Shakespeare once said, “What’s in a name?” Cute line. Terrible business advice.

Because when it comes to coaching, your business name is either your first marketing win… or your first marketing mistake.

The Vanity Trap: Naming It After Yourself

Too many coaches name their practice after themselves. “Jane Smith Coaching and Consulting.” “Bob Anderson Coaching.”

That’s not a brand. That’s a vanity plate. It screams to people "this is my side gig" or "this is my hobby."

Here’s what really happens:

• Every client insists on working with you personally. Scaling? Forget it.

• Your SEO, articles, and every Google search point only to your name. No one on your team will ever book a client without you.

• You become the product. Which means you become the bottleneck.

One coach we worked with did exactly this. Every lead said, “I want to work with her.” Flattering, yes. Profitable, no. She had built a business cage with her own name on the bars.

Why a Real Business Name Works

A good business name is a marketing asset. It should tell the market what you solve before you even open your mouth.

Think about my company, Accountability Now. No one has to ask, “What do you do?” They know. It’s built right into the name.

Compare that to “Jane Smith Coaching.” Which one is more likely to stick in a stranger’s head?

Your business name should be a billboard, not a diary entry.

Avoid Word Salad and Jargon Soup

Please, stop naming your practice something that sounds like it came out of a random “life coach buzzword generator.”

Examples:

• “Growth Path Coaching”

• “Elevate Mindset Solutions”

• “Empowerment Strategies Group”

These names all sound fine. They also sound like 500 other coaches. If a prospect has to squint at your name to figure out what you actually do, you’ve already lost them.

Can You Still Name It After Yourself?

Of course you can. No one is going to arrest you for calling it “Jane Doe Coaching and Consutling.”

But ask yourself this: why make things harder than they already are?

The coaching industry is already crowded. Are you really so determined, so stubborn, that you want to build your business in the hardest way possible? Naming it after yourself is like running a marathon in flip-flops. Sure, you can. But you will bleed before you win.

So yes, you can name it after yourself. But if your goal is to grow, scale, and stand out, why start the race by tying your own shoelaces together?

The 4 Rules of a Great Coaching Business Name

1. Solve, don’t describe. Your name should hint at the result. (“The Career Reset Lab” beats “John Smith Coaching.”)

2. Be memorable. If it can’t be remembered after hearing it once, it’s trash.

3. Detach from your identity. Build a business that survives even when you take a vacation.

4. Always secure the URL. If the dot-com isn’t available, pick another name. A name you can’t own online is a name you don’t own at all.

What To Do Right Now If You Don't Have a Practice Name

• Write down 10 company names you admire. Notice how simple and clear they are.

• Brainstorm names based on your client’s problem, not your favorite word.

• Test it on strangers. If they “get it” without you explaining, it works.

And once you have it, buy the URL immediately. Nothing kills momentum faster than falling in love with a name and then realizing some yoga retreat in Oregon already owns the domain.

Your Final Takeaway

If your business is named after you, be honest about what that means. You’re not building a brand. You’re building a personal project. Nothing wrong with that if you want to stay small.

But if you want to scale, hire a team, or build something that grows without you chained to every client call, your name won’t cut it.

Your business name is the first sales conversation you’ll ever have. Treat it like the marketing asset it is.