how do you write company names in an essay

How to Reference Company Names in Papers

How to Quote Lists in MLA Format

When writing a paper for a high school course, a college class or for your job, there are certain rules you must follow. Most students are generally familiar with these rules, however, questions may still arise. For example, before referencing a company name in a paper, you'll want to first ask yourself if you're using the appropriate writing style. Once you have that covered, you will know how to reference a company's name correctly according to that style, as to avoid plagiarism or harming the company's reputation.

Which Writing Style Do I Use?

Generally, if you're talking about issues in the business world, then APA style is the way to go. APA style stands for the "American Psychology Association" and is a style of writing used typically for business or social sciences.

There will be instances where you're using a different writing style because your paper has nothing to do with corporations. Though, it's likely you may still have to mention the name of a company or organization at some point in the paper.

There are several writing styles that have specific rules when referring to the name of a company. AP Style, which stands for "Associated Press" is a writing style used by journalists. MLA stands for "Modern Language Association" and is typically used in the liberal arts and humanities fields, while AMA "American Medical Association" involves medical writing. AP style may refer to a company that's currently making headlines, MLA may refer to a company when talking about a publisher, and AMA may refer to a pharmaceutical company mentioned in a medical journal.

Referencing a Company in APA Style

To reference a company's name in APA style, you can simply input the name of the company within the paper. For instance, if you're citing a quote, example or statistic from IBM, then in your paper, you can say, "according to IBM" or whatever company it is you're mentioning. You can also use a parenthetical citation. For instance, you can write a quote or statistic, then reference the company inside the parenthesis, such as (IBM 2017).

Referencing a Company in Other Formats

There will be instances when you're not writing in APA style, but you'll still need to reference a company's name. The name of the company should always be how it is in the original text, and how you cite the name of that company, such as parenthetically, in the footnotes or a casual mention, depends on the writing style.

For instance, in AP style, it's okay to mention the name of the company within the text, and you don't need to write out the entire name on each mention. So, if you're writing about United Airlines, it's okay to say "United," but you should mention the full name at least once.

In MLA format, however, you must use the full name of the company at all times, unless it's always abbreviated, for example, WWF. And you must also eliminate business abbreviations such as Inc. and Corp., unless you are referring to a university press, then you can write "UP." For example, instead of writing "Princeton University Press" you can simply write "Princeton UP."

Acronyms and Capitalizations

Unless otherwise mentioned, acronyms and capitalizations are generally treated the same across the board, no matter which format of writing you use. When referencing a company, only use an acronym if the company refers to itself in that way, such as NASA. Otherwise, you must write out the entire name.

When capitalizing the name of a company, only do so if the name of the company has capital letters that are individually pronounced, such as"UFC." This is especially true in AP style. So, if the company itself generally capitalizes their entire name, such as IKEA, you should actually write it as "Ikea." However, if the name is GoPro, then copy the unique capitalization exactly as is.

As far as abbreviations go when referencing a company, some styles require them, some say to omit and some say to edit. For instance, MLA requires writers to omit abbreviations like "Ltd." whereas AMA style requires writers to keep it, but take away the period at the end. It's always important to double check this information before referencing a company in your paper.

When to Avoid Mentioning a Company

If all of this sounds too confusing, then you can try to avoid mentioning the company whenever possible. For instance, if there is a company spokesperson or a publication you can use that has the same information, then reference that instead. If your only option is to reference the company, then just be sure to always use the most credible source and to cite the name correctly.

Related Articles

How to Do In-Text Citations in a Research Paper

How to Write High School Research Papers

What if I Don't Have a Page Number in an MLA In-Text Citation?

How to Paraphrase in APA Format

How to Reference a Person With a PhD

How to Write a Source Card for an Internet Source

How to Use Writepoint Grammar Corrections

How to Choose a Humanities Paper Topic

• OWL English Purdue: MLA Abbreviations
• AMA Manual of Style: Business Firms
• Writing Explained: AP Style
• Capitalize “the” at the beginning of the name only if it is part of the company's name, as in The Walt Disney Company.
• Lowercase short prepositions that are part of the company name, such as “and.”
• Include the word “company” only if it is part of the name.

Hana LaRock is a freelance content writer from New York, currently living in Mexico. Before becoming a writer, Hana worked as a teacher for several years in the U.S. and around the world. She has her teaching certification in Elementary Education and Special Education, as well as a TESOL certification. Please visit her website, www.hanalarockwriting.com, to learn more.

Are Company Names Italicized? (APA, AP, MLA, and Chicago)

Knowing how to write company names in an essay can be tricky because of the different rules and formats of formal English writing. This page looks at how to quote a company name in formal writing in the four principal styles.

Are Company Names Italicized?

If you are writing a company name in formal writing or in a letter, you should not use italics or quotation marks for APA, MLA, Chicago or AP styles. Furthermore, the company should be capitalized in the same way it appears in the company’s marketing, such as “eBay”.

The different style guides follow the same rule regarding company names in a paper, which states that they should not be placed in italics or quotation marks. When referring to companies in-text, you should simply write the company as it is typically written.

Here are some examples of how to quote a company in-text:

• Microsoft and IBM were great rivals during the 1980s.
• He was offered a job at PricewaterhouseCoopers, but he turned it down because he wanted to start his own business.
• Faber Maunsell is one of Europe’s most prestigious engineering companies.

Are Company Names Quoted?

If you wish to mention a company name in an essay or text that follows AP, APA, MLA, or Chicago styles, it is not necessary to use quotation marks to mention the company .

This guidance doesn’t vary between the styles, and they all require that company names are written as they appear on the company website with no modifications or punctuation.

Here are some examples of company names mentioned in a sentence:

• Shell and ExxonMobil posted record profits last year despite rising prices for consumers.
• The streaming giant Netflix has reported losing over 10,000 subscribers each month.
• Electric car manufacturer Tesla is consistently voted one of the best places to work by employers.

Are Company Names Italicized in APA Style?

If you wish to mention a company name in APA Style, it is unnecessary to use italics.

Also, the company name should be written exactly how it is officially written, even if it contains a mixture of capitals and lowercase letters. Furthermore, if the company name includes “Inc” or “Plc” or “Ltd”, these should be omitted from any in-text citation in APA Style.

Here are some examples of how a company name looks in an APA text:

• Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple, died in 2011 of pancreatic cancer.
• Berkshire Hathaway is the investment company of Warren Buffet.
• CVS Health is one of the largest health care providers in the US and was founded in 1963.

Are Company Names Italicized in AP Style?

AP Style is used by press and media organizations to publish news stories. When referring to company names in AP Style, the name is not in italics.

Furthermore, you should mention the complete company name, including “Inc” or “Ltd”, at least once in the article, particularly if the article is directly about or related to the company in question.

Here are some examples of how to insert a company into an AP Style document:

• The headquarters of The Coca-Cola Co. is based in Atlanta, Georgia, and they employ over 700,000 people worldwide. Furthermore, Coca-Cola was formed over a century ago and continues to expand.
• Apple Inc. is the first company many people think of when you mention smartphones. However, sales of Apple devices have declined steadily in the last year , and Samsung Electronics Co Ltd has sold more phones in the previous twelve months.

Are Company Names Italicized in Chicago Style?

In Chicago Style, it is unnecessary to use italics for any part of a company name, and it should just be written as it appears in its complete form . Also, it is unnecessary to include terms like “Inc” or “Plc” unless they are directly related to the theme.

Here are some examples of how company names look in Chicago Style:

• Marks & Spencer has been a firm favourite with British shoppers since the late 19 th century.
• The banking giant JPMorgan Chase was one of the largest benefactors of government aid during the economic crisis of 2009.

Are Company Names Italicized in MLA Style?

When citing company names in MLA Style, it is not necessary to use italics for any part of the company. You should also omit any abbreviations such as “Plc”, “Ltd”, or “Inc” unless they are relevant to the subject of which you are writing.

Here are some examples of how company names look in MLA format:

• Unilever is the company with the highest market cap on the FTSE 100.
• There is tremendous competition in the electric car market, with Tesla, BMW, and Volkswagen all competing for market share.

Final Thoughts

When citing a company name in a piece of writing, you do not need to use italics for APA, AP, MLA, or Chicago styles. Furthermore, you should write the company name with the same combination of lower and uppercase characters that appear in the official version of the name.

Martin holds a Master’s degree in Finance and International Business. He has six years of experience in professional communication with clients, executives, and colleagues. Furthermore, he has teaching experience from Aarhus University. Martin has been featured as an expert in communication and teaching on Forbes and Shopify. Read more about Martin here .

• Are Band Names Italicized? (APA, AP, MLA, and Chicago)
• Are Video Game Titles Italicized? (APA, AP, and Chicago)
• Are Podcast Titles Italicized? (APA, AP, MLA, and Chicago)
• Are Magazine Titles Italicized? (APA, AP, and Chicago)

AP Style Company Names

Home » AP Style » AP Style Company Names

For a company’s formal name, consult the national stock exchanges,

• The New York Stock Exchange

See below for a list of 125 major U.S. companies and 75 major non-U.S. companies.

According to AP Style you do not use a comma before “Inc.” or “Ltd.,” even if it is included in the formal name.

You must include the full company name somewhere in the story. This ensures the story will be among the search results on major websites.

The formal name need not be used on first reference. For example, “Costco” is acceptable for “Costco Wholesale Corp.,” but it should contain the full name somewhere in the body of any story in which the subject matter could affect a company’s business. For example, include the corporate name in a story on an earnings report or in a story on a plane crash that could affect the airline’s stock price. However, the corporate name might be irrelevant in a story about a political candidate’s appearance at a local retail store.

