I’m assuming if you’re here, you’re either a business owner or thinking about launching your own business.  One of the things I love to ask entrepreneurs is, how did you come up with the name of your business??  

It’s so intriguing to me.  I mean we see these huge brands that become household names but at one time it was simply an idea to someone, somewhere.  

Let’s take McDonald’s for instance (you know, because it’s my bae).  You’ve probably eaten there at least once in your life and you likely pass by one several times/day.  Have you ever stopped to wonder why it’s called “McDonalds”?? Where did the idea start? How did they choose the name?  What were the first days/months/years like? What hardships did they face as they scaled the brand?

Honestly, the McDonalds story is super interesting so if you don’t already know it, I would highly recommend the movie The Founder with Michael Keaton.  You can catch it on Amazon Video!

When we first started dreaming about our business, I knew a few things.  

1. I wanted it to be 1 word.  I thought that a 1-word name was so much easier to brand and having my name in the title would make it simple to stand out from others. 

2. I wanted it to have meaning.  I didn’t just want to pick a cute name.  I needed it to have a story and I needed it to be meaningful to me as a person.  

3. I wanted it to be feminine.  I was marketing to brides after all and I wanted to ensure they knew that our brand was specifically designed for weddings.  

So how did I come up with Blush??  I’m so glad you asked! I am a sucker for romantic comedies.  I love the cheesy lines, the predictable storylines and the sweet moments when the guy finally gets the girl….ahhhhh.  Gimme all the mushiness!  

So when I started making my list of all of our possible business names I started thinking of movie quotes and moments that I loved.  Here’s what made my top 3 movies of all time.

1. Dirty Dancing

1. 1. “I carried a watermelon”
   2. “Nobody puts Baby in a corner”

2. Father of the Bride

1. 1. “A cake, Franck, is made of flour and water. My first car didn’t cost $1,200.”
   2. “I’m removing the superfluous buns!”

3. Steel Magnolias

1. 1. “I would rather have thirty minutes of wonderful than a lifetime of nothing special.”
   2. “I’m not crazy, M’Lynn, I’ve just been in a very bad mood for 40 years!”
   3. “The only thing that separates us from the animals is our ability to accessorize.”
   4. “The only reason people are nice to me is because I have more money than God.”
   5. “My colors are Blush and Bashful.”  “Her colors are Pink and Pink!”

 

I know…I have more quotes for this one than the others but there are just too many awesome quotes from this one to narrow it down to 2.  And I may have to do a whole separate blog on #1! I don’t want a lifetime of nothing special either!!

Finally, we had a winner!  Not only is Steel Magnolias my favorite movie of all time, it reminds me so much of my mom and I.  I wanted a big ‘ol wedding with a big tent and a big band and she thought all of the pomp and circumstance was a bit silly but she’s my best friend and she was right by my side the whole time!  I absolutely loved every single second of planning my wedding with my momma!

So that was it!  I tossed around Blush and Bashful by Brandee Gaar for a few days just to be 100% sure about the 1-word thing but it was just too long.  And it wasn’t me. Blush was everything I wanted it to be. It was short. It was feminine. It was romantic. It was perfect!  

What’s the meaning behind your company’s name??  Drop a note in the comments below to share your name creation story!  It’s honestly my favorite thing to learn about from business owners!