Help me think of a name for my handmade jewelry line?
May 27, 2015 6:56 PM Subscribe
A while back I took up metalsmithing as a hobby. I mostly work with copper, silver, and brass, and create necklaces, earrings, bracelets, rings, etc. I think I've reached the point where my stuff is good enough to sell (and people keep telling me I should)! Yay! But...what do I call it?
Apparently my creativity is limited to manipulating metal and not words, cause I've been blanking on this.
I've been kicking around ideas for weeks and so far I've only managed to figure out what I DON'T want: things like "Blingalicious" "Jewelry by Syllables", or anything too excessively twee. The perfect name would be memorable, unique, and hopefully convey what I'm hoping to sell.
I was thinking of opening an etsy shop and selling at some of the local art shows. It'd be amazing to break even for the cost of materials for this hobby! But before I take the first steps, I need a name.
I use quality materials, and while my jewelry is handmade, it doesn't look 'homemade'. I've never attempted to sell anything before, so if you have any advice on that front as well, I'd be all ears!
Apparently my creativity is limited to manipulating metal and not words, cause I've been blanking on this.
I've been kicking around ideas for weeks and so far I've only managed to figure out what I DON'T want: things like "Blingalicious" "Jewelry by Syllables", or anything too excessively twee. The perfect name would be memorable, unique, and hopefully convey what I'm hoping to sell.
I was thinking of opening an etsy shop and selling at some of the local art shows. It'd be amazing to break even for the cost of materials for this hobby! But before I take the first steps, I need a name.
I use quality materials, and while my jewelry is handmade, it doesn't look 'homemade'. I've never attempted to sell anything before, so if you have any advice on that front as well, I'd be all ears!
For something like this, you really can just use any word or phrase on earth and slap a "jewelry" on the end of it. Trying to come up with something "jewelry related" will most likely end in failure, because either someone else will have already used it, or it will be terrible.
I named my art blog after a Chinese proverb I learned in college and liked, I named my homemade honey after something interesting I saw a bee do one day, and I will probably one day name something after the name that I and my fellow 'bad kids' were labeled with in 1st grade. People name stuff after their deceased pets all the time, or after some project they did in high school that they liked, or something they read one time... point is, just sit down and brainstorm stuff that has meaning for you. Otherwise you WILL end up with "Blingalicious" or something.
posted by showbiz_liz at 7:06 PM on May 27, 2015 [1 favorite]
I named my art blog after a Chinese proverb I learned in college and liked, I named my homemade honey after something interesting I saw a bee do one day, and I will probably one day name something after the name that I and my fellow 'bad kids' were labeled with in 1st grade. People name stuff after their deceased pets all the time, or after some project they did in high school that they liked, or something they read one time... point is, just sit down and brainstorm stuff that has meaning for you. Otherwise you WILL end up with "Blingalicious" or something.
posted by showbiz_liz at 7:06 PM on May 27, 2015 [1 favorite]
I was looking at the name Malory It made me think Malleable, etc. But I think it's too awkward a word to get anything out of. MalleableDesigns
The oldest jewelry company in the work is 400 years old. It's called Mellerio dits Meller. You could make yours Malorio Metalsmiths-fine jewelry.
Hammer and Tong handcrafted jewelry
Precious Metals
posted by ReluctantViking at 7:32 PM on May 27, 2015
The oldest jewelry company in the work is 400 years old. It's called Mellerio dits Meller. You could make yours Malorio Metalsmiths-fine jewelry.
Hammer and Tong handcrafted jewelry
Precious Metals
posted by ReluctantViking at 7:32 PM on May 27, 2015
Best answer: Please, just straight and to the point. Kelly Syllables, jewellery. K. Syllables, Metalsmith. Clean, unpretentious, not difficult to recommend to a friend.
Simple "K.S. Jewellery"-type names are "memorable, unique, and [will] hopefully convey what [you're] hoping to sell."
I used to design and make and sell jewellery. I now sell (other things) on Etsy. I have never benefitted from or bought from a "fun" name.
A logo is a lot more useful. I like simple and classic here too -- the market runneth over with cruddy Pinteresty design and birds on it.
And it sounds like your stuff is much nicer than the run-of-the-mill I-bought-Chinese-bits-and-bobs-and-a-glue-gun craft junk. You want to draw attention to that, which a pretty name will not do.
In re. the people who keep telling you to sell it: ask them if they want to buy it. And try local shops that look like they might have the same customer base your jewellery has -- if your stuff fits their "style," even if they don't already seem to be selling jewellery -- ask if they will. Have professionally presented samples. Be happy to accept consignment deals.
posted by kmennie at 8:27 PM on May 27, 2015 [1 favorite]
Simple "K.S. Jewellery"-type names are "memorable, unique, and [will] hopefully convey what [you're] hoping to sell."
I used to design and make and sell jewellery. I now sell (other things) on Etsy. I have never benefitted from or bought from a "fun" name.
A logo is a lot more useful. I like simple and classic here too -- the market runneth over with cruddy Pinteresty design and birds on it.
And it sounds like your stuff is much nicer than the run-of-the-mill I-bought-Chinese-bits-and-bobs-and-a-glue-gun craft junk. You want to draw attention to that, which a pretty name will not do.
In re. the people who keep telling you to sell it: ask them if they want to buy it. And try local shops that look like they might have the same customer base your jewellery has -- if your stuff fits their "style," even if they don't already seem to be selling jewellery -- ask if they will. Have professionally presented samples. Be happy to accept consignment deals.
posted by kmennie at 8:27 PM on May 27, 2015 [1 favorite]
Best answer: My son started a company to sell women's straw handbags. They wholesaled to the trade. I asked him where he chose the name. "Trevi"? he said. "That's the fountain that was my favorite spot when you sent me to Europe after graduation." If you pick a name other than your own make sure it is that strong, simple and emotional. His logo I think was an Ionic column. Say you went to someplace like Zion and were inspired by climbing to Angels Landing you'd have a story for your cool name.
posted by Jim_Jam at 9:00 PM on May 27, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Jim_Jam at 9:00 PM on May 27, 2015 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Do not get too cute with names. I don't know about jewellery making, but a rule of thumb in my craft-of-preference world is that the cuter and more elaborate the name is, the more low-rent the work will be. Stick to straightforward and classy names.
This Hipster Company name generator is meant as a joke, but it's actually pretty useful too.
Naminium is even better. I typed in "metal" and got some awesome suggestions. Metalab (geddit?). Metal Lava. The Metal Bee.
You get the drift.
posted by kariebookish at 4:23 AM on May 28, 2015 [2 favorites]
This Hipster Company name generator is meant as a joke, but it's actually pretty useful too.
Naminium is even better. I typed in "metal" and got some awesome suggestions. Metalab (geddit?). Metal Lava. The Metal Bee.
You get the drift.
posted by kariebookish at 4:23 AM on May 28, 2015 [2 favorites]
Okay, I must admit I'm quite taken with the above mentioned Hipster Company name generator.
Here are a few random suggestions from it:
Cold & Hammer
Quince & Spindle
Wire & Opal
Copper & Crane
posted by lock sock and barrel at 10:56 AM on May 28, 2015
Here are a few random suggestions from it:
Cold & Hammer
Quince & Spindle
Wire & Opal
Copper & Crane
posted by lock sock and barrel at 10:56 AM on May 28, 2015
[name or initials] Metal Manipulation
posted by WeekendJen at 1:00 PM on May 28, 2015
posted by WeekendJen at 1:00 PM on May 28, 2015
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by boo_radley at 7:04 PM on May 27, 2015 [1 favorite]