When the full corporate name is NOT in the story, it should be included in a self-contained paragraph separated from the bottom of the story by a dash. For example,

• —United Airlines is a unit of United Continental Holdings Inc.
• —Disney’s full corporate name is The Walt Disney Co.

If more than one company is listed, each should be in a self-contained paragraph below the dash.

Generally, follow the spelling and capitalization preferred by the company. For example, “eBay.” But capitalize the first letter if it begins a sentence.

Do not use all-capital-letter names unless the letters are individually pronounced. For example, “BMW.” Other should be uppercase and lowercase. For example,

• Ikea, not IKEA
• USA Today, not USA TODAY

Do not use symbols such as exclamation points, plus signs, or asterisks that form contrived spelling that might distract or confuse a reader. For example,

• Yahoo, not Yahoo!
• Toys R Us, not Toys “R” Us
• E-Trade, not E*Trade

Use an ampersand only if it is part of the company’s formal name but not otherwise in place of “and.”

Use “the” lowercase unless it is part of the company’s formal name.

Below is a list of 125 major U.S. Companies, listed alphabetically with ticker symbols and headquarters.

• 3M Co. (MMM) St. Paul, Minn.
• Abbott Laboratories (ABT) Abbot Park, Ill.
• Aetna Inc. (AET) Hartford, Conn.
• Alcoa Inc. (AA) Pittsburgh
• Allstate Corp. (ALL) Northbrook, Ill.
• Altria Corp. (MO) Richmond, Va.
• Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN) Seattle
• American Express Co. (AXP) New York
• American International Group Inc. (AIG) New York
• Amgen Inc. (AMGN) Thousand Oaks, Calif.
• Anadarko Petroleum Corp. (APC) The Woodlands, Texas
• Apple Inc. (AAPL) Cupertino, Calif.
• AT&T Inc. (T) Dallas
• Bank of America Corp. (BAC) Charlotte, N.C.
• Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK.A) Omaha, Neb.
• Best Buy Co. Inc. (BBY) Richfield, Minn.
• Biogen Idec Inc. (BIIB) Weston, Mass.
• Boeing Co. (BA) Chicago
• Bristol-Meyers Squibb Co. (BMY) New York
• Carnival Corp. (CCL) Miami
• Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) Peoria, Ill.
• CBS Corp. (CBS) New York
• Chevron Corp. (CVX) San Ramon, Calif.
• Cisco Systems Inc. (CSCO) San Jose, Calif.
• Citigroup Inc. (C) New York
• Coca-Cola Co. (KO) Atlanta
• Colgate-Palmolive Co. (CL) New York
• Comcast Corp. (CMCSA) Philadelphia
• ConAgra Foods Inc. (CAG) Omaha, Neb.
• ConocoPhillips (COP) Houston
• Costco Wholesale Corp. (COST) Issaquah, Wash.
• CVS Caremark Corp. (CVS) Woonsocket, R.I.
• DirecTV Group Inc. (DTV) El Segundo, Calif.
• Deere & Co. (DE) Moline, Ill.
• Delta Air Lines Inc. (DAL) Atlanta
• Dow Chemical Co. (DOW) Midland, Mich.
• Duke Energy Corp. (DUK) Charlotte, N.C.
• DuPont Co. (DD) Wilmington, Del.
• eBay Inc. (EBAY) San Jose, Calif.
• Eli Lilly & Co. (LLY) Indianapolis
• EMC Corp. (EMC) Hopkinton, Mass.
• Exelon Corp. (EXC) Chicago
• Express Scripts Holding Co. (ESRX) St. Louis
• Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM) Irving, Texas
• FedEx Corp. (FDX) Memphis, Tenn.
• Ford Motor Co. (F) Dearborn, Mich.
• Gap Inc. (GPS) San Francisco
• General Dynamics Corp. (GD) Falls Church, Va.
• General Electric Co. (GE) Fairfield, Conn.
• General Mills Inc. (GIS) Minneapolis
• General Motors Co. (GM) Detroit
• Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (GS) New York
• Google Inc. (GOOG) Mountain View, Calif.
• Halliburton Co. (HAL) Houston
• Hewlett-Packard Co. (HPQ) Palo Alto, Calif.
• Home Depot Inc. (HD) Atlanta
• Honeywell International Inc. (HON) Morristown, N.J.
• Intel Corp. (INTC) Santa Clara, Calif.
• International Business Machines Corp. (IBM) Armonk, N.Y.
• J.C. Penney & Co. (JCP) Plano, Texas
• Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) New Brunswick, N.J.
• JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) New York
• Kellogg Co. (K) Battle Creek, Mich.
• Kimberly-Clark Corp (KMB) Irving, Texas
• Kraft Food Group Inc. (KRFT) Northfield, Ill.
• Kroger Co., The (KR) Cincinnati, Ohio
• Lockheed Martin Corp. (LMT) Bethesda, Md.
• Lowe’s Cos. (LOW) Mooresville, N.C.
• Macy’s Inc. (M) Cincinnati
• Marathon Oil Corp. (MRO) Houston
• MasterCard Inc. (MA) Purchase, N.Y.
• McDonald’s Corp. (MCD) Oak Brook, Ill.
• McKesson Corp. (MCK) San Francisco
• Medtronic Inc. (MDT) Minneapolis
• Merck & Co. (MRK) Whitehouse Station, N.Y.
• MetLife Inc. (MET) New York
• Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) Redmond Wash.
• Mondelez International Inc. (MDLZ) Deerfield, Ill.
• Monsanto Co. (MON) St. Louis
• Morgan Stanley (MS) New York
• News Corp. (NWSA) New York
• Nike Inc. (NKE) Beaverton, Ore.
• Norfolk Southern Corp. (NSC) Norfolk, Va.
• Northrop Grumman Corp. (NOC) Falls Church, Va.
• Occidental Petroleum Corp. (OXY) Los Angeles
• Oracle Corp. (ORCL) Redwood City, Calif.
• PepsiCo. Inc. (PEP) Purchase, N.Y.
• Pfizer Inc. (PFE) New York
• Phillips 66 (PSX) Houston
• PNC Financial Services Group Inc. (PNS) Pittsburgh
• Procter & Gamble Co. (PG) Cincinnati
• Prudential Financial Inc. (PRU) Newark, N.J.
• Qualcomm Inc. (QCOM) San Diego
• Raytheon Co. (RTN) Waltham, Mass.
• Schlumberger Ltd. (SLB) Houston
• Sears Holdings Corp. (SHLD) Hoffman Estates, Ill.
• Simon Property Group Inc. (SPG) Indianapolis
• Southwest Airlines Co. (LUV) Dallas
• Sprint Nextel Corp. (S) Reston, Va.
• Starbucks Corp. (SBUX) Seattle
• Staples Inc. (SPLS) Framingham, Mass.
• Target Corp. (TGT) Minneapolis
• Texas Instruments Inc. (TXN) Dallas
• Time Warner Inc. (TWX) New York
• Travelers Cos. (TRV) St. Paul, Minn.
• Tyson Foods Inc. (TSN) Springdale, Ark.
• Union Pacific Corp. (UNP) Omaha, Neb.
• United Continental Holdings Inc. (UAL) Chicago
• UnitedHealth Group Inc. (UNH) Minnetonka, Minn.
• United Parcel Service Inc. (UPS) Atlanta
• United States Steel Corp. (X) Pittsburgh
• United Technologies Corp. (UTX) Hartford, Conn.
• US Bancorp (USB) Minneapolis
• Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) New York
• Viacom Inc. (VIA) New York
• Visa Inc. (V) Foster City, Calif.
• Walgreen Co. (WAG) Deerfield, Ill.
• Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT) Bentonville, Ark.
• Walt Disney Co., The (DIS) Burbank, Calif.
• WellPoint Inc. (WLP) Indianapolis
• Walls Fargo & Co. (WFC) San Francisco
• Whole Foods Market Inc. (WFM) Austin, Texas
• Whirlpool Corp. (WHR) Benton Harbor, Mich.
• Xerox Corp. (XRX) Norwalk, Conn.
• Yahoo Inc. (YHOO) Sunnyvale, Calif.

The following is a list of 75 major non-U.S. companies also listed alphabetically with headquarters.

• Allianz SE, Munich
• America Movil SAB de CV, Mexico City
• Anheuser-Busch InBev, Leuven, Belgium
• ArcelorMittal, Luxembourg
• AstraZeneca PLC, London
• Baidu Inc., Beijing
• Banco Santander SA, Madrid
• Bank of China Ltd., Beijing
• Barclays PLC, London
• Barrick Gold Corp., Toronto
• Bayer AG, Leverkusen, Germany
• BHP Billiton Ltd., Melbourne, Australia
• BMW Group, Munich
• BP PLC, London
• Carrefour SA, Boulonge Billancort, France
• China Construction Bank Corp., Beijing
• China Mobile Ltd., Beijing
• China Petroleum & Chemical Corp. or Sinopec, Beijing
• CNOOC Ltd., Beijing
• Credit Suisse Group AG, Zurich
• Daimler AG, Stuttgart, Germany
• Deutsche Bank AG, Frankfurt
• Deutsche Telekom AG, Bonn, Germany
• Diageo PLC, London
• Electricite de France, SA, Paris
• ELF Aquitaine Group, Paris
• Eni SpA, Rome
• E.ON AG, Dusseldorf, Germany
• European Aeronautic Defence &Space Co., Leiden, Netherlands
• France Telecom, Paris
• OAO Gazprom, Moscow
• GlaxoSmithKline PLC, London
• Hennes & Mauritz AB, Stockholm, Sweden
• Honda Motor Co., Tokyo
• HSBC Holdings PLC, London
• Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Ltd., Beijing
• ING Groep NV, Amsterdam
• L’Oreal SA, Paris
• LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton, Paris
• Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc., Tokyo
• Nestle SA, Vevey, Switzerland
• Nintendo Co., Kyoto, Japan
• Nippon Telegraph & Telephone Corp., Tokyo
• Nokia Corp., Espoo, Finland
• Novartis AG, Basel, Switzerland
• Novo Nordisk A/S, Bagsvaerd, Denmark
• PetroChina Ltd., Beijing
• Petroleo Brasileiro, Rio de Janeiro
• Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd., New Delhi
• Reliance Industries Ltd., Mumbai, India
• Rio Tinto Group, London
• Roche Holding AG, Basel, Switzerland
• Royal Dutch Shell PLC, The Hague, Netherlands
• SABMiller PLC, London
• Samsung Electronics Co. Seoul, South Korea
• Sanofi, Paris
• SAP AG, Walldorf, Germany
• Siemens AG, Munich
• Societe Generale Group, Paris
• Sony Corp., Tokyo
• Tata Group, Mumbai, India
• Telefonica, SA, Madrid
• Tesco PLC, Hertfordshire, UK
• Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., Petach Tikvah, Israel
• ThyssenKrupp, Essen, Germany
• Total SA, Paris
• Toyota Motor Corp., Toyota City, Japan
• UBS AG, Zurich
• Unilever NV, London and Rotterdam, Netherlands
• Vale, SA, Paris
• Vodafone Group PLC, Newbury, UK
• Volkswagen AG, Wolfsburg, Germany
• Xstrata PLC, Zug, Switzerland

Leave a Comment

You must be logged in to post a comment.

