Choose a name for your Virtual Assistant business… TODAY!
Posted by:
Abbey Ashley
Does anyone else feel like naming your business is a bit like naming your child?
Seriously – you read all the books. You have a list. You go over your “favorites” with those you love. You go back and forth until you almost drive yourself crazy with this major decision.
This is totally how it was when I was naming my first daughter. I thought of all these long beautiful names. She would be professional with her long name and trendy with a nickname. I had a list of 20 names that would be perfect for our little girl.
My husband hated all of them.
He had read a Forbes article that read that women CEOs generally have short names, and seriously couldn’t get his mind off of it.
So, I went back to the drawing board. We finally agreed on the name for our daughter:
Evie Mae Ashley.
It wasn’t until after we had her that I notified my husband that Evie Mae isn’t quite the typical “CEO” name. But alas, we were both happy and our southern families were too.
Sound familiar?
Maybe not. Maybe you are one of the lucky ones – you woke up in the middle of the night with the *perfect* name. It’s been the one thing you’ve had in place since the beginning of your biz.
If you’re not so lucky (like me!) then I’m here to help you choose a name for your Virtual Assistant business… TODAY!
Table of Contents
BEFORE YOU READ FURTHER
The name of your business is, most times, the first thing potential clients will see about you. It’s important to choose a name that you are happy with and is a reflection of you and your personality.
But please … PLEASE do not let naming your business become a stopping point for moving forward. I’ve seen virtual assistants get so caught up on naming their business that they never get around to getting clients.
I’m convinced that if your marketing is good enough – your name could be “The Virtual Assistant” and you could still get clients.
So please – choose the name of your business. Use this guide to help. But if you are two months into your biz planning and you are still undecided on a name – JUST CHOOSE ALREADY!
*Rant over*
Here’s the happy news (yes, I can be happy and not just yell in all caps, thank you)…
Like all good things in life, you have OPTIONS!
Watch This Video Where I Talk About My
Favorite Way to Choose a Name for Your Biz!
I’m going to walk you through the 3 different ways you can name your virtual assistant business so that you will accurately reflect who you are as a person (and a business!) and get the attention of the clients you are trying to reach.
Let’s take a look at each of these options:
OPTION 1: CHOOSE A FUN / UNIQUE NAME
Let’s start out by thinking of some fun BUZZWORDS to describe a virtual assistant business.
What’s a buzzword? A buzzword is simply what comes to mind when you think about your business and what you will be doing in your business.
Here’s a list of buzzwords that I’ve thought of for a VA Business, but feel free to come up with your own (especially as they relate to your personality, geographic, or target audience):
Virtual
Assistant
Creative
Create
Desk
Coffee
Cubicle
Write
Social
Notebook
Click
Work
Now – let’s pair some of these Buzzwords with words that you would use to describe yourself of your ideal client:
Fun
Quick
Jolly
Happy
Fresh
She
Determined
Social
Crafty
Simple
Let’s say you were going to focus on photographers for your VA business. You could even brainstorm some words about this ideal market.
Shutter
Lense
Click
Frame
“Say Cheese”
Ok – you get the hint, right? You basically want to come up with a huge spreadsheet of descriptive words.
Then – the fun part. Start pairing those words together!
Here’s a few names I came up with just from pairing some of the words above together:
Crafty Cubicle
She Writes
SimpleDesk
Jolly Virtual
Shutter Click
Click Creative
Notebooks and Coffee
Note: these names may or may not already exist and are not intended to be copied. My goal here is to get you thinking!!!
It’s your turn!
Take out a sheet of paper, set a timer for 20 minutes, and LET YOUR MIND GO WILD! This is YOUR business so be creative! Think of the words you would want to use to describe your business.
There’s no right or wrong with choosing what you want to name your business. Some of the names that you write down will be ridiculous. It may take 100 bad names before you get to your good name!
If you are at your wit’s end and still can’t think of a name. Don’t worry – I’ve still got two more options for you!
OPTION 2: CHOOSE A PROFESSIONAL NAME
It’s time to go pro.
It’s ok if you can’t think of the cute-sy “oh my gosh how did you ever think of that” name for your business.
