will be a big part of our branding but I don't want it to "be" the business, if that makes sense). I've contemplated using a woman's name (any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, will be purely coincidental) but wonder how difficult that would be to explain since I'm a man? I can't use my own name because too many mispronounce my last name and rarely, if ever, does anyone spell it correctly, even if I'm standing there telling them how to spell it.

I've been thinking of names for the past two weeks and to say I'm frustrated would be an understatement!

I guess the question I'm asking is should I use a woman's name or something more generic?

Thanks!

[justajesuschick]

I am only giving you commentary based on my "day job" (marketing, advertising, branding, social media type jazz for a on-related corporation), not my fun wax playing.

Naming, including things like tag lines, has really taken a turn back to being more descriptive than random. Meaning that we name things according to what they are rather than just assigning them a cool sounding name. The cool sounding names often needed explanation and ask quick as a consumer's attention span is now, we have milliseconds for her to see a product and understand what it is and why she needs it.

An idea is if you wish to use your name that you spell it how it is really pronounced rather than how it is actually spelled (requiring an explanation).

I still find it odd (I mean no offense) that I see so many wax melt makers who have the word candles in their name. I would expect that they carry candles in addition to their wax melts if I read that yet many do not. Perhaps the once did.

I also see lots of people using names that I have seen before. Makes me wonder if people actually search before naming their company.

I chose a place that was significant only to me (there is a long back story which involves my faith) and named my little wax melts after that even though I label just for an event at work and for my use to donate, share and sell just a few. Now my day job-naming is a big deal.

It kind of feels like naming your kids. The idea is to establish a name that can last through trends and the test of time. See how confusing it is when one supplier buys another? People are forever stating "ACME supplier-you know, they used to be XX." Changing names get hard to follow.

All the best to you as you continue to make your decision!

[Scented]

Like to say I regret the choice of mine, but really I don't now that we've added soaps, lips and stuff. My name lends to the candle end, but honestly, if it were a problem, I would just add a second shop type of thing. Will say though that being around almost 10 years (next year under our current name) has kind of helped us be more established than someone coming in type of thing. From my viewpoint, I think people just want a good product and if they find you and fall in love, they don't want you to disappear.