GrammarMill

How To Include AP Style Company Names in Your Writing

If you are like me and tend to do a lot of blogging throughout the week, you probably mention a well-known company or two in your content. It is imperative that when you write any piece – particularly if it is for a specific company – that you get these names right. For instance, is “inc” capitalized? Is there a comma before “LLC”? While it often may seem that AP Stylebook guidelines can be difficult to learn, AP style company names are quite simple if you keep a few things in mind.

Rules for Writing Company Names in AP Style

Below you’ll find a list of things to consider when writing company names:

Include the Company’s Full Name

Use the company’s full name somewhere in the article, especially if the article’s subject matter could affect the company’s business. Doing so also helps search engines find your content. The full name is not required if the company name is irrelevant to the story, and you don’t have to use the formal name on first reference.

Consider Costco Wholesale Corp. as an example. It’s appropriate to refer to the company as Costco , but you’ll want to use Costco Wholesale Corp. if you’re writing an earnings report or a story that could influence the company’s stock price.

Drop the Comma

Have you ever wondered if there is a comma before LLC in AP style? Or if there is a comma after “inc” in a sentence? Well, if the company name is followed by Inc. , Ltd. or LLC , do not include a comma before it, even if it is included in the formal name elsewhere.

• Schlumberger Ltd.

Don’t Forget the ‘The’

Be sure to include “The” if it is part of the formal company name.

Company Name Examples:

• The Coca-Cola Co.
• The Gap Inc.

If “The” is not included in the formal company name, keep it lowercase unless it is the first word in the sentence.

• Pittsburgh is home of the United States Steel Corp. headquarters.

If you are unsure what the full name of a company is, you can consult the New York Stock Exchange, Nasdaq, or any filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Use Proper Spelling and Capitalization in Company Names

You should generally use the company’s preferred spelling of its name, but for corporate news or press releases, you can simply use the legal name filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Remember to capitalize the first letter of a company name even if it uses a lowercase one initially. For example, Adidas and Lululemon both tend to use a lowercase letter at the beginning of their names, but when referring to those companies in a piece of content, you would capitalize the first letter per AP style company names guidelines.

An exception to this capitalization rule is any company that begins with a lowercase letter but includes a capital letter elsewhere in the name, such as eBay . However, you should always capitalize company names when they appear at the beginning of a sentence.

• Ebay was originally named AuctionWeb.
• A broken laser pointer was the first item sold on eBay.

Likewise, if a company tends to use all capital letters in its name, you would not use all capitals. Instead, capitalize just the first letter followed by lowercase letters.

• Asus rather than ASUS
• Ikea rather than IKEA
• USA Today rather than USA TODAY

The only time it is appropriate to use all capital letters in a company name is if the letters are individually pronounced, as in BMW . Remember to brush up on your AP acronym rules while you are at it.

Do You Italicize Company Names?

No. Capitalization of company names is correct, but no italicizing or underlining is needed.

Avoid Symbols

Even if a company’s name typically includes symbols such as asterisks, exclamation points or plus signs, do not use these when following AP Stylebook , because they could distract or confuse readers. Take these company names for example:

• E-Trade rather than E*Trade
• Toys R Us rather than Toys “R” Us
• Yahoo rather than Yahoo!

Include Ampersands

When it comes to ampersands (&), you should use one only if it is included in the formal name of the company. Otherwise, use “and.”

• AT&T Inc.
• Eli Lilly and Co.

Examples of AP Style Company Names

Below you’ll find a list of the formal names of some major U.S companies :

Below you’ll find a list of the formal names of some major non-U.S companies :

AP Style Company Names: Conclusion

It may seem like there is a lot to remember with AP style company names, but if you keep these tips in mind, mentioning them in your content should be easy. What simple tips do you have for remembering how to write company names in AP style? Share them in the comments!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

How should I style brand names?

Note: This post relates to content in the eighth edition of the MLA Handbook . For up-to-date guidance, see the ninth edition of the MLA Handbook .

The styling of brand names depends on whether they are trademarked. Always check the dictionary, which lists many brand names.

Trademarked brand names are capitalized but not italicized:

Band-Aid Kleenex Xerox

Note, however, that the dictionary may specify that a trademarked brand name, like Xerox, is lowercased when used as a verb:

I xeroxed the report for my supervisor.

When the dictionary indicates that a brand name (e.g., Dumpster, Windbreaker) has entered the language as a common noun, it is styled lowercase without italics:

We discarded the items in the dumpster. When traveling to Chicago, I always pack a windbreaker.

How to Write a Business Essay: an Ultimate Guide

Table of Contents

Writing an essay can be boring. A lot of essays are basically the same thing over and over again. You write an introduction, then you write your supporting paragraphs, and then you create a conclusion. Overall, the process is not a lot of fun, and you can often feel as though you are simply going through the motions for the sake of churning out extra work. But since you have to write an essay, it’s worth considering the many ways that you can make the process faster and easier. In this ultimate guide, we’ll discuss the best way to write a business essay so you can get through the process faster and with relatively little trouble.

It might seem obvious, but the first thing you need to do when you write an essay is to read the essay question. You need to be sure you understand each part of the essay question and how the parts of the question work together. You would be surprised how many students only glance at the question and then write a paper that only partially addresses the assignment. You don’t want to lose points because part of your paper isn’t on topic. If you find any parts of the paper that you don’t understand or that require explanation, be sure to contact your instructor for clarification before you start writing.

Read the essay rubric

These days, most essays have a grading rubric included with the question. A grading rubric is like a cheat sheet for writing your essay. When you review the essay rubric, you’ll see exactly how your instructor will grade your paper and what your instructor will be looking for. When you write your paper, you will therefore know exactly what to include and how to write about it in order to maximize your points—and you’ll also see what you can spend less time on because it won’t contribute to your overall grade.

Make friends with your library

Many students automatically turn to search engines like Google in order to research their papers, but this is not the most effective way to find high-quality business sources for your paper. Instead, take advantage of your library’s databases. Your college or university library will likely have dedicated business databases that collect high-quality academic articles on business topics. Using these resources in your paper will make your essay stronger and more effective, and it will put your paper on a solid academic footing.

Compile your sources before you write

Many students use the start-and-stop method to write their papers, composing a sentence or two and then stopping to look up more information in order to keep going. This, however, is an inefficient way to work. A better way is to read through your research sources before you start and copy into a separate file a series of quotations and facts that you might use in your paper, creating in-text citations and reference list entries for each before you start. Doing so will make sure that you don’t have to stop for research and have a ready bank of pre-cited material to work with as you write.

Outline before you write

Outlining is an important skill that will both save you time and improve the quality of your essay. Take time before you write to lay out your paper from beginning to end. Start with your thesis statement and carefully lay out the body paragraphs with a topic sentence, supporting details (including research, quotes, and citations ), and a closing paragraph . Plan your transitions to link paragraphs together. Any amount of outlining can be helpful, but the more effort that you put into outlining at this stage, the easier it will be to write your paper, and the less likely it will be that you get stuck in a tangent that goes nowhere or meander into a point that requires you to change your thesis and revise you whole essay.

Remember to revise and proofread

When you finish the draft of your paper, you aren’t done yet. The first draft is rarely the finished product. You should always set aside time to read your work back and to make revisions to make it clearer. You also need to carefully proofread for mechanical grammar, punctuation, and syntax issues to ensure that your paper is as close to perfect as possible. You don’t want to leave points on the table because your paper had easy to fix minor spelling or grammar errors.

Consider professional writing help

Another great way to get your paper done quickly is to seek out custom professional help from an essay writing service with academic experts. An online writing company such as this can create business papers for college students and deliver them fast. When you utilize professional writing assistance, you can receive a custom-written essay that can serve as a great model to help you understand how a professional would approach your business topic and organize and develop an essay to address your assignment. Using a model such as this can save you time and effort as you work on your own paper, allowing you to focus on the learning process more than the mechanics of academic essay writing.

Join the thousands who have sharpened their business writing skills with our award winning courses.

Copyright © 2024 Businesswritingblog.com.

How to Write a Company/ Business Name in an Essay

You must adhere to specific guidelines when writing a paper for a high school class, a college degree, or a career job. Although most learners are sufficiently familiar with these guidelines, concerns may still exist.

Some guidelines are either complex or unknown. For instance, how do you write a company name in a document?