If you get too caught up in option one and want to go throw your computer out your second story bedroom window… let’s move on to the next option.
Another option is to use a professional name for your business. This may even be a better option for you – especially if you are looking to cater toward more professional clients, client real estate or insurance agents.
We are going to use a similar method as before – so go ahead and take out that piece of paper again!
You are going to first think of some titles for you and /or your business. Here’s a few ideas to get started:
Virtual Assistant
Virtual Assistance
Assistance
Creative
Professional Services
Collaborations
Now, you can use these more professional terms to pair with some adjectives. How would you want someone to describe you or your business? What would you hope people would have after working with you?
Here’s a few ideas:
Integrity
Results
Committed
Determined
Growth
Let’s put them together again. Here’s what I came up with:
Integrity Assistance
Committed Creative
Integrity Collaborations
If you are getting stuck, try adding your first or last name into the mix.
I grew my multi-firm VA business to what it was under the name Ashley Assistance (my last name is Ashley, btw). It was simple, easy to remember, and professional. Win-win-win.
OPTION 3: CHOOSE TO SELF-BRAND
The third option is to simply use your name, because you’re one of a kind, right?
I’ve always been a fan of self-branding. It can be so versatile. If you think you may want to venture into coaching or some other creative service in the future, or if you haven’t fully defined who your target audience is going to be yet, self-branding may be a great choice for you.
I’ll use some real-life examples to show off some self-branding mavens:
STILL STUCK?
If you are still having trouble naming your VA Business, take a look at some tips from the VA Savvies Facebook community:
I actually reached out to some of the FB groups I was in and told them the image/impression I was trying to make and they helped me with a name: The Juggling VA. My husband helped me with my logo and then I finalized it with help from more FB groups.
Angela Reeder | The Juggling VA
I selected the name Productive Co. I didn’t want something too literal as it may expand and transform into something slightly different over the years. I needed something a little more flexible but still wanted the name to give some description of the business. I have a masters in operations management and that’s because I’m passionate about smoothing out operations, putting systems in place, etc. The common thread through all of those things is productivity and efficiency.
Rae Targos | Productive Co.
My business name is Virtual Assistant Ninja and I think the name just speaks for itself. I feel the name shows my personality and how I work. Ninja suited best in mind as it was what I thought of myself in all the skills and jobs I have achieved in the past – getting sh*t done in the most efficient and accurate manner.
Rachel Manuel | Virtual Assistant Ninja
If you’re still having some trouble coming up with a name for your virtual assistant business, be sure to check out the Shopify Business Name Generator. This free site allows you to generate names based off of keywords (or those handy buzzwords you thought of earlier) and also check the domain availability at the same time. Handy!
WHAT NOW?
By now, you’ve hopefully, got your name picked out for your new VA biz. POP THE BUBBLY AND CELEBRATE!!!
Your job isn’t quite done yet though…
Now, the next step is to make your biz name LEGAL.
It’s not as hard as it sounds, and I’ve created a step-by-step checklist to help you out. Click here to download the checklist. I’ll give you the tools you need and the action steps you need to take to make sure your biz name is legal!
You’ll learn:
1. How to make sure your name isn’t already trademarked
2. How to purchase a domain for your business.
3. How to (and if you need to) register your business name.
RECAP
Let’s recap the highlights from this post:
- Don’t let choosing a name for your business stop you from getting clients!
- There are three types of names you can choose for your VA business: fun/unique name, professional name, or self-branded.
- Need help choosing your name? Reach out to the VA Savvies community for help!
- Make sure your name is legal using the “Is my Biz Name Legal” checklist.
Meet Abbey
Abbey Ashley is the Founder of The Virtual Savvy. She helps aspiring virtual assistants launch and grow their own at-home business from scratch. She's since gone on to grow a multi-six figure business and retire her husband ALL from her at-home business. It's now her passion to help others start their own VA business so they can taste the freedom and flexibility of entrepreneurship as well.
This free one-hour training combines thousands of hours of research, years of experience in growing a virtual assistant business!
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What about Virtual Chops as a name? Unsure if this leaves too much room for interpretation.
