Please help me name my web dev business and website! I'm hopeless here
December 16, 2014 6:15 AM Subscribe
This is not my strong suit and I want to avoid being misleading. I have narrowed down to two formats, and I need help picking one. I have over-analyzed this to the point that I can't even figure out what I prefer.
In the semi-near future, I will be doing freelance web development. I have a programming and web background, but I took an extended break as an artist, so I'm currently re-tooling and dealing with some life events. I want to set up a blog to document my "getting up to speed" learning, and I want to use a name that will be relevant to my future work.
My main market will be designers who need web development and Wordpress expertise as well as others in the creative community who design what they want but need help developing.
Name option 1: Something like "banjonaut codes". It's simple, clear, and straightforward, plus mimics other websites I currently own. (example only, not real: banjonautwrites.com) Trouble? I bristle at the idea of passing myself off as a coder if only a small part of what I do will be coding. Most of what I will be doing will be html and css work. But, I don't have another verb... Is this dishonest or close enough? Would clients care or know the difference?
Name option 2: Fun nonsense name that allows for a fun logo and branding. (boring but illustrative examples: happy robot, purple bungalow) I love this format idea, but don't have a name in mind. Would this work better in an environment of creatives? Everything that I come up with though, ends up suggestive or odd connotations... not appropriate - I'm going for quirky, not kinky. Plus, it's not immediately obvious what I do.
Can you help me figure out which format would be better?
In the semi-near future, I will be doing freelance web development. I have a programming and web background, but I took an extended break as an artist, so I'm currently re-tooling and dealing with some life events. I want to set up a blog to document my "getting up to speed" learning, and I want to use a name that will be relevant to my future work.
My main market will be designers who need web development and Wordpress expertise as well as others in the creative community who design what they want but need help developing.
Name option 1: Something like "banjonaut codes". It's simple, clear, and straightforward, plus mimics other websites I currently own. (example only, not real: banjonautwrites.com) Trouble? I bristle at the idea of passing myself off as a coder if only a small part of what I do will be coding. Most of what I will be doing will be html and css work. But, I don't have another verb... Is this dishonest or close enough? Would clients care or know the difference?
Name option 2: Fun nonsense name that allows for a fun logo and branding. (boring but illustrative examples: happy robot, purple bungalow) I love this format idea, but don't have a name in mind. Would this work better in an environment of creatives? Everything that I come up with though, ends up suggestive or odd connotations... not appropriate - I'm going for quirky, not kinky. Plus, it's not immediately obvious what I do.
Can you help me figure out which format would be better?
For name option 1: If you're focusing on the web, using "banjonaut weaves" makes most sense to me and helpfully differentiates you from a coder. If you want to focus on the Wordpresses aspect, go with something like "wordpressing with banjonaut" or "banjonaut presses words".
For name option 2: Random word generators are pretty helpful for this. Not necessarily to give you the name itself, but to get the brain going and help you come up with something that you like. This random word generator has settings for how many words you want it to give you at a time. Using the two words function I came up with three options that I kinda like ("bee stamina", "second decoy" and "ambigious minute") so it may work for you too. You can also double click on one of the words to refresh only that one word.
posted by Kattullus at 6:28 AM on December 16, 2014 [1 favorite]
For name option 2: Random word generators are pretty helpful for this. Not necessarily to give you the name itself, but to get the brain going and help you come up with something that you like. This random word generator has settings for how many words you want it to give you at a time. Using the two words function I came up with three options that I kinda like ("bee stamina", "second decoy" and "ambigious minute") so it may work for you too. You can also double click on one of the words to refresh only that one word.
posted by Kattullus at 6:28 AM on December 16, 2014 [1 favorite]
Banjonaut Web Solutions
However, I think using "codes" is fine. You'll be specifying exactly what you do on your site, so no one is going to expect you to re-factor some fifteen year old website written in ColdFusion.
posted by mikepop at 6:38 AM on December 16, 2014
However, I think using "codes" is fine. You'll be specifying exactly what you do on your site, so no one is going to expect you to re-factor some fifteen year old website written in ColdFusion.
posted by mikepop at 6:38 AM on December 16, 2014
Best answer: So I'm a front-end designer-developer. And I'm kind of confused about what you're offering.
Then again, if I were a non-coding designer, I wouldn't have much of a clue what WP was, and hey isn't coding the thing with the typing on the black screen and something something internet something... website is made! I need website made!
Then again, again, "Banjonaut makes websites" is kinda cute. Could appeal to both groups.
posted by fontophilic at 8:10 AM on December 16, 2014
- domain/DNS/hosting config
- WP install/setup
- WP expertise (develop modules? Custom coding? Or no?)
- PSD to HTML/CSS services for non-coding designers
- WP Theme rolling for coding designers
Then again, if I were a non-coding designer, I wouldn't have much of a clue what WP was, and hey isn't coding the thing with the typing on the black screen and something something internet something... website is made! I need website made!
Then again, again, "Banjonaut makes websites" is kinda cute. Could appeal to both groups.
posted by fontophilic at 8:10 AM on December 16, 2014
Best answer: I want to question the premise that the blog where you document getting up to speed again should segue into the vehicle for marketing your work. But having them related is fine and honest. So how 'bout Banjonaut Web Tools for the marketing site (which preserves flexibility across new and future platforms) and Banjonaut ReTools for the adaptation site? You can keep the latter going as you add new expertise to the former.
posted by carmicha at 8:11 AM on December 16, 2014
posted by carmicha at 8:11 AM on December 16, 2014
Response by poster: Thank you. Each of these brings up great points that will help me. Fontophilic hit on the heart of the problem. I don't yet know what I'll focus on. Right now, I'm installing and setting up WP, customizing themes, a lot of one off projects for friends. My thinking is that the retooling and casual projects next year will help me decide what I want to focus on when I go full time. That's probably why I'm having trouble. Thanks to carmicha I'm now thinking of separating the blog from a marketing site too.
posted by banjonaut at 1:10 PM on December 16, 2014
posted by banjonaut at 1:10 PM on December 16, 2014
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Ideas:
BanjonauntScript
BanjonauntSyntax
BanjonauntPress
posted by royalsong at 6:25 AM on December 16, 2014