Naming a business, like naming a child, rarely comes from falling in love with the “perfect” word—it’s about choosing something strong enough to grow into, protect, and eventually hold value beyond you.
The Name Game: Part 3
A three-part series on why names matter… and why they don’t.
When the Perfect List Falls Apart
When we named our daughter, I had to make a big compromise.
From the time I was a girl, I already had my list. Three perfect girl names, picked out like treasures I’d been saving. I loved them all equally, and I thought: any one of these will do.
Then I ran them by my husband.
Gabby? Nope—he dated one, and it didn’t turn out well (obviously).
Tabitha? Out—the big bully from high school.
Abigail? Taken, by our close friends’ toddler.
And just like that, my three treasures were gone.
So I went back to the drawing board. I picked and pitched new names, and one by one, they got crossed out. By the time we finally landed on a name, it was the hundredth contender. Not my favourite. Not even in the top ten. But it was the name we could both live with.
And that’s how our daughter was named.
Did I love it? No. But I loved her. And that made the name not just good enough—but perfect, in the way a name only becomes perfect once it belongs to someone you can’t imagine without it.
Naming My Firm Felt the Same
This is exactly how it felt naming my law firm.
I wanted a name I could adore. Something with spark. Something that rolled off the tongue and carried its own poetry. But here’s the problem: I’m also a trademark lawyer.
I know what a name has to hold. It has to be distinctive, protectable, and—ideally—able to accumulate value. It can’t just be cute. It can’t just be personal. It has to stand up in a trademark search and in a valuation meeting one day down the road.
So, after running through name after name after name, I landed on the one that checked the boxes.
🥁 Drumroll, please. 🥁
✨💫 Zābo Law Professional Corporation 💫✨
Why Zābo
It’s spelled with a long “a”. (Like the “ay” in ‘say’)—Zā-bo. It mirrors the way my husband’s family has pronounced our last name for over a century. Controversially, I might add.
But more importantly, it’s a clean word. Distinctive. Trademarkable. No other business—especially not in law—has claimed it. Which means I get to define it.
Starbucks was once just an obscure literary character. Now it means: “meet me for coffee.” Zābo is my chance to do the same thing—to imbue a word with meaning until it belongs not just to me, but to the clients, colleagues, and community that gather around it.
The Real Reason I Chose It
A name is more than a label. It’s an asset.
When you run a service business, your value doesn’t just live in your elbow grease or your billable hours—that’s just a job.
Real business value lives in:
The goodwill of your name
Your systems (especially if they’re proprietary)
Your contracts and recurring clients
Your intellectual property
Combine those, and you have something that doesn’t just rely on you. You have something that could one day be sold, passed on, or scaled.
That’s what I’m building. A business that carries value beyond me. A name that can be protected, defended, and eventually transferred.
Good Enough to Grow
The truth? I don’t love my last name. But I love my husband’s family. I don’t love that I’ve spent half my life apologizing for it. But I do love what I can build out of it.
So I chose a name that may not feel like poetry, but it feels like possibility.
Zābo Law is simple. It’s very distinct. It’s whimsical, even a little. And it’s mine to define.
Sometimes the “hundredth” name is the one that matters most. Not because it’s perfect. But because it can grow.
P.S. My absolute teenage dream was to have triplet girls named Tabby, Abby and Gabby. Aren't you glad I wasn’t a teen mom? 😆
P.P.S. This is the final in a series of three posts about naming a business. You can read about why I think your name doesn’t matter here, and a trademark lawyer’s advice for business names here.
P.P.P.S. If you’re trying to figure out a good name, try this with AI 🤖
Act as a brand strategist and trademark lawyer. Help me brainstorm 10 potential names for my business that are:
1. Distinctive (not generic or descriptive)
2. Easy to pronounce and spell
3. Trademarkable (unique enough to protect legally)
4. Flexible enough to grow with my business
Ask me 5 clarifying questions first about my business, audience, and long-term goals. Then give me the list. For each name, briefly explain why it works.
This prompt is for educational purposes only and is not legal advice. For guidance on trademark strategy or protecting your business name, consult a qualified lawyer.