

Ask HN: Naming my startup, should it end with "app"? - bdclimber14

I'm working on a new startup/project for GAAP compliant accounting software, competing directly with QuickBooks and Peachtree and am at a creative loss for naming it. I want to come up with a name as clever as EverNote. Obviously, domain availability is key since we're bootstrapped. There are varying schools of thought when it comes to having a domain that is the exact name of the company.<p>Despite what 37signals says, I think basecamphq.com is a horrible name. I have had dozens of people to which I referred Basecamp, give up because they couldn't figure out the domain. I don't blindly trust everything 37Signals says as gospel. Notice how they never admit to any mistakes they've made? Anywanys... &#60;/rant&#62;<p>Lighthouseapp.com is another example of a postfixed name, but my market isn't tech savvy developers.<p>One name I love is RunRate. The domain isn't available. So what about RunRateapp.com?<p>Anyone have any killer ideas?
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alnewkirk
I think there are enough SaaS product around to warrant a .app domain, then
runrate.app/ would be my suggestion. (I live in the theoretical)

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hajrice
__hq, get___, ___now

All these are nice "sufix/prefix naming conventions." For my startup, I use
HQ(ChalkboardHQ.com).

Here are some possible names for you:

\- RunRateHQ.com \- GetRunrate.com(I really like the sound of this one) \-
Runratenow.com(This one sounds like decisive and makes me sorta want to hop
into it and try it)

Good luck with the naming, if you'd like, we can chat(hajrice@gmail - gtalk),
I have a lot of ideas and could maybe help you more.

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bdclimber14
I like Getrunrate. It actually has a nice ring. Hmm... My Gchat is
sean@orangeslyce.com

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stringbot
If your product is killer I don't think it matters what your domain name is.
People are going to get the word out.

Look at "blekko" for crying out loud.

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staunch
Blekko is still very far from proving that its horrible name wasn't a huge
mistake.

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bdclimber14
Well it is short, unique and _somewhat_ phonetical. I'd give it a B.

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greglindahl
We hired a naming company, and they couldn't come up with a better name --
most of their suggestions were too boring.

<http://www.skrenta.com/2008/01/about_the_name_blekko.html>

If we succeed, the name will be considered great. If we fail, people will
blame the name. Does the name really affect anything? I bet good results are
more important.

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bdclimber14
Mind if I ask how much you paid the naming company? Unless you have money to
burn, I can't imagine paying a company to name your startup.

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stringbot
My employer paid for a branding agency and wound up throwing away most of
their names and settling on a name we came up with ourselves. They did give us
one good name that I wound up using for a logging tool two years later, so it
wasn't a total waste.

I'm of the opinion that if you don't have creative enough people on your team
to come up with a good name you probably have bigger problems than the lack of
a creative name.

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staunch
App is crap. _Maybe_ it's okay if you're a mobile-only product.

Since you're going to be dealing with people's money you want something that
imparts a sense of trust/stability/credibility. You should probably spend up
to a couple grand (if you can) on a great domain.

Your name (AND DESIGN!) is a huge factor for this kind of company. Follow
Mint's example.

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bdclimber14
I agree completely. I don't think we necessarily need to spend a couple grand
on a domain to deliver on those senses, but you're dead on with design. Thank
god I'm a UI rock star. Maybe just Guitar Hero level rock star...

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config_yml
Be creative with TLDs maybe if .com and .net or your countries TLD is no
longer available (.de, co.uk etc)

I feel like I've seen .io more often recently. It fit my app perfectly, well,
because it takes stuff in and gives stuff out (I/O, will also make for a cool
logo).

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bdclimber14
I like this, but if your market (namely small businesses) is not very
technology literate, explaining the non .com name is tough.

I've had enough clients that have called me asking why the example.io.com
doesn't work. They were surprised when I explained that not all websites end
with .com. Go figure...

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abhikshah
I'm also in a similar situation. The name I'd like for my webapp is taken and
i'm considering _hq.com or_ app.com. Or would it be better to use a .net or
.biz?

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bdclimber14
That's a good question. What's better, a .net, etc. domain, or a .com with a
post-fix.

My personal opinion is to pick a more unique name. But, I'd say postfix is
better. The domain name without the domain code is more brand-able than the
full domain e.g. BaseCamphq is recognizably different, but doing basecamp.net
wouldn't be as unique.

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phlux
Always get a .com if you can.

How about ledgerleader.com - thats available.

I might be willing to sell bitsprout.com if you like it - but I may also use
it.

dollardoc.com littleledger.com mintbit.com dinerodocket.com

all available....

If you'd like some other ideas - i'd need to know more about your app.

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bdclimber14
Funny story: I posted a crowdsourced project to name this. All these ideas are
better than the dozens of entries I've received so far. I posted a comment
describing why I like EverNote as a name, and its mechanical relation to their
business. Entries started flowing in with the words "ever" and "note" in them.
Face palm.

So we're developing an online accounting system for entrepreneurs, startups
and eventually lifestyle small businesses. It will combine the beautiful
interface of Mint.com with the rich features and GAAP compliance of
QuickBooks. We'll be sporting automatic bank pulls and reconciliation. The
goal is to have an accounting application that is always updated and
reconciled, so it actually can be used as a tool to make financial decisions
with, and not used as an after though.

I like the alliteration examples here. I think mintbit is too close to Mint
and dinerodocket is too close to inDinero (both substitutes, but not direct
competitors). I'd LOVE more ideas :) One I'm leaning towards is ledgered.com.
My partner didn't like it, but I just want to make sure I'm not crazy.

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phlux
since its an auto reconciling app - how about ledgerbot.com -- it is available
and seems to carry many of the aspects of what you are looking for.

Can make a cute logo from that idea etc...

Yeah, I like alliteration as well - you have to have a name that captures your
product, is a .com, is easy to spell and rolls off the tongue. Then, it will
never be forgotten.

One of my first thoughts was "account.ly" would work - its registered to a guy
in carlsbad... but looks like he is trying to build something.

