So you’re ready to start a new electrical business and you need a good name.
Well, before you choose, there are a couple of criteria you need to consider first.
These are the following:
And
Let's start with the first point.
When deciding what electrical business name to go for, you need to consider what type of business you want to start.
If your goal is to create a small local business then the name you choose will likely be different than if you want to create a business that can scale.
This is because the name you choose conveys a significant degree of information about the nature of that business.
Where a playful name suggests a more laidback friendly company a formal name indicates professionalism.
This distinction is most clear when you compare sole traders to limited electrical companies.
Many sole traders choose to use their personal name or surname in the name of their company. So Frank Rite might call his business Frank Electrical or Rite’s Electric.
These types of names tie the business closely to the owner. They present the business as a local-friendly option and customers who call them up will expect to be answered by the owner.
This can be beneficial for building trust and establishing the business in the local community.
Where this is less good is if the business wants to grow or if it receives any bad press, as this will be closely associated with the owner. And in the same way, if something were to happen to the owner, this would also affect the business.
By using your own name you tie yourself very closely to that business.
If you are ambitious and want to grow the company, you may have some issues, particularly if you want to take a step back or even sell.
As Frank’s Electrical, customers will expect to deal with Frank but as that company grows, this won't always be possible.
By choosing a name that is not tied to your identity, you protect yourself and your business from these issues.
The second major consideration when deciding on a business name is whether or not that name has an available domain for “.com” or “.co.uk”.
In 2024, having a website for your electrical business (or any business) is essential. Websites help to create credibility and allow you to reach new customers.
If you’re not convinced that you need a site then we’ve written an article breaking down why having a website is so important. Go check it out.
If the name you want to choose has already been taken or the domain is not within your price range then you should choose something different.
You also need to think about how searchable your company name is.
What do we mean by that?
Well, whenever a person looks for anything online, they will use certain words or keywords, to find what they are looking for.
So if you wanted to buy a bicycle to commute to work you might search “best commuter bikes”.
A company selling bikes would then want their site to appear when those words are searched and a great way to increase the chances of that happening is to include those words in their site name.
The same applies to electricians.
If you’re an electrician operating in Cheltenham with a speciality in emergency electrical work, then using the name “Emergency Electrics Cheltenham” might be a good option as it increases the chances of you appearing for that search term.
This approach to naming can make a big difference in winning new leads and increasing your reach.
In many ways, this method is comparable to how 50 years ago businesses used to put the letter “A” at the front of their name so they’d appear first in the phone book. By optimising your business name for web search you can significantly increase your chances of being discovered online.
The only caveat to this approach is to consider your long-term objectives and how you want to expand.
If your business name is regionally specific and you want to expand out of your region or set up a franchise, then using a specific region in your name might not be the best approach.
It’s also best practice to try and keep your URL as short as possible. A long name and therefore a long URL is harder to remember and more difficult to search for.
A good electric company name should provide a clear indication of the industry the company is in. It should also include at least one of the following:
This means the business's name should clearly be identifiable as an electrical company. The name should also either specify where it’s located or indicate what type of electrical services it provides.
As an example, a good name for an electrical company would be “Emergency Electricians Bristol”.
This name lets a potential customer know that this company specialises in emergency work, it lets them know they provide electrical services and it tells the customer that the company operates in the Bristol area.
This name also contains keywords that have a high searchability, increasing online visibility.
Here are some more examples of good electrical names with available domains you can use for a number of major cities in the UK:
Despite everything we’ve said above, sometimes a funny electrical company name can be effective.
By using something amusing, your name is much more likely to stick in your customer's mind. If you use a funny name alongside some canny marketing you can use it to build a distinctive and desirable brand.
While this approach is probably less straightforward than simply using an SEO-optimised name it can help you to stand out in a crowded market. We talk about this concept and looking for your point of difference in our article on starting an electrical business.
Here are some witty electrical names you can use with an available web domain.
At the end of the day, whatever name you go for is not going to make or break your business. So while it is something you should think about, you shouldn’t spend hours deciding.
Pretty much any company name can work if you approach it in the right way and follow it up with the right marketing.
The key to success is not in a single name but in how you build your brand. Use your business name to create a distinctive brand and embrace that brand across all aspects of your business.
If you’re smart with your marketing and stay consistent in the manner you present yourself, then you give your electrical business the best chance of success.