Remember, a strong brand name is crucial to building a solid business brand identity. Therefore, there is a need to represent the brand name correctly when writing a paper.

However, it might be challenging for authors, especially when the name defies accepted English conventions.

This article guides you on how to write a company/business name in an essay. Keep scrolling and acquire this crucial knowledge to help you compose excellent papers.

How to Write a Company Name in an Essay

Generally, the APA style should be the formatting style to use when discussing topics in the business sphere. Essays relating to business and social sciences are the ones that employ the APA format the most.

Here, there are two approaches you can use in the APA-styled document to reference a company/business. They include:

• Simply Writing the Name

You can use their name when citing the company’s study findings or spokespersons’ statements. For illustration, use “According to NBC…” Writing the complete name of the business in the essay is not essential; however, you may use the full name on the References page or in additional notes.

• Employing Parentheses

You can add the business name in parentheses after the reference. This is if it is a long name or if you wish to include a citation without the “According to/As to/etc.”

Usually, it is liberal arts and humanities field essays that employ the Modern Language Association (MLA) style.

You must always use the company’s full name in MLA formatting style unless it is consistently abbreviated, as in the case of IBM. You should also get rid of corporate abbreviations like Inc. and Corp.

Also see: Can the title of an essay be a question? 

This is unless you are alluding to a university press, in which case you can use “UP.” For instance, you may put “Princeton UP” instead of “Princeton University Press.”

Newspapers, journals, and mainstream books published commercially follow the Chicago referencing style. However, this formatting style is preferred for writing essays in humanities, business, and the fine arts, especially at the graduate level.

You should write the company name precisely as the business does. However, as long as the structure of the brand name is still easily recognizable, it’s acceptable to make minor formatting adjustments.

Treat the organization as a “corporate author” when referencing in Harvard style. It indicates that you may employ the company’s name rather than a specific author.

This might apply to businesses, institutions, and state agencies. Incorporate them in the references and citations just as you would an individual author.

When citing a company for the first time, use the full name first, then the common acronym in square parentheses. However, when you have to cite corporate numerous times, you can use an acronym or an abbreviation.

You could make multiple references to the same document or cite writings from the same organization from previous years.

Are Company Names Italicized in Essays?

For APA, MLA, Chicago, or AP formatting styles, you should use something other than italics when writing a business name in official writing or a letter.

Business and brand names are not italicized, whether the name is actual or fictitious. You can only employ the italic formatting for the names or titles of magazines, newspapers, publications, albums, etc., but never for company names.

You should capitalize the organization’s name in the same way it appears in the advertisements for the company, for example, “eBay,” “Facebook,’’ or “Pepsi.” Remember, people already know the names of restaurants, businesses, brands, firms, social media networks, etc.

Therefore, there is no need to italicize their names. To recognize the named entity in the context, simply use capital letters.

Are Company Names Capitalized?

Regardless of your writing style, capitalizations are typically treated uniformly unless otherwise specified.

The name of a firm should only be capitalized if it has capital letters that can be pronounced independently, like “IBM.” This is remarkably accurate for the AP style.

Therefore, for a company name like IKEA, you should write it as “Ikea” if the business itself usually capitalizes the entirety of its name. If the company name is GoPro or LinkedIn, on the other hand, duplicate the distinctive capitalization precisely as it is.

Remember, before incorporating a brand name, be sure you follow the rules of the writing style you use. Find the organization’s full face on the internet, then follow the instructions in your APA, MLA, Chicago, or another style handbook.

Should Company Names be in Quotes?

Similar to italicizing company names, for APA, MLA, Chicago, or AP formatting styles, you shouldn’t use quotation marks when writing a business name in any form of official writing.

Therefore, no quotation marks or underlining are used around brand names. Except when the name is included in quotation marks by the brand itself, you should represent them as regular proper nouns.

Chapter titles, magazines and newspaper articles, poetry, and short tales are a few examples of places in a piece where quotation marks are appropriate.

Rarely, but only when quoting a word or phrase previously used by others can quotation marks be employed to emphasize individual words. As a result, neither single nor double quotations should be employed to denote a company’s name.

How Do You Punctuate a Company Name?

Punctuation is increasingly appearing in company names. This is because it is getting harder and harder for new enterprises and brands to come up with distinctive names. Therefore, when referencing brand names in an essay, present their punctuations correctly. Remember, properly punctuating an organization’s name demonstrates respect for the brand.

If an agency or business term contains a legal designation like “Company,” “Limited,” or “Incorporated,” you should abbreviate that part of the name. Place a period after the acronym and avoid using commas before it.

However, when discussing in a non-formal setting something that won’t have an impact on the organization’s operations, avoid using the abbreviated legal name of the entity.

On the first mention, always capitalize the full name of a government entity and never shorten it. Abbreviations and informal names are acceptable for the second reference, though.

This article has comprehensively explored how to write a company/business name in an essay. Remember, it is vital as a writer, whether for an academic or professional paper, to follow the formatting guidelines as best as possible.

Utilize the information above to grow your writing skills and write better papers, especially when they demand mentioning a company or organization.

• How to Cite
• Language & Lit
• Rhyme & Rhythm
• The Rewrite
• Search Glass

How to Cite Company Names in Papers

Citing the source of information in a paper, whether an academic paper or business paper, is critical. Credible sources lend legitimacy and weight to a paper. Citations also protect both writer and subject: The cited resource receives credit for an idea, for research or for remarks, and writers avoid plagiarizing when they are careful to cite research, remarks and ideas.

Use APA (American Psychological Association) style if you are writing the paper for business purposes or for a business course. The APA style is most often recommended for the social sciences and business. If you are not absolutely sure which style to use, ask your supervisor or instructor.

There are several other commonly used styles. For example, MLA (Modern Languages Association) style is most often used in the arts and humanities. AMA (American Medical Association) style is used in medicine and the biological sciences. The Turabian style is used in all subjects, but most often only in college-level papers, and the Chicago style is used by commercial publications, such as newspapers, magazines and mainstream books.

Avoid citing a company if you can cite a company spokesperson or publication instead. The more specific a citation is, the more credible it is. Use a general company citation only when you cannot do otherwise.

Treat the citation the same way you would if you were citing an organization. Mention it in the text and in the end notes. You will need to mention the year and from where the source came.

In the text of your paper, you can write: "According to a 2003 Acme Foods brochure, kids love macaroni and cheese."

Or, you can write: "Kids love macaroni and cheese (Acme Foods, 2003)."

Make a more thorough entry in your end notes. You must lay out the information in the accepted manner, depending upon the source of the citation. Pay close attention to the order of information, punctuation and indentation for each.

For example, if a Power Point presentation was the source, the APA end note would look like this:

The exact layout for a citation from a book, webpage or magazine article will be slightly different in each case. For different types of sources, you must use a style book and copy the end-note layout exactly.

Need help with a citation? Try our citation generator .

• liu.edu: Citation Style for Research Papers

Cat Reynolds has written professionally since 1990. She has worked in academe (teaching and administration), real estate and has owned a private tutoring business. She is also a poet and recipient of the Discover/The Nation Award. Her work can be found in literary publications and on various blogs. Reynolds holds a Master of Arts in writing and literature from Purdue University.

Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

Welcome to the Purdue Online Writing Lab

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

The Online Writing Lab at Purdue University houses writing resources and instructional material, and we provide these as a free service of the Writing Lab at Purdue. Students, members of the community, and users worldwide will find information to assist with many writing projects. Teachers and trainers may use this material for in-class and out-of-class instruction.

The Purdue On-Campus Writing Lab and Purdue Online Writing Lab assist clients in their development as writers—no matter what their skill level—with on-campus consultations, online participation, and community engagement. The Purdue Writing Lab serves the Purdue, West Lafayette, campus and coordinates with local literacy initiatives. The Purdue OWL offers global support through online reference materials and services.

A Message From the Assistant Director of Content Development 

The Purdue OWL® is committed to supporting  students, instructors, and writers by offering a wide range of resources that are developed and revised with them in mind. To do this, the OWL team is always exploring possibilties for a better design, allowing accessibility and user experience to guide our process. As the OWL undergoes some changes, we welcome your feedback and suggestions by email at any time.

Please don't hesitate to contact us via our contact page  if you have any questions or comments.

All the best,

Social Media

Facebook twitter.

• High-impact business writing
• Effective email writing
• Bid, tender and sales-proposal writing
• Technical writing
• Writing for customer service

• Customer-service writing
• Effective report writing

      Blog

      How to write brand names

How to write brand names

Author : Cathy Dann

Posted : 20 / 05 / 12

Share this:

In many cases, the company itself will take a pragmatic approach. For example, Twitter spells its name with a lower-case t in its logo, but upper case in text. We do the same at Emphasis. But what do you do if the company consistently describes itself in non-standard English?

Take insurance companies MORE TH>N and LV=, retail consultancy him! or the supermarket ASDA, for example. If you’re writing about ASDA and you need to refer to ASDA several times in a paragraph, the block capitals in the word ASDA can soon appear to shout at the reader and drown out the rest of the text on the page (like they do here). So should you prioritise the brand’s preferences or the readability of your documents?

You need a house style

If you don’t already have a house style and you’re starting from scratch, there are two broad approaches you can take.

1. Write the brand name exactly as the company does. You may wish to do this if the company is a client or partner, or if they have expressed a strong preference for the format of their name and you don’t want to upset them. Also, as rules go, it’s certainly the simplest to follow.

2. Bring the brand name in line with standard English. If your priority is literacy and ease of reading, or if you found yourself wincing at the third paragraph of this article, you may wish to take this approach. It’s OK to make small changes to the format of the brand name, so long as it is still clearly recognisable.

