What’s in a Name? How to Get Ideas for Your Etsy Shop Name
Selling on Etsy is a great way to dip your toes in ecommerce or expand your ever-growing online business.
Since launching in 2005, the online marketplace has helped makers, creators, curators, and artists all over the world start and grow their businesses. And the COVID-19 pandemic has fueled some amazing growth for Etsy. It boasts over 5 million sellers and 90 million active buyers, a 50% increase year-over-year from 2020.
But to capitalize on all the opportunity has to offer, you first have to find the perfect Etsy shop name. And with a growing number of sellers, it’s getting tougher and more important to stand out.
Table of contents
- Why choosing the right Etsy shop name is important
- How to choose your Etsy shop name
- Examples of Etsy shop names
- Launch your Etsy shop with Shopify
Why choosing the right Etsy shop name is important
Choosing the right business name is so important, especially for new brands. You want to strike the perfect balance between memorable, unique, and descriptive, all while capturing the essence of your brand identity. The perfect business name is:
- Short and simple
- Creative
- Original
- Available online
The same applies for Etsy-based business names.
And for sellers who are adding Etsy as an additional channel to a pre-existing online business, choosing the right Etsy name is important because you want to somehow connect it to your parent brand.
Your Etsy shop name is one way people will search for your brand on the marketplace, so you want to stand out enough so you’ll show up at the top of searches but also be familiar enough for people to easily remember.
How to choose your Etsy shop name
It’s first helpful to think about what Etsy requires in a name:
- No more than 20 characters
- No spaces
- No punctuation
Next, think about how your Etsy shop name will look and where it will be used. Your URLs will be the following:
- https://www.etsy.com/shop/shopname
- shopname.etsy.com
And your Etsy shop name will show up at the top of your Etsy shop page just beneath your main banner image, as you can see this example from JewelleryGBShop:
So it’s important to choose something easy to pronounce, spell, and remember in all of these contexts. That’s also why it’s a good idea to capitalize the first letter of each word—to help shoppers differentiate between the words in your Etsy shop name. This tactic also helps with accessibility. While the example above could’ve used “jewellerygbshop” as their Etsy store name, “JewelleryGBShop” is easier to read and understand.
Learn more: Need some fresh ideas? Try Shopify’s free business name generator to inspire some of your own.
How to adapt your brand existing name for Etsy
Maybe you’re not new to selling online and you already have an ecommerce business with an established name and brand identity. Expanding your business to sell on Etsy as an additional channel is a great way to diversify your revenue streams and reach a new audience. Here are some ideas on how to modify your existing brand name for an Etsy shop name:
- Add an action word in front: Words like “buy,” “shop,” and “get” could work well at the beginning of the name. Ethical outdoor brand United By Blue might list on Etsy as BuyUnitedByBlue or GetUnitedByBlue.
- Drop a word: For brands with multiple words in their name, you might be able to afford to lose one. If Partake Foods were to launch on Etsy and its name is already claimed, they could do Partake, for example.
- Replace a word: Some words may be interchangeable. Likewise, Partake Foods could do PartakeTreats or PartakeSnacks.
- Add a descriptor: This idea works especially well for vague or unfamiliar brand names. Allbirds might open on Etsy as AllbirdsShoes or AllbirdsSneakers, for example.
- Use store-inspired words: Words like “shop” and “store” can go at the end of your name to signify it as a destination. Adored Vintage could open on Etsy as AdoredVintageShop or even AdoredVintageShoppe (the latter is 19 characters, just under Etsy’s 20-character limit).
Next, do a bit of research to see what comes up when people search for your Etsy shop name. First conduct a search on Google for the name in general and see what comes up. Then do a site search via Google—type “[your name idea] site:etsy.com” into Google to search only on the Etsy website. Then do a Google search for “[your name idea] etsy” and finally do a search on the Etsy website using their on-site search function.
Look for existing businesses with your Etsy shop name—if there’s another online business with the same name, you need to start brainstorming again. However, if there’s a different use of your proposed name—say, a band or event—you may be able to coexist.
Investigate their digital presence further to see what you’re up against, including SEO, social, and brand awareness:
- What comes up when you conduct a search on Google for your Etsy shop name? Are several sites already competing for the top spot? If so, you’ll have a harder time winning organic traffic.
