Intro
Choosing a name for a business is one of the most important decisions an entrepreneur can make.
For me, this process ultimately took several months to complete. Partly, I don’t have a ton of experience starting businesses. Partly, I wanted to make sure I got it right (there’s that perfectionism creeping in). And partly, for several months in the middle, I shifted focus to a new teaching gig.
I decided to write this article to share my experiences–not as an expert in business naming, but as someone relatively new to the scene–in the hopes that it will benefit others. I hope that it provides some ideas, insights, and inspiration for others just starting out.
And of course, this article also serves to introduce and promote my newly launched company. A little bit of self-promotion never hurt anyone!
Brainstorming and Choosing a Name
In an earlier article, I talked about a six-step process that I was using for choosing a brand name. After spending a significant amount of time brainstorming relevant keywords, combining the words into potential business names, sifting through these names, and searching for available domain names, I had a few candidates.
To be honest, I wasn’t totally sold on any of these candidate names. None of them were the “perfect” business name. But I pressed on.
Luckily, my best friend is in the corporate world and has more experience with these sorts of things than I do. So I decided to talk through some of the names with him over the phone.
The first name I presented to him actually wasn’t even one of my top choices. I had come up with it as sort of a joke. But it still had elements that I wanted in my company name. I was feeling a little self-conscious, and I didn’t want to lead with my top choice for fear that it would get shot down. So I started with this amusing name to get warmed up.
He immediately loved it. And then I started to get excited about it too.
After that phone call, I was still a little skeptical about this name. But over time, it grew on me.
The Meaning Behind “Science Ex Machina”
After thinking about it for a while and sharing it with a few other people, I ultimately chose the name “Science Ex Machina LLC” for my company.
This name is an allusion to deus ex machina, a Latin term that literally means “god from the machine.” Deus ex machina is an ancient theatrical device in which a seemingly unsolvable problem is suddenly resolved by a god or divine being (deus) being lowered down to the stage by a crane or machine (ex machina). This literary device was commonly used in ancient Greek and Roman plays and is still occasionally used in modern storytelling.
But I use science–rather than divine intervention–to solve problems. I wanted a name that conveyed the idea of using science and technology to solve complex problems, and Science Ex Machina fit the bill.
I also like how the name sounds. Many of the names I was brainstorming early on–including “Science Ex Machina” but also “CedraSci” and “Lux Plexus”1SIDE NOTE: I decided against Lux Plexus and CedraSci as company names, because they weren’t well-differentiated in my opinion. More on that topic in a bit.–had Latin elements to them, which evoke a sense of intelligence and authority. The name also has a futuristic ring to it, suggesting that my business is on the cutting edge of innovation: I am incorporating AI into my workflows more and more these days, and I like the allusion to the movie Ex Machina.
The Importance of a General and Non-Specific Name
One of the reasons I chose a name that is somewhat general and non-specific is because I want my business to be flexible and adaptable as I continue to learn and grow. While my current focus is on providing customized data- and science-driven solutions in the food, beverage, nutritional, botanical, and herbal industries, I want to leave room for evolution.
By choosing a company name that is not tied to a specific industry or niche, I am leaving room for my business to evolve and expand in new directions. Think of Amazon. They started out selling books, and now they sell a whole range of products and services. A name like “Bezos’ Big Bin of Books” just wouldn’t have worked for the kind of business they are now.
With continual advances in technology–such as AI–I believe there is great potential for my business to branch out into new niches beyond my current focus. By staying ahead of the curve and continually exploring new possibilities, I am confident that I can help my clients stay competitive and achieve their goals.
The Importance of Standing Out
One of the challenges I faced during the naming process was finding a name that was unique and well-differentiated. I wanted a name that would stand out from the crowd.
Searching the internet for “Science Ex Machina” turned up very few results, and certainly none that could be confused for my company, should a potential client search this name.2SIDE NOTE: Searching DuckDuckGo today (March 29, 2023) for Science Ex Machina–without quotes, which is probably how most people would search it–the first three results are related to the movie Ex Machina and the fourth results are for my LinkedIn Profile; I made it on the first page of results! Alternatively, searching “Science Ex Machina” (with quotes), I’m the first result! Sadly, doing the same searches on Google, I’m nowhere near the first page of results. As I continue to grow my business and build a website for it, I expect that to change.
And to top it all off, the domain names ScienceExMachina.com and ScienceXMachina.com (a potential misspelling because of the double “eE” in the name) were both available. Even though in July 2022 (the time when I initially checked domain name availability), I had not yet decided to name my company Science Ex Machina, I was excited enough that I didn’t want to miss the opportunity. So I bought both domains right then.
The name Science Ex Machina only became official in March 2023, yet I’m very glad that I had already purchased the domain names several months before then. It was a small price to pay (< $20 for both domains) to secure the best .COM domain for my business.
Conclusion
In conclusion, choosing the right name for a company is a vital component of building a successful brand. It requires careful consideration and a creative approach that reflects the company’s values, mission, and industry. And this naming process may take time. In my case, it took several months, much of that time on the back burner while I was focused on other things.
The name Science Ex Machina embodies my approach of using science to solve problems. This name also conveys a sense of innovation and of incorporating AI into my workflow. With my creative, science-based approach and my thirst for keeping up with the latest developments in technology, I am confident that I can help my clients thrive in the ever-changing business landscape, whether it’s in the food, beverage, nutritional, botanical, or herbal industries, or beyond.
Note: I wrote this article with some help from ChatGPT 🙂