Hi all

It all started when I was wanting to get a tshirt printed with my details on it (I also work for a company who has me wear their tshirt with their company details)
I wanted to be Mrs Twister - but that one is already covered.

So my question is really, how do you go about choosing a performing name that is both unique and lets people know what you do (and of course, is memorable)

Is this the million dollar question?

Thanks heaps
Lisa

First step is to find something that won't show up any other twisters doing a web search, both to make you easier to find, and also to make a higher chance you can get a website easily if you wish.

Using a local word or language that is recognisable by locals but not in other countries often cuts down the hits.

Or go with a theme for costumes to combine with a name, you have a lot of rainbow style equipment, so science it up a bit to make it original and then add the twisting afterwards...

hmm.... Mrs Prism and her Rainbow Balloons

Mrs Kalaidoscope has a nice a ring to it, is fancy enogh, and has the child connotations to it...

Or even go with a phrase or nouned phrase rather than a usual name...

Elisabeths' Technicolour Air-Circus"   or  "Airborne Dreams" Trapped just for you...


Dunno, none it may suit, but the more words you put in, the less you will bump into others and the easier it is to remember if it is a sentence.  Just my 2 cents...

Chesterful balloons, Chester Full of Balloons, Chester the jester
Chester in the UK is a furniture unit so this may not translate?

Lisaloons

Round the twist, just seemed to sum me up!

Thanks for those ideas.  Still not sure need to do some more thinking.

Quote from: "Snurb"Round the twist, just seemed to sum me up!

- I mis-read this one - thought you were saying I was 'round the twist'!  
(which may or may not be true  :lol: )

Lisa

I'm the same as Snurb in that Loony Balloony seemed to sum me and what I do up quite nicely.  However, it is becoming a popular name and I wish I had bought up a few more domains!  I am seriously looking into becoming a Ltd company to protect my business name but suspect it will be cost prohibitive for me just yet.

This is an interesting topic - I'm intrigued to know how 'Snurb', 'Phoenix', 'Smiggle', 'Balloons and Tunes' and of course  'Loony Balloony' came about...  I'm sure there's more  

My imagination extended as far as my name...

-- (a rather pathetic) Neil

Snurb is my husbands nic name. He is dyslexic so his friends took his surname muddled it up and the name stuck!

Balloons and Tunes is easy to answer...

We had 2 sides to our business with 2 names

The Sound Machine Roadshow ( a family disco/roadshow)
The disco in that name had run full time since 1990 and for many years before off and on since 1967 as a hobby and community venture and had one time been known as Pauls disco and then developed into its own full time business and moved into childrens entertainment, which still fitted with that name.

The Balloonatics (a balloon decor company) which had started in 1996.

by 1998 the balloon side of the business had gone from nothing to 80% of the business trade and was being strangled from growing by me still working full time. So after some money (not a lot) being left to me by my parents deaths I left my job and became a partner in the business in April 1999.

We then changed our vehicles from one large van and a car to 2 Citreon belingos and wanted them signwritten...but with what name?

We did not want to put the word Disco on them as it suggested Speakers maybe inside and at the time car boots had large bass bins added to the sound systems and the name Balloonatics was being over used by everyone.... We also found we did not know how to answer the Phone.... Both companies advertised the same number, but when it rang you did not know which company the caller was calling... so we sat and 'brain stormed' and came up with the name Balloons and Tunes.......... simple

Only thing was both sides grew so as one company we quickly got into a position where we had to go VAT registered, but both sides so often where part of the same booking if we had had a tax inspection they would have said it was one company anyway... We then earned less on private bookings but the corporates starting then booking more, so its swings and roundabouts

Which is why when people say I am starting something new and looking for a name for it I say think how you are going to answer the phone....especially if you are already doing some thing else and advertising the same number

Pam
xx

Good reasoning Pam and as you know I did the same.  I started out just face painting and chose the name The Face Factory but within 6 months of starting I had overcome my fear of balloons and started to learn how to twist.  I very quickly learnt that it was better to be know as a twister that also face paints rather than a painter who twists so decided to set up a different website and after asking on here and another forum I use decided upon Loony Balloony.

After about a year of operating under both names I decided like Pam that it was silly to have 2 names for exactly the same reasons and try as I might I couldn't think of a name that covered the twisting, fp and the décor so opted to keep Loony Balloony.  I like it because people remember it, they may not be able to spell it but they certainly remember it.

I don't know if you have the exact same legal system as Australia (geography and such like are not my areas of expertise!) as I know there you have to register your business name and are not allowed the same as anyone else's.  As others have said though it is not a good idea to have the same name as too many others as it creates confusion, you also need to check if the domain name is free or else you either have to have a convoluted domain name or no website at all!

Quote from: "YvonneH"I don't know if you have the exact same legal system as Australia (geography and such like are not my areas of expertise!) as I know there you have to register your business name and are not allowed the same as anyone else's.  As others have said though it is not a good idea to have the same name as too many others as it creates confusion, you also need to check if the domain name is free or else you either have to have a convoluted domain name or no website at all!

Some great ideas thanks everyone.  Thanks Yvonne - I hadn't thought of the legal side of it.  

Quote from: "YvonneH"within 6 months of starting I had overcome my fear of balloons and started to learn how to twist

Wow! Snap!  I am another twister who had a fear of balloons, though I overcame mine by needing to do them (plain party balloons) for kids parties.
I still jump when a balloon pops close to me when I am at a jam and really tired though  :oops:

Well... I'm a real dumb head. I envisioned wearing overalls with pockets all over them in various colors. I would have all my balloons in the pockets. Hence my clown name of Pockets the Clown. I hated the overalls. The kids would pick my pockets and well... it was just a disaster.

All my cards and adverising was already made

Hope you're all smarter than this blonde.

Hugs

Patricia