- Do search results show lots of intent for something other than your Etsy shop idea? The less pre-existing intent there is for the word or phrase, the more opportunity for you.
If all looks clear there, check for social media handles and domain names if you haven’t already claimed those. As a final step of due diligence, check for any registered trademarks with your name idea.
Tip: If your name is already taken on Etsy, you might also consider listing your business on Etsy alternatives to maintain your brand equity.
What to do when your Etsy shop name is taken
You might find your Etsy shop name idea or existing brand name is already taken by someone else. According to Etsy, you can dispute this if you have intellectual property rights for your shop name. They recommend reaching out to the shop owner directly to request they change their name. If that’s unsuccessful, you can file a notice of intellectual property infringement with Etsy.
You’ll still have to wait for Etsy to review the notice. So regardless of whether you have any legal rights or claims, you’ll need to find an alternative name if someone else already has yours.
Note that you’re not permanently stuck with the Etsy shop name you launch with. Etsy allows sellers to change their store name—an unlimited number of times pre-launch but only five name changes after your shop opens to the public. If you want to change your name more than that, you’ll need to reach out to the Etsy support team and request an official review of your name change request.
When you change your name, you keep all your reviews, but your SEO may be impacted. Your new store name may no longer be associated with your previous URL, since your URL is dictated by your store name. However, if you don’t get much or any traffic from Google yet, there isn’t much risk to changing your name—search engines will simply reassess your page and rebuild trust over time.
Examples of Etsy shop names
The following examples of Etsy shop names for merchants who sell on the marketplace and via their own website can inspire ideas for your own.
Old World Kitchen
Etsy shop name: OldWorldKitchenUSA
Old World Kitchen launched its business on Etsy before expanding to its own Shopify site. Because “Old World” typically implies Europe, they added “USA” to the end to differentiate their store and appeal to consumers interested in American-made products.
After they grew in popularity and launched their own website—Old World Kitchen by Polder’s Old World Market—they dropped the “USA” at the end. Now they rely on their messaging to convey “Made in USA” benefit.
If you’re just starting out, appending a single word to your Etsy shop name may help communicate a core value or differentiator quickly.
HaldeCraft
Etsy shop name: haldecraft
Like Old World Kitchen, HaldeCraft also launched as an Etsy-only business when Lorena Haldeman opened her shop in 2010. The handcrafted ceramics brand has since grown and evolved into its own brand, with a dedicated Shopify storefront where she sells directly to customers. HaldeCraft is a perfect example of an Etsy seller turned independent online business with a unique name that transferred seamlessly.
Brooklyn Candle Studio
Etsy shop name: brooklyncandlestudio
Brooklyn Candle Studio is another Shopify merchant and Etsy seller that has chosen to prioritize their owned online sales channels. Like HaldeCraft, Brooklyn Candle Studio got its start on Etsy before opening a Shopify store to capitalize on growth opportunities.
If your business is committed to a particular area—or you want to appeal to consumers who like to buy locally—featuring your city, state, or region in your brand name can put that message front and center.
Floral Neverland
Etsy shop name: FloralNeverland
Floral Neverland founder Olivia Wang got her start on Etsy—before she even graduated from college. She named her Etsy shop FloralNeverland, capping the first letter of each word to make it more readable and accessible.
Post-graduation, she decided to turn her side gig into a serious business, and the Floral Neverland (with a space) Shopify site bloomed. Now, she sells on both Etsy and Shopify.
Conquest Maps
Etsy shop name: ConquestMaps
Conquest Maps also uses initial capping to help with accessibility and readability for their Etsy shop name. Rather than opening as Conquestmaps or conquestmaps, it launched on Etsy as ConquestMaps. The brand sells unique maps for travelers to keep in their homes as decor and pin the places they’ve been. The name “Conquest Maps” reflects such.
Sell with Etsy, grow with Shopify
Etsy is a great place to start selling online or expand your existing business. But it has its limitations, especially when it comes to communicating with and marketing to your audience.
That’s why it’s important to use Etsy as a part of your multi-channel ecommerce strategy. When you sell on Etsy with Shopify, you own the customer experience. Plus, you can bypass listing fees and categorize your products the way you want to.
While Etsy is a valuable channel for new and established entrepreneurs alike, Shopify is how you can take your business to the next level.