If you decide to go with the second option, the rest of this article will take you through the areas you’ll need to consider. This may also be helpful if you already have a house style but it doesn’t tell you how to deal with the brand names mentioned above.

In each case, we’ve made a recommendation, but it is only that – you may decide differently.

Punctuation marks

Some brand names, such as Yahoo! Which? and him! include a punctuation mark, which can be problematic – and not only because Word automatically capitalises the following word, thinking that you must be starting a new sentence.

For a start, exclamation marks are generally frowned upon in formal writing, even when used correctly. So ending a sentence with ‘according to Yahoo!.’ looks doubly strange when combined with the extra punctuation. And an exclamation mark in the middle of a sentence, such as ‘Yahoo! has filed applications for two patents’, can feel disruptive.

Many publications (the Guardian , the Sunday Times , the BBC) choose to omit the exclamation mark and simply write Yahoo . Others (the Times , the Telegraph ) choose to retain it.

Verdict: Yahoo – it’s still instantly recognisable.

Even more difficult is him! , with its lower-cased h , which can leave writers wrangling with sentences such as: ‘The price-marked pack has been a source of confusion within the industry, according to him!.’ (Who is  ‘him’?, asks the reader.) For clarity, it’s necessary to add ‘retail consultancy’ before ‘him!’, but even then you’re still left with the awkward punctuation.

him! told us that their brand name should always be written with the exclamation mark, and ‘always be lower case even at the start of a sentence’ (like this sentence, for example, which we wrote in agony). However, they admitted that many publications refused to follow these guidelines.

Verdict: Him – him! is too confusing.

The consumer magazine Which? throws up similar questions. In fact, it sometimes throws up extra questions where you don’t want them. ‘This research was compiled by Which? ’, or ‘Which one performed best in the Which? test lab?’, for example.

Which? told us:  ‘Our policy is to always include the question mark. We haven’t produced any guidance for the press, instead relying on our own presentational material to set the example.  We would encourage anyone who’s tempted to end a sentence with the word Which? to rewrite their sentence.’

Strange though the question mark may be, lopping it off also causes problems.  ‘This research was compiled by   Which ’ and ‘Which one performed best in the   Which test lab?’ could be confusing, especially if your style is to write the names of publications without using italics.

Verdict: Which? – the question mark is vital to understanding the brand name.

Non-alphabet characters

There are certain non-alphabetical characters that don’t trouble the reader at all. For example, Marks & Spencer looks more natural than Marks and Spencer , as we are so used to seeing it in the high street and on TV. Even for a non-British readership, the ampersand is so widely used that it’s unlikely to jar.

The same can’t be said, however, for MORE TH>N or LV=, which are unsettling to the eye, not to mention a pain to type. A  MORE TH>N spokeswoman told us:  ‘MORE TH>N  should always be presented in this way and not re-formatted to More Than’,  but we think that’s asking quite a lot.

The Guardian ’s style guide takes a zero-tolerance approach to  MORE TH>N, reading simply  ‘More Than – not MORE TH>N, which is how the insurance arm of Royal & Sun Alliance styles itself’.

When it comes to LV=, however, most publications retain the  ‘equals’  sign, because the company name is pronounced   ‘  LV equals’  (whereas the > in  MORE TH>N is, thankfully, silent).

Verdict: Marks & Spencer, More Than, LV=.

Stop SHOUTING

There is a generally accepted rule for writing acronyms (a set of initials pronounced as a word) and initialisms (a set of initials pronounced as letters). Acronyms are written with the first letter capitalised, for example Unicef and Nasa, while initialisms are capitalised all the way through, for example IBM and BBC.

However, some companies would have us write their names all in capital letters, even if they don’t actually stand for anything. For example, ASDA (a portmanteau of As quith and Da iries), ASUS, GIGABYTE and UNISON, all of which are pronounced as words, not letters. Of course, they like this format because it makes them stand out. But unless you’re writing something with the aim of actively promoting that brand, there’s no reason why the brand name should stand out more than the other words in the document, which are equally important.

Verdict: Asda, Asus, Gigabyte and Unison. As a general rule, if you can pronounce it as a word, only capitalise the first letter. If you pronounce every letter, capitalise them all.

And then there’s Apple, with their fondness for putting a lower-case i in front of everything. However, iPad , iPod and iMac are now so widely recognised that to replace them with Ipad , Ipod and Imac would be pointlessly awkward.

Verdict: iPad, iPod, iMac – but try to avoid putting them at the start of a sentence.

When nouns become verbs

In 2006, Google tried to stop media organisations using their name as a verb . A spokesman said at the time: ‘We think it’s important to make the distinction between using the word Google to describe using Google to search the internet, and using the word Google to describe searching the internet. It has some serious trademark issues.’

However, like Hoover before them, Google have largely failed in their mission to prevent their name from being genericised. The use of ‘to google’ as a verb with a lower-cased g has caught on and even entered both the Oxford and Collins dictionaries.

Verdict: Google for the noun, google as a verb. But if you use a search engine other than Google, consider using ‘search the internet’ or ‘ do an internet search ’ .

Twitter are currently engaged in a smaller battle, over the word ‘tweet’, for which they acquired the trademark in October 2011 . Though they have never objected to a lower-case t being used for the verb ‘to tweet’, they do object to the noun being lower cased. Their guidelines state: ‘Please remember to capitalize the T in Twitter and Tweet!’ However, no one except Twitter itself actually does, and this certainly feels like a fight that has already been lost.

Verdict: Twitter, but tweet for both the verb and the noun.

Lastly, make sure you only use a trademarked brand name when you’re referring to something made by that brand. Do you mean Tetra Pak, or just generic cartons? Is it really a Portakabin, or is it a ‘portable cabin-style building’ (see this apology )? And if you do decide to tweak the style to make it more readable, make sure you retain the initial capital letter to signal that you’re referring to a brand rather than a generic noun (except, of course, in the case of a certain brand of products beginning with i ).

The Guardian ’s style guide sums it up nicely. ‘Take care: use a generic alternative unless there is a very good reason not to, eg ballpoint pen, not biro (unless it really is a Biro, in which case it takes a cap B); say photocopy rather than Xerox, etc; you will save our lawyers, and those of Portakabin and various other companies, a lot of time and trouble.’

Why not test your trademark awareness by taking our trademarks quiz ? There are 12 questions, and in each case you need to decide whether the word is currently trademarked, was once trademarked or has never been trademarked.

In conclusion

If it’s an easy life you’re after, and you can stomach block capitals and strange punctuation marks, the simplest rule is to go with what the brand itself does. But you’ll still need to decide whether to follow their logo or how they present their name in official documents, such as company reports, because these aren’t always the same (see Twitter, for example).

Or, if you’re feeling bold, why not make a stand for legibility and carve out a house style of your own?

Do you want to inform, inspire and persuade with your business documents? Our 64-page guide to professional writing, The Write Stuff , will help. Get your free copy here .

The definitive guide to transforming the writing of individuals and teams

Author: cathy dann.

Cathy is a certified word and editing expert, having worked as a sub-editor, editor and copywriter at, to name a few, the Guardian , The Sunday Times , The Telegraph , Which? and The Grocer .

Popular topics

Advice and tips (140)

Grammar (61)

Choose your words wisely (47)

Plain English (25)

Uncategorised (21)

60-second fix (21)

Language abuse (21)

Psychology and linguistics (19)

Reader-centred writing (16)

Online and social media (15)

Punctuation (15)

Technology (14)

News from Emphasis (13)

Spellings (13)

Jargon (12)

International issues (10)

Presentations and speeches (10)

Podcast (10)

Design and formatting (9)

Technical writing (9)

Courses for companies (8)

Report writing (8)

Letters and CVs (8)

Proofreading (7)

Quizzes (6)

Numbers and finance (6)

Graduates (6)

Customer relations (6)

Literacy and education (5)

Writing news stories (4)

Twitter (4)

Legal writing (4)

Wordplay (4)

Advertising (4)

Style guide (4)

Development of English (4)

Partners (3)

Editing (2)

Team leaders and managers (2)

Conferences and exhibitions (2)

Pitches and proposals (2)

PDF downloads (2)

Book reviews (1)

Writing for media (1)

webinars (1)

Learning and development (1)

Policies and procedures (1)

Internal communication (1)

Tutorial (1)

More topics

• Link to facebook
• Link to linkedin
• Link to twitter
• Link to youtube
• Writing Tips

A Quick Guide to Author Names in MLA Referencing

4-minute read

• 15th October 2020

The MLA Handbook is widely used in academic writing. And in this post, we’re going to look at how to write author names in MLA referencing . This will include both using names in the main text of your essay and in the Works Cited list, plus a few important variations.

Author Names in the Text in MLA

The first time you name someone in your work, MLA style suggests using their full name exactly as it appears in the work you’re discussing. After that, as long as its clear who you’re referring to, you can just use the surname:

The most famous modern pessimist was Arthur Schopenhauer . Born in Danzig on 22 February 1788, Schopenhauer was noted for his…

But there are two key exceptions! One is for individuals so famous that they’re identifiable by a surname alone. For instance, if you wanted to mention William Shakespeare in your writing, you could simply say “Shakespeare” since most readers will instantly know who you mean.

The other key exception is parenthetical citations. In this case, you only need to give the author’s surname in brackets, along with a page number:

This thought experiment was dubbed “Twin Earth” (Putnam 701).

And if a source has three or more authors, you should only give the first author’s name, followed by “et al.” (a Latin phrase meaning “and others”):

Harold Garfinkel et al. document this process in detail (133–38).

The process is documented in detail (Garfinkel et al. 133–38).

This helps to keep the main text in your essay clear and concise.

Author Names in the Works Cited List

When compiling your Works Cited list , you will need to include the names of the author(s) for every source you’ve cited in your work.

