KATHMANDU, Sept 3: When naming your company, you aim for a name that speaks about your product and translates your vision. You also want it to be different and memorable so that it lingers in your customers' thoughts long after you've done business with them.
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There are different businesses around town with some really distinctive or eccentric names. We spoke to a few entrepreneurs to get them to share what was on their minds when they christened their businesses.
AttshEstablished in 1999, Attsh is synonymous with quality T-shirts having a great local feel to it. With its full name being quite a mouthful—Art Transfer T-shirt House—the four brothers who started the businesses decided to go with 'Attsh.' One of the brothers, Unesh Jung Shahi says that while their old customers know what Attsh stands for, they still get queries regarding the name. Around two years ago, their Canadian friend suggested a name change and even did a small survey himself. But he found out that people are familiar with the name 'Attsh' and came to the conclusion that it probably wouldn't work out with a new name.
Bliss by Sakil Kunwar
Bliss by Sakil Kunwar is situated in Durbar Marg. "My work gives me happiness. I'm in a state of bliss whenever I'm working and I wanted that to be reflected in my business," says ace makeup artist turned entrepreneur Sakil Kunwar. The word 'bliss' is easy and memorable. Even children can easily remember the name. But the word also being very common, Kunwar added his name to give it an extra push among his clients.
Bajeko Sekuwa
This 37 year old restaurant is known as the ultimate place to find the best authentic Nepali food. The story behind the name is as delightful as its food. Years ago, it started off as a small roadside shop without a name or identity. The owner was often referred to as Baje with respect. Soon the routine customers grew so fond of the food; they referred to it as, 'Bajeko Sekuwa'. The name spread like wildfire and as the shop gained popularity, the owner decided to expand and officially name it 'Bajeko Sekuwa'.
I Kalu Meat Center
That famous meat shop in New Baneshwar with that strange name usually makes us wonder at the meaning behind the name. But there's no story in the name except for the fact that the proprietor Balu Balaram Khadgi wanted something that was unique and would start people thinking. He says, "People usually assume it's because of my dark complexion that I named my business I Kalu Meat Center. But that's not the case. I come from a business background and I know the importance of having a striking name that will leave an impactful impression on customers." And the name I Kalu definitely does that!
Yalamaya Dhokaima Café
A renowned meeting point, Dhokaima Cafe is known for its light snack and refreshing drinks. Due to its location, the owner thought it suitable to name it after the famous Patan Dhoka. However the term 'Yalamaya' is the derived form of the Newari word 'yala' which means Patan and hence became a part of the name.
NepBay
Did you also do a double take when you first came across NepBay? We're sure the American e-commerce company came to your mind immediately. Rajuram Nepal, CEO of NepBay, admits that eBay was a huge inspiration when his company was just starting in 2006. "At that time, eBay was a big thing and we wanted to build a company that was similar to it. So we thought why not start a company that is like eBay for Nepal. Consequently, NepBay was the name we settled on."
Now nine years later, the people behind the company often ask themselves why they ever thought about the name in the first place. "But we know that our customers are used to the name. And customers are always right. As soon as people hear of NepBay, they instantly connect it to eBay."
The name for the mobile messaging app comes from the term 'What's Up'. As stated in their website, WhatsApp is a pun on What's Up.
The name is an amalgamation of two words 'Instant' and 'Telegram.' The story is that the founders liked that old cameras advertised themselves as 'instant' cameras, and they also felt that photos were like telegrams sent as messages. Hence, Instagram!
Apple
Steve Jobs was on a fruitarian diet and had just returned from an apple farm which directly inspired him to name his company 'Apple.' According to his biography 'Steve Jobs', he thought the name sounded 'fun, spirited and not intimidating.'
Alibaba
The majority of us heard about Alibaba, the Chinese e-commerce company, just last year when it opened its shares to the public. The name is taken from the story 'Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves.' Jack Ma, founder of the Alibaba Group, decided on the name in 2006 while he was in San Francisco. He is said to have asked a number of people from different countries whether they knew about Ali Baba. When they replied positively, he felt inspired enough to name his company after the legendary character.
Maybelline
The American cosmetics company is named after the founder Tom Lyle Williams' older sister Mabel. Tom saw Mabel applying a homemade makeup recipe to her eyelashes and he adapted the formula naming it Maybelline.
