How to Choose a Name for Your Bakery
Planning a bakery launch can be really excited. But there is a lot of work to do, and some of it can seem a little boring. Picking a name is not. This is one of the most fun tasks of starting a bakery, so while you do need to do a little bit of due diligence work, the primary job is to have fun.
There are legal issues around choosing a name for your bakery. You can do the work yourself either online or at a library, but if you want to hire a lawyer, you certainly can. The best route, if you are going to talk to a lawyer, is to make the best use of their time.
So if you already have 2-3 great names that you're interested in, you may be able to walk out of the appointment with your lawyer having confirmed one of the names. And, while you are at your lawyer's office, you'll have a great opportunity to talk about business structures, (LLC, inc, etc)m to learn about licenses for your county, and to know what to look for in a lease and possibly, even from the food inspection. So while talking to a lawyer for even a few hours may cost you $500 or more, if you are prepared, you can get a lot of very worthwhile information.
All that said, here's how to either pick a name on your own, or to be super-prepared for your appointment with the lawyer.
The rules for picking a name are pretty easy: you can have any name you want, just so 1) no one in your state is already running a business under that name and 2) so long as no one in the country is running a business that has been trademarked under that name.
You can check to see if anyone is using your name in your state either by Google your proposed business name and your state, or by going to one of the state run websites specifically built to help new owners check name status. To find one of these sites, Google "name availability" and your state name. Usually it will pop right up, and you can enter your prospective name and know almost immediately. Be sure to print out your name check results so you can prove later that you at least tried to confirm the name was available.
The next thing to talk about is picking the name in the first place. Your bakery's name should fit with the essential rules of a good name: be easy to remember, easy to understand, and easy to spell. You want people to instantly understand what you do.
Good names can be very simple. If it is available, consider just "Your Town Bakery" and insert wherever you live. Adding your personal name to your business name can also work, like "Celia's Bakery". And if you specialize in a certain kind of baking, like organic or gluten-free, then you definitely want to include that in your name. So "Celia's Gluten-Free Bakery" would be a good choice.
Some entrepreneur's wonder about getting their name trademarked. If you have dreams of creating a franchise, or starting a chain of bakeries, then this might be worthwhile. You will probably want a lawyer's advice, and you will need to have a logo designed, wait six months for the trademark to process, and pay the $300 or so application fees.
Many people are also concerned about registering their business name. If you are filing as an LLC, a limited partnership or a corporation, don't worry about it. Your business name will be registered when you submit your paperwork for those desginations.
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Start a Home Bakery
Buying a Bakery
How to Open a Bakery
How to Start a Cupcake Business
Start a Dog Bakery
Cottage Food Laws and Home Bakeries
Write a Bakery Business Plan
Choose a Name for Your Bakery
Bakery Equipment - What You Need to Start Your Bakery
Bakery Management Software: Spend a Little or a Lot
Starting a Catering Business
Startup Costs for a Home Bakery
Startup Costs for a Retail Bakery
Licenses and Permits Required to Start a Bakery
Create a Great Bakery Storefront
Developing a Bakery Brand Identity
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