How to Choose Your Etsy Store Name

If you're anything like me, you've come up with a product to sell, done extensive testing and market research, and you're finally ready to take the plunge and open your store. But before you can open your store and begin selling, you have to pick the perfect name! 

No lie, I've spent almost as much time obsessing over store names as I have trying to figure out what to sell on my third store. Hopefully this post will give you some ideas to kickstart your name brainstorming!

1. Find words that are meaningful

I'm a visual thinker, so for me that meant doodling a mind map with various themes associated with my products. You may find that other methods, like the traditional pen-and-paper lists or even creating inspiration boards on Pinterest, may work best for you. Think about the items you plan to sell, your target demographic, and the overall look and feel you'd like your store to have. 

"Paper" was a bit of a given for my store, and I chose "sonata" from words on my mind map. For those not familiar with musical terminology, it's defined as the following:

"a composition for an instrumental soloist, often with a piano accompaniment, typically in several movements with one or more in sonata form".

I've always been fascinated by the idea of the endless possibilities that come with a blank sheet of paper, and I wanted to create a store that showcased handmade paper items as my "soloists" accompanied by accessories like office supplies and decorative items. 

2. Check if the name is trademarked

Once you've settled on a name you'll want to be sure that no one else owns legal rights to it. Checking the trademark database will help steer you away from any potential legal problems* that could stem from unintentional trademark infringement. If you're in the United States, you can check the US Patent and Trademark Office's online database to make sure the name you're thinking about isn't already in use. Generally you will want to make sure that the name you are searching either does not exist in their database, or is listed as "dead". You'd be surprised at some of the things that people have trademarked! 

3. Check if the name is available on major platforms

Obviously you'll check to make sure your name hasn't been taken on Etsy, but you'll also want to do a search on other major retailers, like eBay and ArtFire, and social media platforms, like Twitter and Instagram. Even if you don't plan on using any of those sites, you'll want to set up an account to reserve the handle. This serves as both a backup in case you change your mind down the road, as well as a way to ensure other people (including potential competitors) don't grab them. 

4. Make sure the URL you want is available

You'll want your domain to be simple and easy to remember—ideally the same as your Etsy store name. Most hosting companies will let you check the availability of domain names, but Bluehost is my personal favorite. I've used them for years as a web developer, and purchased my current domain through them. 

Once you've made sure your domain is available, purchase it as soon as you have the funds. You definitely don't want to find out that someone else has purchased your URL after you've done all the legwork making sure it was available! It's a common misconception that purchasing your domain is expensive—it really only costs about $5-15 per year to make sure that domain stays yours. 

* I am not a lawyer, nor am I qualified to give legal advice. I am only sharing my opinions based on my own research, which should in no way replace the advice of a lawyer. If you have any legal questions, consult a professional. 

Disclosure: I may receive compensation through affiliate links on this page. I have personally used and evaluated all services, and only give my honest opinions regardless of compensation.