The main thing to remember when doing this is to give the names of the first author for each source surname first . This is so you can list sources alphabetically by author surname. For instance:

Garfinkel, Harold, et al. “The Work of a Discovering Science Construed with Materials from the Optically Discovered Pulsar.” Philosophy of the Social Sciences , vol. 11, no. 2, June 1981, pp. 131–58.

Putnam, Hilary. “Meaning and Reference.” The Journal of Philosophy , vol. 70, no. 19, Nov. 1973, pp. 699–711.

As shown above, you should use “et al.” for sources with three or more authors here, too. This ensures that the name you give in the Works Cited list matches the one you have used in the citations.

Find this useful?

Subscribe to our newsletter and get writing tips from our editors straight to your inbox.

Pseudonyms in MLA

If an author is best known for writing under a pseudonym (i.e., a pen name), you should use the pseudonym when discussing them. If a pseudonym is formatted like a regular name, you can use it in the same way (i.e., give it in full on the first use, then just use the surname subsequently):

Lewis Carroll is most famous for writing Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. However, Carroll also wrote a range of literary…

But non-traditional pseudonyms (e.g., Film Crit Hulk) should be given in the same form as shown in the source. For instance:

In his blog, Film Crit Hulk explains…

In addition, in the Works Cited list, you can give the author’s real name. You can see examples of entries for two pseudonymous works below:

Carroll, Lewis (Charles Dodgson). Alice in Wonderland . Wordsworth Editions, 2018.

Film Crit Hulk. “What We Talk About When We Talk About Female Filmmaking.” HULK BLOG! , 16 Mar. 2018, https://filmcrithulk.blog/2018/03/16/what-we-talk-about-when-we-talk-about-female-filmmaking/.

Finally, if an author has published work under a pseudonym and their own name, or two versions of their name, include a “see also” note:

Bachman, Richard (see also King, Stephen). The Long Walk . Signet Books, 1979.

King, Stephen (see also Bachman, Richard). The Dead Zone . Viking Press, 1979.

The key is to make sure your pseudonyms are clear! This applies both in the main text of your essay and in the Works Cited list, as shown above.

Titles and Suffixes

MLA style suggests leaving out titles and suffixes in names (e.g., you’d write “Samuel Johnson” rather than “Dr. Samuel Johnson” ). This applies both for the main text of your work and entries in the Works Cited list.

The one exception to this guideline is when a suffix is required to identify the person you mean. So, for example, if you were writing about country music dynasties, you would keep the “Jr” in Hank Williams Jr and the “III” in Hank Williams III to differentiate them from the original Hank Williams .

Expert MLA Proofreading

Hopefully, this has explained how to write author names in MLA referencing. But if you’d like any help with a document, our MLA experts are ready to proofread your work. Try our free trial service today to find out more.

Share this article:

Post A New Comment

Got content that needs a quick turnaround? Let us polish your work. Explore our editorial business services.

3-minute read

How to Insert a Text Box in a Google Doc

Google Docs is a powerful collaborative tool, and mastering its features can significantly enhance your...

2-minute read

How to Cite the CDC in APA

If you’re writing about health issues, you might need to reference the Centers for Disease...

5-minute read

Six Product Description Generator Tools for Your Product Copy

Introduction If you’re involved with ecommerce, you’re likely familiar with the often painstaking process of...

What Is a Content Editor?

Are you interested in learning more about the role of a content editor and the...

The Benefits of Using an Online Proofreading Service

Proofreading is important to ensure your writing is clear and concise for your readers. Whether...

6 Online AI Presentation Maker Tools

Creating presentations can be time-consuming and frustrating. Trying to construct a visually appealing and informative...

Make sure your writing is the best it can be with our expert English proofreading and editing.

How do I actually write the names of the article and the journal/magazine in my paper?

To write the name of a journal/magazine title in the body of your paper:

• The title of the journal should be in italics - Example:  Journal of the American Medical Association
• Capitalize all of the major words.

To write the the name of an article title in the body of your paper:

• The title of the article should be in quotation marks - E xample: "Tiger Woman on Wall Street"

For more information, please see the following pages on the APA Style Blog :

• Title Case Capitalization
• Use of Italics
• Use of Quotation Marks

Thank you for using ASK US.  For more information, please contact your Baker librarians .

• Last Updated May 05, 2023
• Views 538092
• Answered By Baker Librarians

FAQ Actions

• Share on Facebook

Comments (8)

• Do articles contain address? by Danny on Mar 20, 2017
• On the APA References page add Retrieved from and the website address at the end of the citation. See the APA Help page for examples-https://guides.baker.edu/apahelp by ASK US on Mar 20, 2017
• Is this information the same for scientific research journals and articles (still within APA)? by Haley on Apr 03, 2017
• Yes, it is. See the APA Help guide for examples. guides.baker.edu/apahelp by ASK US on Apr 03, 2017
• Do I have to put the name of the author of the article or website the article was from? by Hailee on May 01, 2017
• The answer given was for the body of your paper. Here's how to cite an article both on the References page and in-text: Author Last Name, First & Middle Initials. (Date). Title of article: Subtitle of article. Title of Source, Volume(Issue), Page numbers. Retrieved from... In-text: Paraphrase: (Author Last Name, Year). Quotation: (Author Last Name, Year, p. Page Number). by ASK US on May 02, 2017
• Do I put the title of essay in single quotation marks if I write in UK English (APA)? by joseph on Mar 25, 2019
• See the APA Style Blog's post on How to Capitalize and Format Reference Titles in APA Style: https://blog.apastyle.org/apastyle/2012/03/how-to-capitalize-and-format-reference-titles-in-apa-style.html by Patrick Mullane on Mar 25, 2019

We'll answer you within 3 hours M - F 8:00 am - 4:00 pm.

Get science-backed answers as you write with Paperpal's Research feature

How to Write an Essay Introduction (with Examples)   

The introduction of an essay plays a critical role in engaging the reader and providing contextual information about the topic. It sets the stage for the rest of the essay, establishes the tone and style, and motivates the reader to continue reading. 

Table of Contents

What is an essay introduction , what to include in an essay introduction, how to create an essay structure , step-by-step process for writing an essay introduction , how to write an introduction paragraph , how to write a hook for your essay , how to include background information , how to write a thesis statement .

• Argumentative Essay Introduction Example: 
• Expository Essay Introduction Example 

Literary Analysis Essay Introduction Example

Check and revise – checklist for essay introduction , key takeaways , frequently asked questions .

An introduction is the opening section of an essay, paper, or other written work. It introduces the topic and provides background information, context, and an overview of what the reader can expect from the rest of the work. 1 The key is to be concise and to the point, providing enough information to engage the reader without delving into excessive detail. 

The essay introduction is crucial as it sets the tone for the entire piece and provides the reader with a roadmap of what to expect. Here are key elements to include in your essay introduction: 

• Hook : Start with an attention-grabbing statement or question to engage the reader. This could be a surprising fact, a relevant quote, or a compelling anecdote. 
• Background information : Provide context and background information to help the reader understand the topic. This can include historical information, definitions of key terms, or an overview of the current state of affairs related to your topic. 
• Thesis statement : Clearly state your main argument or position on the topic. Your thesis should be concise and specific, providing a clear direction for your essay. 

Before we get into how to write an essay introduction, we need to know how it is structured. The structure of an essay is crucial for organizing your thoughts and presenting them clearly and logically. It is divided as follows: 2  

• Introduction:  The introduction should grab the reader’s attention with a hook, provide context, and include a thesis statement that presents the main argument or purpose of the essay.  
• Body:  The body should consist of focused paragraphs that support your thesis statement using evidence and analysis. Each paragraph should concentrate on a single central idea or argument and provide evidence, examples, or analysis to back it up.  
• Conclusion:  The conclusion should summarize the main points and restate the thesis differently. End with a final statement that leaves a lasting impression on the reader. Avoid new information or arguments. 

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to write an essay introduction: 

• Start with a Hook : Begin your introduction paragraph with an attention-grabbing statement, question, quote, or anecdote related to your topic. The hook should pique the reader’s interest and encourage them to continue reading. 
• Provide Background Information : This helps the reader understand the relevance and importance of the topic. 
• State Your Thesis Statement : The last sentence is the main argument or point of your essay. It should be clear, concise, and directly address the topic of your essay. 
• Preview the Main Points : This gives the reader an idea of what to expect and how you will support your thesis. 
• Keep it Concise and Clear : Avoid going into too much detail or including information not directly relevant to your topic. 
• Revise : Revise your introduction after you’ve written the rest of your essay to ensure it aligns with your final argument. 

Here’s an example of an essay introduction paragraph about the importance of education: 

Education is often viewed as a fundamental human right and a key social and economic development driver. As Nelson Mandela once famously said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” It is the key to unlocking a wide range of opportunities and benefits for individuals, societies, and nations. In today’s constantly evolving world, education has become even more critical. It has expanded beyond traditional classroom learning to include digital and remote learning, making education more accessible and convenient. This essay will delve into the importance of education in empowering individuals to achieve their dreams, improving societies by promoting social justice and equality, and driving economic growth by developing a skilled workforce and promoting innovation. 

This introduction paragraph example includes a hook (the quote by Nelson Mandela), provides some background information on education, and states the thesis statement (the importance of education). 

This is one of the key steps in how to write an essay introduction. Crafting a compelling hook is vital because it sets the tone for your entire essay and determines whether your readers will stay interested. A good hook draws the reader in and sets the stage for the rest of your essay.  

