The easy way to choose an Etsy shop name
The easy way to choose an Etsy shop name
Looking for an easy way to choose an Etsy shop name? Well, so did I. I had to rename my shop when it was about eight months old. I started my shop selling kids’ learning printables. My shop name was “ReadCountCraft”, a name that became irrelevant. Months later, I’m selling pet planners and random other printables.
I delayed rebranding my Etsy shop because the name and logo really didn’t appear to have an impact on sales. I stayed with the “done is better than perfect” mantra because it was more important to me to spend time making and listing my products than it was to worry about updating the aesthetics. While choosing a name for your Etsy shop is an important business decision, it is not the end-all be-all. Even though Etsy is a business, I mean, we have to claim taxes on it. However, Etsy is more forgiving than the typical business platform, even an online business platform. Etsy allows us to experiment and learn.
You can change your Etsy shop name up to five times.
You can change your Etsy shop name up to five times, so your shop name doesn’t have to be perfect. If you need to change your Etsy shop name more than that, you may want to just open another Etsy store. Here are the Etsy Handbook’s many comprehensive things to consider when choosing an Etsy shop name. My solution incorporates these, but I follow a step-by-step process when naming an Etsy shop.
If you already have a platform, you may want to consider an Etsy store name that is similar to your other online platforms. This will help you build a cohesive personal brand, which makes sense when it comes to promoting your shop on social media platforms.
One note about abstract names: while I think the shop name should have something to do with the products you make, I also think that those who create pure art are the exception to this. As the Etsy Handbook states, shops that are very artsy benefit greatly from having abstract names. There is truly a difference, though, between art that is painted by hand on canvas and wall art that is created from someone else’s design and is bought via digital download. So keep in mind the context of what you are planning to sell. You can also use your own name. However, if you use your own name, make sure there is a descriptor as unique as possible. For example, Kate’s minimalist jewelry is better than Kate’s jewelry. Mel’s Life Planners is a better name than Mel’s Planners.
Step by Step
1.What products are you making?
If you are making the same kind of product, then choose one or two words that describe that product. For example, planners with a simple design could be “Minimalist Planner Co.” If you are a hand crafter that makes one type of product, use the same principle. If you design jewelry, consider the style of jewelry you design as an idea for your Etsy shop name. wire-wrapped jewelry, bright jewelry, sophisticated jewelry, and so forth. There’s also the idea of incorporating the materials you use into your shop name. Melissa’s Leather Goods, Bill’s Leather Art Works, and Superb Leatherworks by Beth, are all examples of handcrafted name shops that emphasize the materials that are used.
Brainstorm your list of products, product names, or any words that come to your mind. Do a brain dump and just write down the names without thinking on a piece of notebook paper. After you do that, think in terms of using adjectives and nouns. Words that are a person, place or thing, are nouns. Words that describe the person, place, or thing, are adjectives. For example, Mel’s Cute Planner’s are noun, adjective, noun when broken down into parts. (for the record that’s how to do tag combinations too but I digress) It can help to think in terms of nouns and adjectives, to get our brain unstuck.
2. Type in a one- or two-word product name into a domain name generator.
I googled “Etsy shop name generator” and found this generator . This site is really a business name generator disguised as an Etsy shop name generator, but it works. I entered the shop name ideas I had into the search term bar. Then I went through the suggestions. Once I found a suggestion I liked, I entered it into the Etsy search bar to find the shop name’s availability. As you type a phrase into the search bar, you will see a term appear that says the search is looking for shops with that name.
Things to check when searching for an Etsy name for your shop on Etsy:
- Is the first word of your shop’s name the same as another shop’s name?
- Is the name of your shop similar to another shop on Etsy?
- Even if the names are totally different, is it confusing when you read it with the other shop names that appeared?
3. Now, before you choose your shop name, make sure the shop name has a “keyword” or “tag” as part of the name.
- Beginners may not know what a keyword or tag is. If you don’t know what either of these are, then just make sure to pick a word that is an object name. Some examples of object names are jewelry, wall art, planners, keychains, pots, printables, and wood crafts.
- Don’t get too creative. I wanted to have something like “Boxy Unicorn” because it’s fun. However, I don’t sell boxes and my products aren’t unicorn themed.
- Stick with your “keyword” or product name and move the other words around in your shop name. For example, I kept the word “pet planner.”
- Make sure your Etsy shop’s name is easy to say and remember.
- Double check it on Google. Just to make sure.