You can be as creative as you want. I would recommend thinking about your ideal client. What would they think about this name? I think about pork chops or karate.
Also ‘The Little Red Hen’. I realise it doesn’t really have anything to do with Virtual Assistance but I just really like the virtues behind the story of The Little Red Hen. Hmmm…. not sure 🙂
This is cute! Maybe adding something in the name to indicate that it’s virtual?
I was thinking about naming my business Social Fly at first, instead of Social Butterfly ( because everyone uses that), but now I am thinking of Socially Fly Virtual Assistance. My business will mostly focus on Online Business Management, Administrative Duties, and also event/launch coordination. What do you think of that name? I thought of just using Sylvia and Co, but that didn’t excite me.
Hi Sylvia, I think that Socially Fly Virtual Assistance would be a great name! It’s mostly about what you feel most comfortable with, and what you think would represent you the best. Go with your gut, and don’t feel you have to name your business something that doesn’t excite you! 🙂
What do you think about Dogwood Virtual Executive
That’s a great name, Amy! Go with something that feels *right* to you and represents you well. 🙂
I was thinking of using my last name. Redwine
So what do you think of
“Virtually Redwine”
However I do already own the url address of: colormeredwine.com that I was planning to use for a lipgloss/makeup sales. (however not sure I am going to continue that venture) But Color Me Redwine doesn’t really seem to say: Virtual Administration either.
Hi Kimberly,
It’s most important that you choose a name that resonates with and reflects *you* and your uniqueness. That being said, I like “Virtually Redwine” as it’s more clear. Congrats on starting your new business! 🙂
Hi, What do you think about Robust JPN Virtual Administrative?
When choosing a name, you want something easy for others to remember, and that is a little lengthy. If you love it, though, market it and MAKE others remember it 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
Hi! I was thinking of Dawntodusk Virtual
Assistance- not sure if it’s taken or makes much sense. My middle is Dawn so I thought having something personal may help make it feel like mine 🙂
Any advice would be much appreciated.
Dawn to Dusk Virtual Assistance sounds nice! But really, it’s all about what resonates with *you* and which one you feel most comfortable with. Having a personal meaning (your middle name!) is a great idea too.
Virtually Dawn to Dusk
Dawn to Dusk Virtual Assistant
Dawn to Dusk Virtual Assistance
Help :/
Thanks
Hi, I used SylviaVirtuals but want to change it, I have 3 names in mind, Sphinx concierge, Atliers and Xylia. One more issue is crafting a USP. I would be offering personal/concierge services.
Thank you.
Those all sound like great names! Good luck, and let me know if we can help you with anything. 🙂
As someone who has been involved with a lot of start ups over the years, I recommend that in addition to what Abbey said about being comfortable with it yourself, that you keep in mind the following as well:
– business names generally should be catchy, easy to spell, and easy to remember because they often become the domain name as well. (Imagine how much fun you will have spelling out your web site for each person who asks for it on the fly or over the phone. After you have spelled “Xylia” out for someone for the 100th time, you may wish you had gone with something easier – and if your name has letters that sound the same, that’s even more fun!)
– you also want a business name that is going to resonate with your target market. (Many start-ups make the mistake of setting everything up for their own liking without taking into consideration what their clients are going to like and identify with.)
– it’s okay to change names and branding mid-stream. (Unless you have a really strong grasp of who your target market is and what they identify with, you are going to be better off not marrying yourself to one specific name or identity because that frequently changes after you get into your business and start to identify who those clients are that you really want to work with.)
For crafting a good USP, do a google search and set the date tool for ‘past year’. There are a ton of great articles for handling that. I recommend that you do a SWOT analysis beforehand (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats).
This is so good! Thank you for taking the time to share!
I especially agree with the point you made about its ok to change! ABSOLUTELY! You will find that your skills will grow and your offerings will change or maybe you just need a fresh look! Change is good and healthy!
We have some exciting changes coming in 2019 for The Virtual Savvy that we are super excited about! Stay Tuned…
I’ve decided to use my name!