• Avoid Dry Fact : Instead of simply stating a bland fact, try to make it engaging and relevant to your topic. For example, if you’re writing about the benefits of exercise, you could start with a startling statistic like, “Did you know that regular exercise can increase your lifespan by up to seven years?” 
• Avoid Using a Dictionary Definition : While definitions can be informative, they’re not always the most captivating way to start an essay. Instead, try to use a quote, anecdote, or provocative question to pique the reader’s interest. For instance, if you’re writing about freedom, you could begin with a quote from a famous freedom fighter or philosopher. 
• Do Not Just State a Fact That the Reader Already Knows : This ties back to the first point—your hook should surprise or intrigue the reader. For Here’s an introduction paragraph example, if you’re writing about climate change, you could start with a thought-provoking statement like, “Despite overwhelming evidence, many people still refuse to believe in the reality of climate change.” 

Including background information in the introduction section of your essay is important to provide context and establish the relevance of your topic. When writing the background information, you can follow these steps: 

• Start with a General Statement:  Begin with a general statement about the topic and gradually narrow it down to your specific focus. For example, when discussing the impact of social media, you can begin by making a broad statement about social media and its widespread use in today’s society, as follows: “Social media has become an integral part of modern life, with billions of users worldwide.” 
• Define Key Terms : Define any key terms or concepts that may be unfamiliar to your readers but are essential for understanding your argument. 
• Provide Relevant Statistics:  Use statistics or facts to highlight the significance of the issue you’re discussing. For instance, “According to a report by Statista, the number of social media users is expected to reach 4.41 billion by 2025.” 
• Discuss the Evolution:  Mention previous research or studies that have been conducted on the topic, especially those that are relevant to your argument. Mention key milestones or developments that have shaped its current impact. You can also outline some of the major effects of social media. For example, you can briefly describe how social media has evolved, including positives such as increased connectivity and issues like cyberbullying and privacy concerns. 
• Transition to Your Thesis:  Use the background information to lead into your thesis statement, which should clearly state the main argument or purpose of your essay. For example, “Given its pervasive influence, it is crucial to examine the impact of social media on mental health.” 

A thesis statement is a concise summary of the main point or claim of an essay, research paper, or other type of academic writing. It appears near the end of the introduction. Here’s how to write a thesis statement: 

• Identify the topic:  Start by identifying the topic of your essay. For example, if your essay is about the importance of exercise for overall health, your topic is “exercise.” 
• State your position:  Next, state your position or claim about the topic. This is the main argument or point you want to make. For example, if you believe that regular exercise is crucial for maintaining good health, your position could be: “Regular exercise is essential for maintaining good health.” 
• Support your position:  Provide a brief overview of the reasons or evidence that support your position. These will be the main points of your essay. For example, if you’re writing an essay about the importance of exercise, you could mention the physical health benefits, mental health benefits, and the role of exercise in disease prevention. 
• Make it specific:  Ensure your thesis statement clearly states what you will discuss in your essay. For example, instead of saying, “Exercise is good for you,” you could say, “Regular exercise, including cardiovascular and strength training, can improve overall health and reduce the risk of chronic diseases.” 

Examples of essay introduction 

Here are examples of essay introductions for different types of essays: 

Argumentative Essay Introduction Example:  

Topic: Should the voting age be lowered to 16? 

“The question of whether the voting age should be lowered to 16 has sparked nationwide debate. While some argue that 16-year-olds lack the requisite maturity and knowledge to make informed decisions, others argue that doing so would imbue young people with agency and give them a voice in shaping their future.” 

Expository Essay Introduction Example  

Topic: The benefits of regular exercise 

“In today’s fast-paced world, the importance of regular exercise cannot be overstated. From improving physical health to boosting mental well-being, the benefits of exercise are numerous and far-reaching. This essay will examine the various advantages of regular exercise and provide tips on incorporating it into your daily routine.” 

Text: “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee 

“Harper Lee’s novel, ‘To Kill a Mockingbird,’ is a timeless classic that explores themes of racism, injustice, and morality in the American South. Through the eyes of young Scout Finch, the reader is taken on a journey that challenges societal norms and forces characters to confront their prejudices. This essay will analyze the novel’s use of symbolism, character development, and narrative structure to uncover its deeper meaning and relevance to contemporary society.” 

• Engaging and Relevant First Sentence : The opening sentence captures the reader’s attention and relates directly to the topic. 
• Background Information : Enough background information is introduced to provide context for the thesis statement. 
• Definition of Important Terms : Key terms or concepts that might be unfamiliar to the audience or are central to the argument are defined. 
• Clear Thesis Statement : The thesis statement presents the main point or argument of the essay. 
• Relevance to Main Body : Everything in the introduction directly relates to and sets up the discussion in the main body of the essay. 

Writing a strong introduction is crucial for setting the tone and context of your essay. Here are the key takeaways for how to write essay introduction: 3  

• Hook the Reader : Start with an engaging hook to grab the reader’s attention. This could be a compelling question, a surprising fact, a relevant quote, or an anecdote. 
• Provide Background : Give a brief overview of the topic, setting the context and stage for the discussion. 
• Thesis Statement : State your thesis, which is the main argument or point of your essay. It should be concise, clear, and specific. 
• Preview the Structure : Outline the main points or arguments to help the reader understand the organization of your essay. 
• Keep it Concise : Avoid including unnecessary details or information not directly related to your thesis. 
• Revise and Edit : Revise your introduction to ensure clarity, coherence, and relevance. Check for grammar and spelling errors. 
• Seek Feedback : Get feedback from peers or instructors to improve your introduction further. 

The purpose of an essay introduction is to give an overview of the topic, context, and main ideas of the essay. It is meant to engage the reader, establish the tone for the rest of the essay, and introduce the thesis statement or central argument.  

An essay introduction typically ranges from 5-10% of the total word count. For example, in a 1,000-word essay, the introduction would be roughly 50-100 words. However, the length can vary depending on the complexity of the topic and the overall length of the essay.

An essay introduction is critical in engaging the reader and providing contextual information about the topic. To ensure its effectiveness, consider incorporating these key elements: a compelling hook, background information, a clear thesis statement, an outline of the essay’s scope, a smooth transition to the body, and optional signposting sentences.  

The process of writing an essay introduction is not necessarily straightforward, but there are several strategies that can be employed to achieve this end. When experiencing difficulty initiating the process, consider the following techniques: begin with an anecdote, a quotation, an image, a question, or a startling fact to pique the reader’s interest. It may also be helpful to consider the five W’s of journalism: who, what, when, where, why, and how.   For instance, an anecdotal opening could be structured as follows: “As I ascended the stage, momentarily blinded by the intense lights, I could sense the weight of a hundred eyes upon me, anticipating my next move. The topic of discussion was climate change, a subject I was passionate about, and it was my first public speaking event. Little did I know , that pivotal moment would not only alter my perspective but also chart my life’s course.” 

Crafting a compelling thesis statement for your introduction paragraph is crucial to grab your reader’s attention. To achieve this, avoid using overused phrases such as “In this paper, I will write about” or “I will focus on” as they lack originality. Instead, strive to engage your reader by substantiating your stance or proposition with a “so what” clause. While writing your thesis statement, aim to be precise, succinct, and clear in conveying your main argument.  

To create an effective essay introduction, ensure it is clear, engaging, relevant, and contains a concise thesis statement. It should transition smoothly into the essay and be long enough to cover necessary points but not become overwhelming. Seek feedback from peers or instructors to assess its effectiveness. 

References  

• Cui, L. (2022). Unit 6 Essay Introduction.  Building Academic Writing Skills . 
• West, H., Malcolm, G., Keywood, S., & Hill, J. (2019). Writing a successful essay.  Journal of Geography in Higher Education ,  43 (4), 609-617. 
• Beavers, M. E., Thoune, D. L., & McBeth, M. (2023). Bibliographic Essay: Reading, Researching, Teaching, and Writing with Hooks: A Queer Literacy Sponsorship. College English, 85(3), 230-242. 

Paperpal is a comprehensive AI writing toolkit that helps students and researchers achieve 2x the writing in half the time. It leverages 21+ years of STM experience and insights from millions of research articles to provide in-depth academic writing, language editing, and submission readiness support to help you write better, faster.  

Get accurate academic translations, rewriting support, grammar checks, vocabulary suggestions, and generative AI assistance that delivers human precision at machine speed. Try for free or upgrade to Paperpal Prime starting at US$19 a month to access premium features, including consistency, plagiarism, and 30+ submission readiness checks to help you succeed.  

Experience the future of academic writing – Sign up to Paperpal and start writing for free!  

Related Reads:

• What is an Argumentative Essay? How to Write It (With Examples)
• How to Paraphrase Research Papers Effectively
• How to Cite Social Media Sources in Academic Writing? 
• How Long Should a Chapter Be?

Similarity Checks: The Author’s Guide to Plagiarism and Responsible Writing

Types of plagiarism and 6 tips to avoid it in your writing , you may also like, academic editing: how to self-edit academic text with..., 4 ways paperpal encourages responsible writing with ai, what are scholarly sources and where can you..., how to write a hypothesis types and examples , what is academic writing: tips for students, what is hedging in academic writing  , how to use ai to enhance your college..., how to use paperpal to generate emails &..., ai in education: it’s time to change the..., is it ethical to use ai-generated abstracts without....

• Skip to main content
• Skip to secondary menu
• Skip to primary sidebar
• Skip to footer

Erin Wright Writing

Writing-Related Software Tutorials

How to Write the Names of Ships and Boats

By Erin Wright

We’ll begin by looking at the guidelines for writing ship and boat names without abbreviations and then with abbreviations.

We’ll conclude with a discussion on whether we should use gendered or gender-neutral pronouns for ships and boats.

Ship and Boat Names without Abbreviations

Ship and boat names that don’t start with abbreviations are capitalized and italicized in their entirety. 2

Draken Harald Hårfagre is the world’s largest Viking ship currently sailing.

The criminals escaped on the stolen yacht, fatefully named Found Money .

