When to Change a Name — and When Not to
In some ways, naming a startup is easy: you have a blank slate and nothing but potential. Renaming an established company or product can be a trickier proposition. Your customers and employees know you by the original name, and selling them on a new name can be costly, arduous, and even alienating if it isn’t done right. Remember: We all hate new names (until we don’t).
That’s why it’s important to know when to undertake a renaming project and when you’re better off focusing on other business matters. Here are some guidelines and caveats.
Do consider a name change when the name is no longer telling the right story. You may have gotten too big for a startup-style name, or you may have made a major change in the nature of your business. The name may be confusing, as in this New York Times story about a personal-care company that was originally called Ms. & Mrs. (Customers misread the name as “Mr. & Mrs.” The company rebranded as Pinch Provisions.) The name may be tied to a time, a place, or a specialization that is no longer relevant. Or it may have historical baggage that’s weighing the brand down, as in the case of Aunt Jemima, a name associated with slavery and Jim Crow. That company rebranded in early 2021 as Pearl Milling Company, a name that taps into a more positive aspect of the brand’s history.