Jaimie-Lee Bradshaw, my website would have VA in it. i’m not that creative in coming up with titles haha.
That’s a great name Jaimie-Lee! I’me excited for you!
Writers’ House of Corrections I do proofreading, editing, formatting, and marketing of Science Fiction and Mystery Books.
Oooh, love that name, I think it’s perfect! And a great niche, congrats!
Now that’s the prefect name! ❤
Hope the post helped!!!
I’m thinking of using my name – Pam the Virtual Assistant
Using your name is a great option! Go with it!
I have been struggling with coming up with a name for my virtual business. I did come up with Virtually Free but not sure either if it is good. What do you think?
That’s a great name! I think it portrays a sense of “freedom” you want to give your potential clients with their virtual tasks. Go with it!
Hi,I’ve been thinking of a name but not so sure how it sounds… HAPPY VIRTUAL ASSISTANT
I Love it!
[…] a name for your […]
I am a VA and I am try to come up with a business name and struggling so much.
The only one that has been on my mind for ages is Leanne Stowell – Virtual Assistant but shortened as LVA
I have seen lots of VA’s using their own name but it’s the website and branding that makes them stand out.
What do you think?
That is perfect! Remember you can always change this down the line. The goal is to get your business set up and running with paying clients. Don’t get stuck on this one!
Hey I was thinking of V&P clickdesk
Perfect! Make sure to check for the URL and social platforms that it is available. Make the decision and run with it! Don’t get too hung up on the name. You may decide to change it later as your business grows and transforms.
I am having a really hard time with a name and logo. My current name is Victoria desk & design but I want something more clever/professional. So far I got:
Creative Cubicle ………(probably my favorite)
Visualence ……….(this is visual and intelligence combined)
Victoria Virtual Solutions
All of these are great options. What you want to do next is see if the URLs and social platforms are available. This can very quickly help you decide. Also, remember, you are not stuck with this name forever. You may decide later to change your name! Pick one and run with it.
So I like the mix of personal brand and then like a tagline name. What do y’all think of E.S. Virtual Desk?
That’s fabulous! Make sure to check all the social platforms and if the URL is available for when you are ready to build out a website.
Hello! I am just getting started with this journey of starting a VA Solutions for small businesses. I will mainly focus on Bookkeeping/Admin. However I am so far away from a catchy business name. I was playing around with a few ideas..
Books on Point
Go Virtual with Michele
I just don’t know!
Any ideas for bookkeeper VA businesses?
Hey Michele! I know it feels overwhelming when you first start your business to figure out a name that will represent your business. What I don’t want to see happen is you get stuck on this thing and never move forward with other elements of your business. As I have mentioned before, you can always change this later, a lot of people do and that is OK! What I want you to do is read the blog post again and decide today do you want to go with option 1, 2, or 3. Once you make that commitment, follow through with the steps under that option. The two you listed are great! Again, be sure to check socials and URLs to be sure no one else has that name already. You got this!
Maybe you could play with your last name. Think about “Sherlock” – Sherlock Books, Sherlock Cents
Yes!! I love that idea!
Okay. I’m struggling I’ve come up with several names I like but one sticks with me, but I want the name to be fun and me, yet professional to where a company would look at the name and be like “yeah we want to try working with her”. I’ve come up the “The Social Llama”. Kind of like the social butterfly but yet more describes me (because I have a deep love for Llamas). What do you think?
You want YOUR name to reflect you and your business! You also want your name to allow you to grow and scale in the future. If you ever plan on offering services outside the social media field, you may want to consider alternative names. Also make sure your check to see if the URL and social platforms are available with the name you are considering.
I already have a blog to help my niche grow their business and help their family. I was wondering how to make a VA page to go along with my website already??
I would create a tab (new page) titled “My VA Services” or just “VA Services” and then you can address your services and pricing there.
Wow, this list is so awesome and helpful, It’s given me so many more ideas of services I could offer. Thank you SO much for sharing it!
I’ve been a VA for almost a year now and still struggling on creating my personal brand name. Since my name is Win – I want it to include to give clients an idea that I can offer #winning services. So I have these on mind but not sure what is better.
