When starting a new nonprofit (or any organization, for that matter), one of the first thing people must do is select a name.
This is both straight-forward (especially when compared to things like filing articles of incorporations, creating bylaws, and applying for tax-exempt status) and difficult (the name is something that the nonprofit will theoretically have for life, will be how people identify it, and will help determine how people relate to it.)
The name should be exclusive
You may have noticed there are no baby-business name books out there. This is actually a good thing. First, the organization must not have the name as any other organization incorporated in that state. Also, it is a good idea to avoid a name of an existing organization outside of the state, in order to:
- avoid confusion
- avoid potential legal complications from trademark infringement
- make domain registration easier when you get a website for your nonprofit
The name should be clear
Ideally, people should get a sense of what the non-profit is all about just by looking at the name. For instance, while The Helping Place might capture a virtue important to the nonprofit, it does not tell the public who or what the organization helps. Don’t be vague.
One thing nonprofit founders sometimes do is name the organization after someone. This can be appropriate for private foundations, but for regular non-profits, it is often just confusing. For instance, what is Annie’s Home? If honoring Annie is truly important, something like Annie’s Dog Haven or Annie’s Women’s Shelter or Annie’s Senior Living Home would be more appropriate.
The naming process
- Make a list of potential names.
- Determine whether any business in your state has that name.
- Check to see if the names are available on the web.
- Show the board of directors (or any advisors, if the board is not yet in place) the vetted options.
- Pick a name and use it in filing all official paperwork.
