Kids aged 10 to 13 choose a business name by starting with their customer and their promise, brainstorming ten names, then checking the best three. A good name is easy to say and spell, hints at what the business does, and isn't already used by someone else. Using the child's own name is often the simplest choice.
Below is a free name-checker card your child can fill in, plus a six-step activity that takes about half an hour.
It's Saturday afternoon and your 11-year-old is potting succulent cuttings on the back step. He has twelve tiny pots lined up and a plan to sell them to the neighbours. "I'm calling it Mega Ultra Plant Empire," he announces.
Part of you loves the confidence. Part of you wonders whether the lady next door would have any idea what Mega Ultra Plant Empire sells, or be able to spell it.
"Who would want this, and why?"
The answer to that question is where a good name comes from. This guide shows you how to help your child find one that customers remember, without taking the choice away from them.
A good business name for a child's business is clear before it is clever: easy to say, easy to spell, and a hint at what the customer gets. It should also suit the customer and not belong to anyone else.
Australia's business.gov.au puts customers first in its naming advice, noting that a unique, memorable name is easier for people to remember, recommend and find online (business.gov.au). The same checks work for a $10 project on the back step.
| Check | Question to ask | Mega Ultra Plant Empire | Sam's Small Succulents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Say it | Can someone repeat it after hearing it once? | Yes, but it's long | Yes |
| Spell it | Can someone write it down correctly? | Mostly | Yes |
| Clear | Does it hint at what you sell? | Plants, but not which kind | Yes: small succulents |
| Customer fit | Would your customer like it? | Fun for kids, less so for neighbours | Friendly and local |
| Not taken | Is anyone nearby already using it? | Check | Check |
| Room to grow | Does it still work if you add a new product? | Yes | Only for succulents |
This is an illustrative example, not a JuniorCEO Lab student case study.
Neither name is wrong. The table simply makes the trade-offs visible, so your child can choose with their eyes open.
The name is often the first thing a customer hears, and it's what they repeat when they recommend your child to someone else. A name nobody can remember or spell quietly loses sales.
Choosing a name also teaches a real business skill: thinking from the customer's side. A child who asks "What will my neighbour think this is?" is practising the same customer focus they used when they did their market research.
No. For a first business, a plain name that says what it does usually works better than a clever one. Puns and made-up words can be great, but only if customers still understand them straight away.
Plenty of successful small businesses are simply a person's name plus what they do. "Mia's Dog Walking" tells a neighbour everything they need in two seconds. That's a strong place to start, and your child can always choose something bolder once they know what customers value.
Use the JuniorCEO Lab "Ten Names in Ten Minutes" activity: start from the promise, brainstorm widely, then test the best three with real people. It's free, needs only paper and a pen, and works best once your child has a clear idea from turning a problem into a product idea.
Ask your child to finish the value sentence before thinking about names:
"This is for ___, who wants ___, and it helps by ___."
For example: "This is for neighbours, who want easy plants that don't die, and it helps by giving them small succulents in ready-to-gift pots."
Set a timer. No crossing out yet. Suggest four kinds of name to get them started:
Your child says each favourite out loud to someone who hasn't seen the list. Can that person repeat it? Can they write it down? Cross out any that fail.
Sit with your child while you search together. Do a quick web search for the name and your suburb or town. In Australia, business.gov.au suggests checking the ASIC business names register and IP Australia's free TM Checker for similar trade marks. This is a good moment to explain that names can belong to other people.
Show the top two names to two people your child would actually sell to. Ask only: "What do you think this business sells?" Then listen. If nobody guesses right, the name needs work.
Same spelling, same capital letters, on every sign, flyer and price tag. Consistency is what makes a name stick.
| My promise is | ___ |
| My top three names are | 1. ___ 2. ___ 3. ___ |
| Easy to say and spell? (yes / no) | ___ |
| Not already used nearby? (yes / no) | ___ |
| What two customers guessed it sells | ___ |
| My business name is | ___ |
In the classroom: each student writes a one-line promise and three possible names. Classmates guess what each business sells from the name alone, then the class votes on which names were clearest and why.
Usually not for a small family project, especially if your child uses their own name. In Australia, business.gov.au says you must register a business name if you trade under a name that isn't your own, while sole traders using their own name don't need to (business.gov.au). Registration costs money and must be renewed every one or three years.
A registered business name also doesn't give exclusive rights to the name. In Australia, only a registered trade mark does that (business.gov.au). Most children's projects need neither. Outside Australia, check your government's small business website. This is general information, not legal advice.
Your child chooses the name. You handle the searches, anything online and anything that costs money. Agree these boundaries before you start, using the Time, Money, Responsibilities and Success boundaries from our guide to entrepreneurship for kids.
The JuniorCEO Lab activities work anywhere. The rules around business names and trade marks depend on where you live. Before your child uses a business name, check three things on your government's small business or consumer website:
In JuniorCEO Lab, the name comes after the promise, as part of building a brand. Building a brand is the fourth stage of the program, after exploring products, researching customers and shaping an idea, and before understanding money and marketing.
That order matters. A child who already knows who their customer is and what they promise them will choose a better name in ten minutes than a child who starts with a blank page and an hour. The name then sits inside the wider brand: the promise, the look and the voice covered in how kids create a brand for their business.
It's often the simplest choice, such as Sam's Succulents. In Australia, business.gov.au says a business name must be registered if you trade under a name that isn't your own, so using their own name avoids a step. Elsewhere, check your local rules.
Treat it as a useful lesson, not a failure. Keep the part they love and change the rest, such as adding what they sell or where they are. Then run the say-it, spell-it and customer tests again.
Yes, as long as customers still understand it. Test it by asking two real customers what they think the business sells. If they can't guess, add a few plain words, such as a short line underneath the name.
Not for a first project. A printed flyer or sign is enough to start. If you buy one later, an adult should do it. In Australia, business.gov.au notes a domain name gives you a web address but doesn't protect the name. Elsewhere, check your local rules.
Ask each person to pick their two favourites, then test all of them with the same two customers. Let the customers' answers decide. It keeps the argument about the business, not about who is right.
This week, ask your child: "What do you want a customer to picture when they hear your business name?" Then try the ten-minute brainstorm together. If your child hasn't written their promise yet, start with how kids create a brand for their business.
Su Stanyer is the founder of JuniorCEO Lab, an Australian program that teaches children aged 10 to 13 how a business works, from exploring products and researching customers to branding, money, marketing and sales.
Government references are general information, not legal advice, and do not imply endorsement of JuniorCEO Lab.
In just 6 weeks, your teen will launch a real product, build their brand, and start selling.
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