1. Sounding like an existing platform
The most dangerous mistake. A name that echoes a competitor's — same root word, similar rhythm, same industry — creates instant confusion and real legal exposure. Trademark disputes don't require identical names; "confusingly similar" in the same market is enough to draw a cease-and-desist. The check: search every finalist alongside your niche keywords and run it through your country's trademark database.
2. Locking yourself into one category
"Austin Vintage Tees" is a fine name until you want to sell nationwide, or add sneakers. Overly specific names — product-specific, geography-specific — feel authentic on day one and become contradictions by year three. The check: ask whether the name still works if you double your categories and cross a border. If not, go more abstract.
3. Failing the phone test
If a customer can't spell your name after hearing it once, every podcast mention, every word-of-mouth referral, and every voice search leaks. Clever spellings (swapping letters, dropping vowels) look distinctive in a logo and fail everywhere else. The check: say it to five people, ask them to type it. Keep only the names that survive.
4. Keyword-stuffed generic names
"Best Cheap Online Marketplace Deals" is not a brand — it's a search query from 2009. Generic keyword names are forgettable, nearly impossible to trademark, and they age badly as search algorithms change. The check: if your name could describe any of fifty competitors, it describes none of them. Pick something ownable.
5. Ignoring other languages
A name that works in English can mean something unfortunate — or hilarious — in another language. Marketplaces often go cross-border faster than founders expect. The check: before finalizing, run finalists past native speakers of your target markets' languages, or at minimum check common meanings.
6. Building on a domain you can't own
Falling in love with a name before checking the domain is backwards. If the exact domain is taken, parked, or for sale at an absurd price, you don't have a name — you have a wishlist item. The check: verify domain and social-handle availability before you design the logo, not after.
7. Skipping the trademark search
The single most expensive skip. Rebranding after launch means new domain, new handles, new packaging, confused customers, and lost search equity — all because a ten-minute database search felt boring. The check: search your country's trademark office (USPTO TESS in the US) for the exact name and close variants in your industry. When in doubt, consult a trademark attorney before you invest in branding.
The short version
Generate freely, then verify ruthlessly: spellable, ownable, available as a domain, clearable as a trademark, and flexible enough to grow. The naming guide turns these checks into a step-by-step process you can run in an afternoon.