What you bake
Macarons Business Name: 5 Checks Before You Print
A name you can say, spell, and clear before you spend money on labels or signs.
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What to remember
- Say the name to a friend and ask her to spell it back.
- Type it into a phone with one thumb before you print a label.
- Search your state business name list and the USPTO trademark search.
- Test the name on a small label and a paper sign before you pay for either.
You are not naming a bakery for a city you may leave. You are naming the thing a customer will type into a phone after she tastes a macaron at a market. A good macarons business name does that job and still fits on a small label.
What should a macarons business name do first?
A customer meets your name on a phone before she meets your macarons. She may see a photo, a label, or a text from a friend. The name has to survive a small screen and a quick read.
Start with three names you can say without explaining them. Say each one to a friend and ask her to type it into her phone. If she asks how to spell it, the name is already costing you a sale.
Which five checks save you money before you print?
Run these checks in order. Each one is cheaper than the one after it. A name that fails at check two never reaches a printer.
Say it out loud
Say the name to three people and ask them to spell it back.
Spell it on a phone
Type it into a phone with one thumb. If you have to correct it, cut it.
Search your state list
Look for the exact name and close spellings on your state business name list.
Search the USPTO
Check the USPTO trademark search for the same name and close spellings.
Print it small
Put the name on a small label and a sign mockup. If it turns to mush, shorten it.
The order matters. A name that is easy to say but already taken is not a name you can use. A name that is clear but impossible to spell will cost you every time a customer texts an order.
How do you test the name on a phone and a label?
Type the name into a phone with one thumb. Look at it at the size of a text message. If the letters run together, cut a word.
Then put it on a small label and a sign mockup. A name that looks fine on a laptop can turn to mush on a box. The label is the test that matters because it is what the customer keeps.
The same checks apply to a name for baked goods if you sell more than macarons. A name that works on a cookie box and a macaron box gives you room to grow.
Search your state business name list and the USPTO trademark search before you pay for packaging. Save the results with the date. A name that is clear in one state may still be used by a trademark.
What mistakes cost you money after you pick a name?
The first mistake is printing before you check. Labels, boxes, and signs are sunk costs. A name change after 500 labels is a bill you did not need.
The second mistake is a name you have to spell on every order. Every extra letter is a chance for a wrong text or a missed call.
The third mistake is a name that is too narrow. If you add cookies or cakes, a name with only macarons can box you in. A broader name gives you room.
How does the name fit into your price and your shop?
The name does not set the price, but it sets what the customer expects. A name that sounds like a cheap treat and a price that says luxury will fight each other.
Use the name on the box, the label, and the order form. Then check the price with the how much to charge for macarons guide. A name that is easy to say is easier to recommend, and a recommendation is cheaper than an ad.
For example, you price a box at a number you can defend. Your ingredient cost comes from your receipts. Your labor is your hourly rate times the hours for that box. Your overhead includes the flat $20 a month for Brevl, which is $1 per box if you sell 20 boxes that month. Brevl takes 0% of your sales, so the fee is the only Brevl cost in the margin. Price minus ingredients minus labor minus $1 is your margin. If that number is too thin, the name is not the problem. The price is.
What should you do after the name clears?
Save a screenshot of your state search and the USPTO search. Write down the date. If someone else uses the name later, you have a record of when you checked.
Put the name on a small label and a paper sign. Live with it for a week. If you still like it, order the real packaging.
Then set up your shop. Brevl gives you a shop with your own web address, your photos, and your colors. You can take card payments through your own Stripe or Square account, plus Venmo, Cash App, Zelle, and cash. The home baking business website guide covers the first sale.
If you want a second opinion, the good name for a home baking business guide has five checks before you pay. A name is not a logo. It is the word a customer says when she recommends you.
Common questions
Can I use my own name for a macarons business?
Yes, if the name is not already taken in your state or by a trademark. Your own name can feel personal, but it can be hard to spell on a phone and hard to change later. Check it the same way you check any other name before you print.
Should the name include the word macaron?
A name with macaron in it tells a new customer what you sell in one word. It also makes the name longer on a label. If you plan to sell cookies or cakes next year, choose a name that can hold them. If not, keep macaron.
Do I need an LLC before I pick a name?
Not to test a name. An LLC is a legal structure, and the rules differ by state. You can check name availability first, then talk to a lawyer or your state office about forming a business. Do not pay for signs before the name clears.
How do I know if a name is already used?
Search your state business name list, the USPTO trademark search, and a plain search engine. Look for the same spelling and close spellings. A name that is clear in one state may still be used by a trademark. Keep a record of what you find.
Sources
General information, not legal or tax advice.