Job Discussion Forums

[mejms]

Who has some real gems for a strong business name in this field (school, translating company, anything that falls into the foreign education field)?

I ask because I was talking the other day to someone about the names of schools and language companies in the area and how obsolete or weak they are. I found the names either to be generic, bizarre, or random. But when I was asked, well what would you do, I came up short. I hadn't given it enough thought. Wondering if anyone around here has.

Come on, impress me.

[the peanut gallery]

Virgin English

Slogan: Nuestros maestros no son novatos!

[TeresaLopez]

Yeah, there are a lot of wierd names out there. Not just in Mexico, but everywhere, I just saw a school called JacksonFive English School. My husband has a business that just tells what it is and his last name, I am sure there are probably more of the same all over Mexico, since he has a common last name. Less common than Lopez, but still. I think the best name would be something that gives a positive impression of the business yet is unique in some way. But, if the name is in English and the person doesn�t know English yet the slick name would be lost on them, and if the name is in Spanish they might assume the teachers are not native English speakers. Though in an informal survey I have found that the idea of non-native teachers bothers students far less than most schools would have you think.

[Enchilada Potosina]

Just call it Cambridge English to have them lining up at the door.

I was going to use Top Gear English but it probably wouldn't cut it now...

[Guy Courchesne]

Anyone remember the Laughing Coyote school of English? They've since shut down.

China seems to take the cake on strange names, though I don't have any I remember right at this moment.

In Mexico it seems a lot of language schools (and prvate primary and secondary schools) take famous places as names, or famous colleges and universities.

Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, etc. The American School, the British School, the Canadian school, etc.

Can't think of any good ones at the moment...look at the ones that have stuck around a long time though. The Anglo, the AngloAmericano...

[Phil_K]

[mejms]

Hindsight is 20-20, so to quote names of successful businesses as successful names can be convoluted. Look at the global giants- Google, Apple, Microsoft, Coca-Cola. Did their names add in their success or do we just so readily identify the name because they've been so successful?

Forget about the small, local English school potatoes. Berlitz just took its name from its founder. I think first and foremost a name has to be short, catchy and therefore memorable. I think that in this field a name that resonates in both English and Spanish would be the way to go. I don't think there's been any out there that have wowed me. Maybe Playa could explain where the name Harmon Hall comes from if he's around. I have no idea where that comes from. It doesn't exactly resonate in Spanish, but it sticks and you can remember it.

[Phil_K]

I had this task to do recently, having set up a new organization and looking for a new name. I don't want to advertise here, but I will pass on a bit of advice for anyone doing the same.

Every business MUST have a website. Therefore, before deciding on a name follow these steps:

1. Think of a name you'd like to use.

2. Google it to make sure no one else is using it

3. Check a domain register such as allwhois.com to make sure you can get a .com which is ONLY the name.

What I mean by that is that if the name is "Fishface School of English" (!), make sure you can get fishface.com, it's what people look for and is more professional. FishfaceEngMex.com doesn't cut it!

If steps 2 & 3 don't work, go back to step 1.

Check out the major schools and you will see that they all have first level domain (albeit possibly with .com.mx)

The name I came up with is only used by a school in the Phillipines, and with a slightly different spelling.

[Phil_K]

[mejms]

[Guy Courchesne]

[Phil_K]

[Samantha]

Justin Bieber 'Bebe Bebe' English.

[mejms]

Well, people, I appreciate your ideas and attempts at jokes.


Phil, your name works: concise, coherent, and recognizable. One thing is that language schools so often sound alike to me and I generally have a poor impression of language schools. It's hard to escape the need to say school or institute in the name. You risk confusing people. But I guess I'd like to see something authentic and unique in this market be reflected in its name.

[Samantha]

Sorry about that. Your first post sounded like a hypothetical question.