Win-It Virtual Solutions / Win Virtuaholic Solutions / LAVA – Lowin A Virtual Assistant or maybe something like WAVE24hrsofservice and I’ll just put #winningsolutions under which name would be chosen. Please help.
You want your name to be easy to remember and not hard to decipher. These are all fun choices, but I would go with Win-It Virtual Solutions. Now, the next step is check all the social media channels and the URL to make sure they are available. You may even want to see if you can get an gmail with it as well. YAY!!
wow! Big THANKS! Big help! 🙂
I am just starting out and have been trying not to get too hung over this “naming” step. Well, I have gotten hung over this “naming” step. I will be a generalist as I don’t technically have a niche yet but I know I will gravitate towards something as I grow. The names that I’ve thought of are….Virtual Cubicle Boss, The Virtual Nook and Clever Coffee Virtual Solutions (Coffee is my LIFE lol). HELP ABBEY!!!!
Those are all great names! But I think I like The Virtual Nook. Make sure to check for the URL and all social channels. 🙂
Your awesome! I love that one by the way…
Hello:
I am in the process of starting my own small business, I offer virtual assistance as well as credit repair, I haven’t picked the first name yet but, I was wonder if I could go with something like “Sample Solutions, Inc”? So that it is broad.
Hey, Gina! The great thing about names is that there is really no wrong answer. I would suggest having something that is eye catching, and that people will remember. As mentioned in the post, it’s always a bonus if they reflect YOU and YOUR personality! If you think that name does that, go for it! 🙂
Hi, I’ve been a Virtual assistant for 3 years now but still I can’t pick a name to use. I want something that is very unique and catchy but simple? Any idea? Hehehe
Have you tried incorporating your name? If you’re not sure what to use maybe you can start there 🙂 For example, Nizalyn Assistance or Niza Virtual Assistance. You can always change it down the line. It is totally up to you though!
Just throwing this out there, I’m not very creative.
a mix of my first and last name.
whaunt not services (or Admin)
or will the client think “I don’t want them”!?
🙂
This is very crafty! It is not a name that will be easily forgotten, but one thing to think about is this– will people misspell it when trying to find your website/email you/contact you, etc? If you don’t think so, then GO FOR IT!
I’m just so excited I found you! Just followed you yesterday on FB too and I askedto join your groups on FB as well. I have been “doing” things a VA would do for YEARS, literally. I just didn’t know there was a term for it! I have been and am a local Honolulu photographer as well so I know how to market, design, create, brand, etc. I am just so stoked to create this side hustle of a VA business. Shhhh….I noticed that there aren’t hardly ANY VA’s in my area so may reach more locally that worldwide, idk. I am still in the being phase. The first thing I did was research, like your youtube video says to do. I sat and sat on things and thought and thought. My first immediate thought was ‘Virtual Aloha’ but that was taken. So prob! Then I thought alohavirtual.com and it IS available! My question is … is adding your location ie, like Hawaii, Oahu or Honolulu going to help me in the long run to rank for local potential clients? I love the word Aloha and it is SOOOO ME that I probably have already found “THE ONE”, anyways! Mahalo for all your help and all that you do, I am so excited!
Hey, there, Christie! Thank you SO MUCH for the kind words! So excited that you have found us, and I can’t wait to watch your business grow. If you LOVE the name, and it’s available, go for it! The good news is, you can always rebrand down the road if you find that it no longer works for you 🙂
I had the hardest time coming up with a name but I landed on Virtual Vega VA (vega is the name of one of the brightest stars we can see in the northern hemisphere). I can’t decide if that is too nerdy/no one will know what that is. I think the name seems catchy though.. Help!
Hey, Sierra! If you love it, go for it! It’s catchy and if people don’t know what it is, it’s a great opportunity for you to tell them! SHINE BRIGHT, my friend!
Hello,
This article was so helpful! I was thinking about the name ‘Virtual Jack’, as in, Jack of all trades and it kinda plays into my last name. Any thoughts?
Ohhh, this is so cool! Lots of options for taglines, too. I think you’re on to something! Be sure to check for trademarks 🙂 Thanks for sharing.
