Business Name confusion? Can I get your help?

MelissaG · Apr 10, 2023

I'm thinking about Etsy business names. My business name is Silver Branch Soapworks. Honestly, it's one letter too long for my Etsy store due to Etsy algorithms. I'm debating on renaming but not sure how to go about it.

I could rename the store to just Silver Branch. Which is me. And my registered DBA is Silver Branch Soapworks. But Silver Branch doesn't describe what I do or what the store is for. SB Soapworks doesn't work because it doesn't describe my whole name and can be confusing if searching for Silver Branch Soapworks.

So I'm debating on naming it something different. That presents it's own problems. I believe I'd have to sign up for a new DBA with my state if I did that and currently fees are $75 which I don't currently have so I'd have to wait a while to do that. In which case my Etsy store will be under SilverBranchSoapwork.

That being said, I'm having another issue in that Soapworks no longer exactly explains what my store is. I do more than just soap and forms of soap since bath bombs are my biggest seller and I also create and sell lotion, lip balms, shower steamers and sugar scrubs.

I found what a name that I think would do well. It's short, easy to remember, and fairly catchy. Bubble Bayou. Given that I live in Louisiana, it suits. But I'm not sure what to do with it, or if I should just drop the idea altogether and stay with what I've got.

So, I'm here asking your opinion. Do you think I should keep it as it is? Do a complete rebranding? Just change my Etsy shop name and file under Silver Branch?

In case you are wondering, my EIN and the rest is under my name as the umbrella. I can have as many DBA as I want. Would you file for a separate DBA for the Etsy store? Keep or drop Silver Branch Soapworks? Do both?

What do you think is a good idea?

Edit: Thank you everyone, I just shortened it to Silver Branch Soap. Saves me alot of work. I appreciate your help.

Vicki C · Apr 10, 2023

Hi! I saw your fb post about this too.

I didn’t post, but I like “Silver Branch Soap.” Simple and elegant. You could do “soaps” or “soapery” but I like soap better.

MelissaG · Apr 10, 2023

Vicki C said:
Hi! I saw your fb post about this too. I didn’t post, but I like “Silver Branch Soap.” Simple and elegant. You could do “soaps” or “soapery” but I like soap better.

Thanks. I like to get as many opinions as possible so I posted in both places.

artemis · Apr 10, 2023

I can only speak to the Etsy shop name.

Since Etsy is not set up like a market with stalls, shop names are not the first thing I see there. So,when I shop Etsy, I am not shopping based on shop names. The first thing I see is products. I search for a product and click on the ones that look promising. If I find something I like, I go to the page for the shop and see what else they have. I suspect that most people do the same. It is never the shop name that leads me to a product, because that's not the first thing I see.

If you're using this as a way for current customers to buy more, then it would be confusing to have an entirely different name on Etsy and would stick with Silver Branch Soapwork or Silver Branch Soap.

Kari Howie · Apr 10, 2023

Another possibility would be to compress Silver Branch into one word and keep the Branch capitalized:
SilverBranch Soapworks

mx5inpenn · Apr 10, 2023

I agree with @artemis above, I don't search by seller. It probably wouldn't be noticed much by existing customers to have a small change. The one @Kari Howie suggested seems the simplest and technically doesn't change your name.