Could use some name help - my name sounds like a porno site

[LolaBean]

More than that - my name as a URL actually IS a porno site.

I'm in the process of gearing up to launch my business/website, but I need serious naming help. My plan was "first name" "last name" photography, but with the name Meghan Sexton, I'm not sure that's such a good idea. If a client forgets the "photography" portion - they'll get porn. :o

Thoughts? Should I rethink my business name?

[brit84]

you could just use one name or initials (MS Photography or Meghan photography) or somthing completely different.

[heycow]

Maybe you should photograph porn? :D Sorry, sorry, just kidding...

Can you add a middle initial maybe? Or something like photobymeghan.com and photosbyMeghan.com (to be safe) which are available right now.

Hi from Oakland BTW. :D

[LolaBean]

Maybe you should photograph porn? :D Sorry, sorry, just kidding...

Can you add a middle initial maybe? Or something like photobymeghan.com and photosbyMeghan.com (to be safe) which are available right now.

Hi from Oakland BTW. :D

Hello back. :)

I tend to think the "Photos by XXX" business names seem kitchy, am I the only one?

[heycow]

Hello back. :)

I tend to think the "Photos by XXX" business names seem kitchy, am I the only one?
Porn or kitchy...Personally, I pick porn, but that's just me... :D

It's all about options. BTW, what did you want to use the name for? General photography or a particular focus? If you're shooting people then "Photos by Meghan" seems fine to me. If you're more corporate focused, then yes, it's kitchy and you should just use Meghan Sexton Photography (or something without using your name).

Personally I'd just register both of them before the porn site sees this post and beats you to it (though I guess they'd pick "Photos OF Meghan Sexton"). :)

[LolaBean]

Personally I'd just register both of them before the porn site sees this post and beats you to it (though I guess they'd pick "Photos OF Meghan Sexton"). :)

HA!

[LolaBean]

Porn or kitchy...Personally, I pick porn, but that's just me... :D

It's all about options. BTW, what did you want to use the name for? General photography or a particular focus? If you're shooting people then "Photos by Meghan" seems fine to me. If you're more corporate focused, then yes, it's kitchy and you should just use Meghan Sexton Photography (or something without using your name).

Personally I'd just register both of them before the porn site sees this post and beats you to it (though I guess they'd pick "Photos OF Meghan Sexton"). :)

Funny, I just saw from another post that you're in 94597. I grew up in 94598. ;)

[heycow]

Funny, I just saw from another post that you're in 94597. I grew up in 94598. ;)
Stalker... :) I actually work in 94597 (and 94598 actually). I live in Oakland now. :D

[Alleh]

www.meghanphoto.com looks like it might be unused. Better hurry before I go purchase it and inflate the price :) You can still be Meghan Sexton Photography but that is a pretty long URL so its always nice to get something short. I use www.allehphotography.com even though my business is Alleh Lindquist Photography LLC.

[beano]

I've always thought you'd be better off using a catchy name that'll stick in potential customers heads, rather than your actual name, or initials.

[tfizzle]

I've always thought you'd be better off using a catchy name that'll stick in potential customers heads, rather than your actual name, or initials.

Depends on where you are. In my area where there are few photographers and a rather small population (eastern Oregon) a first/last name combo for photography works well.

[beano]

Depends on where you are. In my area where there are few photographers and a rather small population (eastern Oregon) a first/last name combo for photography works well.

I think you're missing my point.. A persons name isn't memorable (unless you're called Deuce Bigalow), it doesn't stick in peoples mind like a catchy studio name etc. Just my 2C though, i've been wrong before.. :mrgreen:

[eigga]

I think you're missing my point.. A persons name isn't memorable (unless you're called Deuce Bigalow), it doesn't stick in peoples mind like a catchy studio name etc. Just my 2C though, i've been wrong before..

Depends on how you market yourself and your business model. I strongly agree that a catchy name is more memorable. My business name and logo are a BIG part of my success...people remember it.

However for family and individual portraits I think having your name in the business makes it more personal. Big decision to start off for sure.

Since my target market was leagues, events, performances and schools I went with a "business" name. It also makes it easeir for me to cover an event with "staff" since people dont expect to see me always.

[RDKirk]

I see that there are already several firstnameSextonPhotography.com sites. If you specialize, say, in portraits as I do, you could go with something like SextonPortraits.com.

An interesting (I thought) tidbit is that a very common misspelling of my URL would land a person at a transsexual-support forum. I had a couple of people try to find my site and later ask me if that was where they were supposed to be. After about a year, that URL became available, so I snapped it up. I own several versions of my URL (com, net, org, and several common misspellings).

[eigga]

I own several versions of my URL (com, net, org, and several common misspellings).

+1 on that comment. Very good advice. I have several as well and several on "watch" to buy if they become available

[tcphoto1]

It can be very difficult to market yourself when someone else shares a name. I went the other way and use the generic name of Tony Clark for my photo business. Best of luck, Dirk Digler

[LolaBean]

It can be very difficult to market yourself when someone else shares a name. I went the other way and use the generic name of Tony Clark for my photo business. Best of luck, Dirk Digler

HA!

Thank you all for your thoughts. I guess I need to spend some more time thinking of a name that isn't my given name...

[tfizzle]

I think you're missing my point.. A persons name isn't memorable (unless you're called Deuce Bigalow), it doesn't stick in peoples mind like a catchy studio name etc. Just my 2C though, i've been wrong before.. :mrgreen:

Nah. I'm not missing your point. I work as a youth pastor in a very small town (600population). So more people know my name apart from business. So I chose my photography to be FainPhoto because if it were "Shutterfly Photos" they wouldn't really know who was behind the camera.

If people say I got these from "Fain Photo" they will know me around town and I would be more accessible and "Knowable"

[Karl Johnston]

:lol: Wow that's pretty funny..

[Concretin Nik]

I feel your pain Meghan... I was all excited about my "pole aerial photography" business... came up with the name... and even the .com was available! I was in a completely innocent frame of mind...

Go ahead, google "MastPics"... just don't visit the results at work... DOH!

My skateboard blog where I've mentioned the name comes up fairly early (second page today), concretins.com, but it's still dissappointing. Why oh why didn't I google that first? I guess I was just so surprised the .com was available...

I'm really hoping I can move up on the results with tags and such once I have the site built. But I'm stickin'(no pun intended) with the name!

[PhotosGuy]

Most people will misspell "Meghan". ;) Maybe MeganSPhoto for simplicity? MeganSImages?