I am just starting to learn the VA biz. I was thinking Virtually Strong. What do you think.
Awesome!! I LOVE IT!
Hi Abbey! I loved your article. However, I’m really struggling to come up with something catchy that would describe what would be my business. I have worked as an entertainment/music executive assistant in my previous full-time roles (with experience) in marketing and I wanted to center my business around those experiences. Was having trouble coming up with entertainment buzzwords. I’ve started out with using my last name “Howell” but I thought those ideas were cheesy. Here’s what I’ve come up with –
Howell Consulting
Howell Digital Support
The Social Creative
Virtual VIPdesk
VIP Desk
Virtual Media Assistant
Any thoughts?
Oh wow! These are all awesome names!! Remember, you can always come back to your name and change it down the line! Don’t let coming up with a name keep you from getting started!
Hi Abbey!
I’m just starting out in the VA world and I’m having a hard time narrowing down a name. I’m stuck between Tasks by Ash, Tasks by Ashley or Assisted by Ashley.
Any input is appreciated!
Thank you!
Those are all great! Don’t forget, you can always change your name once you get started!
I finally committed to Integrity Bookkeeping Plus. Integrity because it’s just how I feel about myself. I bring integrity with me not matter how big or small the task is. Plus because I’m also planning on expanding a bit beyond simply bookkeeping. I plan to be a kind of clearing house of resources for the small business person so I can help them succeed.
I love that!!!! That name can build a trust factor with prospective clients.
I’m struggling with my business name so much it’s seriously holding me back from actually getting started. I have a blog where I help beginner bloggers get started. I have a products and services page there as well. I’m struggling to decide if I should start a whole new business/website/name or simply add a Virtual Assistant Services page to my existing blog. Truly, this is what I’d like to do as the idea of starting a whole other site, socials, etc. is seriously daunting. Any thoughts??
Hey Karen! It really comes down to your ideal audiences – if the audience that is coming to your blog is the type of client you would be targeting with your VA business, then you can keep the same site. Also, don’t let choosing a name hold you back from making progress in your business!
Hi Abbey,
I just bought your course and am excited to get started. Like everyone else, I am having a hard time with the name. I was thinking JustAsk Virtual Services but I am wondering can a name be too “cutesy”? And does that detract from be considered professional?
Hi Carmen! Welcome to the SavvySystem community…so excited for you!!!
I HIGHLY recommend sharing your question in the members-only SavvySystem Facebook community so that my team and other students can all weigh in and give you feedback 🙂
Your info has been super helpful to me thus far. I am in the beginning of starting my side hustle as a VA and already have 4 local clients.
Been thinking about a play on words because my name is Paige. If you have any suggestions let me know! I thought of “on the same Paige virtual assistance” but it’s a bit long!
Thanks!
Keeping it short is a good idea! You got this, Paige!!!
I was thinking of going with the Feisty Facilitator, feisty definitely describes me. Is that too much or too difficult to remember?
If you like it, I say go for it! Just make sure it suits the kind of clients you want to attract. You got this!!!
Hi y’all! I was thinking of the name Lattes & Laptops with Professional Virtual Assitance as the tag line underneath it. What do y’all think of it?
That’s a cute name! As long as YOU are happy with it and it suits the kind of client you want to attract, that is what matters most!!!
Hi Abbey,
Thanks for the blog and video. I have found it helpful.
I’m starting out my VA company and I have been struggling with names
I was thinking to use my initials-PS. The virtual assistant (has been taken), Pheeb’’s assistance, your creative assistant, we have got you, creative helper, savvy pheeb’.s
Thinking of starting a VA business and the name is definitely holding me back. I’m thinking JT Consulting. But, I’m worried that consulting and virtual assistance can cause a little scope creep. Do you think I should be more specific?
This is a great question, Jasmine. Naming a business can be a hurdle for many folks but don’t let it be the thing that keeps you from signing clients. Add a tagline to your biz name if you’d like to be more clear about what consulting means. Also, you can always change the name later if necessary. If you’d like to learn more about branding your VA business (including naming) check out http://www.SavvySystem.com! Good luck! -Team TVS