Important Note: Those who follow The Associated Press Stylebook or the U.S. Navy Style Guide should see the Style Guide Alert at the bottom of this post for an alternative recommendation.

Ship and Boat Names with Abbreviations

Abbreviations before ship and boat names, such as USS (United States Ship), SS (steamship or sailing ship), or HMS (Her [or His] Majesty’s Ship), should not be italicized. However, the rest of the name should be capitalized and italicized. 3

The freighter SS Edmund Fitzgerald sank in Lake Superior in 1975.

Nancy Reagan christened USS Ronald Reagan in 2001.

The Wikipedia article “ Ship Prefixes ” offers an extensive list of additional watercraft abbreviations from around the world.

Periods don’t appear between the abbreviated letters. See “ How to Abbreviate United States ” for information on abbreviating the country’s name in general writing.

Important Note: Those who follow the U.S. Navy Style Guide should see the Style Guide Alert at the bottom of this post for information on using the word the before ship and boat names.

Pronouns for Ships and Boats

Historically, ships and boats have been referred to with female pronouns. 4 This writing style has fallen out of favor and, today, the gender-neutral pronoun it is recommended for all watercraft. 5

Despite this update, I encourage historical authors to research pronoun usage in the time period they are writing about because historically accurate pronouns in dialog can create and maintain authenticity.

Style Guide Alert

The Associated Press Stylebook (AP style) doesn’t recommend italicizing any words, including the names of boats or ships. 6

The U.S. Navy Style Guide , which follows most AP style recommendations, doesn’t recommend italicizing the names of ships or boats, either. 7 Government writers and editors should note that this conflicts with the U.S. Government Publishing Office Manual , which does recommend italics. 8

In addition, the U.S. Navy Style Guide says that the word the shouldn’t be used directly before abbreviations such as USS or HMS. 9

Further Reading: When Should You Capitalize Oceans, Mountains, Lakes, and Other Geographic Features?

1. Encyclopedia Britannica , s.v. “History of Ships,” https://www.britannica.com/technology/ship/History-of-ships .

2. The Chicago Manual of Style , 17th ed. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2017), 8.116; “How do I format the name of a ship in MLA style?” Ask the MLA, The MLA Style Center, https://style.mla.org/format-the-name-of-a-ship/ .

3. The Chicago Manual of Style , 17th ed. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2017), 8.116; “How do I format the name of a ship in MLA style?” Ask the MLA, The MLA Style Center, https://style.mla.org/format-the-name-of-a-ship/.

4. The Gregg Reference Manual, 11th ed. (New York: McGraw-Hill, 2011), 326.

5. The Associated Press Stylebook 2020–2022 (New York: Associated Press, 2020), 37; The Chicago Manual of Style , 17th ed. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2017), 8.116; “How do I format the name of a ship in MLA style?” Ask the MLA, The MLA Style Center, https://style.mla.org/format-the-name-of-a-ship/.

6. The Associated Press Stylebook 2020–2022 (New York: Associated Press, 2020), 37, 161.

7. U.S. Navy Style Guide , s.v. “ship names,” accessed November 14, 2018, https://www.navy.mil/submit/navyStyleGuide.pdf .

8. U.S. Government Publishing Office Style Manual (Washington, DC: U.S. Government Publishing Office, 2016), 11.6. https://www.govinfo.gov/gpo-style-manual .

9. U.S. Navy Style Guide , s.v. “ship names,” https://www.navy.mil/submit/navyStyleGuide.pdf.

• Microsoft Word Tutorials
• Adobe Acrobat Tutorials
• PowerPoint Tutorials
• Writing Tips
• Editing Tips
• Writing-Related Resources

More From Forbes

13 tips for naming your startup business.

• Share to Facebook
• Share to Twitter
• Share to Linkedin

By Richard D. Harroch

Brainstorm until you find a meaningful and memorable business name.

Finding the right name for your startup can have a significant impact on your success. The wrong name can do worse than fail to connect with customers, it can actually result in insurmountable business and legal hurdles. In contrast, a clear, powerful name for your startup business can be extremely helpful in your marketing and branding efforts.

Here are 13 helpful suggestions on how to come up with a winning name for your business:

1. Avoid hard-to-spell names

You don’t want potential customers getting confused about how to find your business online. (I never understood why “Flickr” was pushed as the name for the photo-sharing site.) You want to avoid having to continually correct the misspelled version of your name. Keep it simple. Customers are more likely to remember simple names that are easy to spell and easy to pronounce.

2. Don’t pick a name that could be limiting as your business grows

Picking too narrow of a name may cause you problems down the road. Imagine if Jeff Bezos had picked the name “OnlineBooks” instead of “Amazon.” So avoid names like “Wedding Dresses of San Francisco” or “Lug Nuts Unlimited.” You don’t want to limit your business to a particular product or a specific city.

New FBI Warning As Hackers Strike: Email Senders Must Do This 1 Thing

Apple ipad 2024 release date your final complete guide to what and when, katy perry met gala dresses go viral but they re ai fakes, 3. conduct a thorough internet search.

Once you have determined a name you like, do a web search on the name. More often than not, you will find that someone else is already using that business name. While that won’t be a total showstopper, it should give you pause.

4. Get the .com domain name

My strong preference is to secure the “.com” domain name rather than alternatives such as .net, .org, .biz, or other possible domain extensions. Customers tend to associate a .com name with a more established business. Undoubtedly, someone will already own your desired .com name, but many domain owners are willing to sell their name for the right price.

Think of acquiring the .com name you want as a business investment. You can check on the availability of a domain name on sites such as GoDaddy.com or NetworkSolutions.com , and if the domain name is taken, you can often track down the owner of the domain name and see if they are willing to sell it by using the “WHOIS” tool at GoDaddy or Network Solutions .

Also make sure to grab your desired business name on popular social media sites such as Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, TikTok and Pinterest.

5. Use a name that conveys meaning

Ideally, you want the business name to convey something meaningful and positive related to your business. Can people instantly get what your business is about? While meaningless names like “Google,” “Yahoo,” or “Zappos” have some appeal due to their catchiness, these kinds of names will cost you a lot more to brand.

Some examples of clear, simple, and intriguing domain names include Canny.com, Recuperate.com, Resemble.com, Afire.com, Substantiate.com, Trounce.com, and Administer.com (all names I happen to own). A domain name like “OnlineTickets.com” is genius as it conveys the meaning of the business and is helpful for search engine optimization purposes.

6. Conduct a trademark search

Do a search at USPTO.gov to get an idea about whether you can get a trademark or service mark for the name. Then decide if you should trademark the name.

7. Conduct a Secretary of State search

Since you will likely want to structure your business as a corporation or LLC, you should do a search of the Secretary of State’s records to make sure your name won’t be confusingly similar to a business name that’s already registered. If it is too similar to an existing name, the Secretary of State may not allow you to register it. Your corporate lawyer can help you conduct this kind of search. (See “ 15 Major Legal Mistakes Made by Startups ”).

8. Assess if the name is catchy

Obviously, you don’t want a boring name for your business, but you also don’t want to choose something that’s too “out there.” You want your employees to be able to say where they work without hesitation, and you want your name to resonate with your target audience. Names like “Computer Services, Inc.” are generic and boring, and it is also difficult to get the domain name for business names like these.

9. Get feedback on the name

Come up with 5 or 10 names and then run them by friends, family members, and trusted colleagues. Get feedback from your target audience as well. And make sure that the name doesn’t have any negative connotations (for instance, GM named its new car model the “Nova” without realizing that the name meant “doesn’t go” in Spanish).

10. Make sure the name sounds good when said out loud

Sometimes names seem fine on paper, but sound awful when said aloud. And make sure people aren’t confused about how it’s spelled when said aloud.

11. Use resources available for brainstorming names

There are a number of sites that can help you brainstorm names, including:

• VisualThesaurus.com (gives you a visual around a keyword)
• Shopify Business Name Generator (generates business name ideas and checks domain availability simultaneously)
• NameMesh (provides a startup company name generator)
• Naminum.com (allows you to generate names based on a theme)
• Namelix.com (generates short brandable business names with artificial intelligence)

There are even name branding experts and gurus. A Google search will easily find a number of them.

12. Make sure you are personally happy with the name

You as the business owner will have to live with your startup business’ name for a long time, so make sure you are happy with it and believe it will resonate with your customers. Take the time to get it right from the start.

13. Avoid long names

Long names can be problematic. They will be difficult for customers to remember, and the url for your domain name may end up being very long. Some social media sites may have limits on the number of characters you can use in a name.

More articles from AllBusiness.com:

• The Complete 35-Step Guide for Entrepreneurs Starting a Business
• 17 Tips for Entrepreneurs Starting a Business
• A Guide to Investor Pitch Decks for Startup Fundraising

Copyright © by Richard D. Harroch. All Rights Reserved

About the Author

Richard D. Harroch was a Managing Director and Global Head of M&A at VantagePoint Capital Partners, a venture capital fund in the San Francisco area. His focus is on Internet, digital media, and software companies, and he was the founder of several Internet companies. His articles have appeared online in Forbes, Fortune, MSN, Yahoo, FoxBusiness, and AllBusiness.com. Richard is the author of several books on startups and entrepreneurship as well as the co-author of Poker for Dummies and a Wall Street Journal-bestselling book on small business. He is the co-author of a 1,500-page book by Bloomberg, Mergers and Acquisitions of Privately Held Companies: Analysis, Forms and Agreements. He was also a corporate and M&A partner at the law firm of Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, with experience in startups, mergers and acquisitions, and venture capital. He has been involved in over 200 M&A transactions and 250 startup financings. He can be reached through LinkedIn .

Read all of Richard Harroch's articles on AllBusiness.com.

• Editorial Standards
• Reprints & Permissions