Naming a medical company: Top tips for unique names

Naming a medical company can be challenging. For most organizations, the perfect name doesn’t just appear out of nowhere. Finding a name that works means carefully evaluating your target audience, examining your “brand essence”, and doing a fair amount of competitive research.

Medical company names can be even more challenging to master. After all, you don’t just need to pick an appealing name that resonates with your “ideal customers”. You also need to think carefully about ethical rules and industry guidelines.

Fortunately, my experience leading Fabrik’s naming team has helped companies from all industries choose the best name for their brands (and medical products). It has given me unique insights into the naming process.

Here, I’m going to share my top tips for choosing medical company names that will boost your chances of growth in any medical field.

How to name a medical company

Getting started

When choosing a brand name, too many companies try to dive into the brainstorming process too quickly. They start writing lists of relevant words before they’ve had a chance to think about the first impression they want to give their target audience.

In my experience, this often leads to a lot of generic names that don’t really capture the spirit of the brand, or help to differentiate it from the competition.

Before you do anything else, here are some of the foundational steps you’ll need to take, when choosing medical brand names.

1. Know the rules for naming a medical company

The medical industry is a highly regulated sector, and there are certain rules you’ll need to follow when building your brand. For the most part, “naming rules” in the medical industry usually apply to how you name products, like pharmaceuticals and medical technology.

However, it’s still a good idea to research your medical niche and determine whether there are any specific regulatory requirements you need to adhere to. You may need to avoid certain sensitive terms or words, depending on your industry.

It’s also a good idea to avoid “hyperbolic” names.

Naming your medical supply company: “Best medical supplies” might not earn you any penalties, but it’s unlikely to do much for your brand’s reputation either. Consumers are more likely to be drawn to names that seem authentic, and honest.

You’ll also need to ensure the name of your medical practice isn’t too like a pre-established company’s name, which may involve conducting some trademark checks.

2. Identify your brand purpose and target audience

The medical landscape is brimming with different types of companies. Some organizations sell medical devices for clinics. Others focus on medical research or drug development. Knowing your position in the “wellness industry”, and the focus of your brand will help you choose a relevant name.

Ask yourself:

• What does this medical company do? Are you a medical clinic, pharmaceutical company, medical device developer, or something else?
• What are the core values of my company? Do you prioritize friendly, personable care, innovation, or sustainability?
• Who is our target audience? Who do you need to ensure your name appeals to? Are you targeting other medical companies, everyday consumers, or healthcare professionals?

3. Research your market and competition

Once you’ve considered the “rules” associated with naming a medical company, and identified your brand purpose, and ideal customer base, take a closer look at your target market. Who are the competitors in your space, and how do they differ from your organization?

How do they showcase their brand promise, personality, and focus on their company name? What kind of naming conventions do they commonly use, such as compound names or descriptive names?

You don’t necessarily need to use the same naming strategy as other medical companies in your niche, but evaluating the market can give you a good idea of what your customers are likely to expect.

Plus, competitor research should help you to ensure you choose a unique name that isn’t too like anything already used by existing brands.

How to come up with medical business name ideas

Choosing the perfect business name isn’t easy, particularly if you’re a new business owner who hasn’t had to choose a moniker for an organization before.

Based on the information you collected when researching your market, here are some top tips to help you start identifying compelling medical business name ideas.

List a few common naming strategies

Some naming conventions are common in the medical landscape. Many innovators use eponymous naming (naming their business after a relevant founder or business leader), to give their company a human vibe.

Others may choose a descriptive name or combine words relevant to their brand.

Choosing a few “naming strategies” that appeal to you should give you more options to experiment with when you’re looking for the right name.

Write down descriptive, relevant words

When we name a company at Fabrik, one of the first things we do is create a list of descriptive, evocative words that align with the brand’s identity, ethos, or target audience. This a great jumping-off point for your brainstorming sessions.

The words you list might be linked to:

• Your brand identity: Core characteristics connected to your brand values or personality. An innovative medical device company might list words like: “Ambition” or “Evolution”.
• Target niche: The specific type of medical niche you target. Pharmaceutical companies might list words like “drugs”, “pharmacy”, “development”, and so on.
• Emotional impact: Words that resonate with the positive emotions you want to invoke in your customers, such as “Wellness”, “Vitality”, or “Longevity”.

Use creative tools and resources

If you’re struggling to come up with words relevant to the name of your business, or you don’t know how to link terms to create something unique, there are various tools that can help you.

Online business name generators, for instance, aren’t great for choosing official names for medical companies. However, they can surface words and ideas you wouldn’t think of yourself.

A dictionary or thesaurus can help you explore different terms and synonyms that may help you to create more unique medical names. You could even look at converting common terms into other languages like Latin.

Alternatively, look for ways to cut the words you’ve already chosen up and combine them into new terms. For example, “Technology” and “Vitality” could form: “Vitology”.

Medical company name suggestions

Ideas for medical names

When you’re naming a medical company, you’ll probably spend a lot of time creating long lists of “potential” names. The more ideas you generate, the easier it will be to choose a name that’s unique, relevant to your business, and appealing to your market.

If you’re struggling to build your list, here are some medical company name suggestions you can use for inspiration. Keep in mind, some of these names may not be available today.

Catchy medical company name ideas

Catchy medical names often leverage linguistic strategies like alliteration or rhyme to make them more memorable and engaging.

Here are some great examples:

• Core Community
• Zen Zone
• Strength Solutions
• Pharma Pioneers
• Positivity Pharmaceuticals
• Wellness Wonders

Modern medical related names

If you’re naming a medical company focused on a modern, next-gen audience, it makes sense to choose a short, catchy name that will work well on social media.

You might even use shorter versions of certain terms, like “Med” instead of “Medical”:

• Med Masters
• Health Hub
• Fresh Fitness
• Care Mark
• Pro Health
• Health Sync
• Med Pro

Humanized medical brand names

Humanized medical brand names generally involve a specific founder or business leader name, think Johnson & Johnson, Philips, or Baxter international.

Here are some additional ideas:

• Smith Innovations
• Dr. Reddy’s
• Wallace Wellness
• Fisher Pharmaceuticals

Combined or hybrid medical names

Combined and hybrid names are particularly common in the medical industry. Just look at well-known companies like AztraZeneca, or UnitedHealth.

Here are some extra examples:

• PharmaSite
• Optinerro
• Clinacare
• Medivuco
• Clinovations

Niche-specific medical names

Most medical company names will include something related to health, wellness, innovation, research, or vitality.

Here are some examples of names that lend themselves perfectly to specific niches within the medical sector:

• Echo Health (Medical devices for auditory wellness)
• RelivAid (Online healthcare equipment provider)
• MedTech (Medical device technology)
• Well Lab (Medical research)
• Pulse Care (Cardiovascular medical equipment)
• Progress Prosthetics (Prosthetics company)

Medical company name examples from real brands

Hopefully, at this point you’ll have a few ideas to help guide you through the process of naming a medical company. If you’re still struggling to come up with ideas, here are a few well-known medical brands you can use for additional inspiration.

Johnson & Johnson

Leading American pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical devices company, Johnson & Johnson is known all over the world. Although “J&J” might seem like a generic name, it serves a range of purposes for the brand.

The name is memorable and eye-catching, thanks to the alliteration. It humanizes the company, by drawing attention to the people behind the technology, research, and pharmaceutical processes. Plus, it has a broad appeal.

This name works well in any language or region.

Lumeon

If you’re looking for an innovative and evocative name, take a leaf out of Lumeon’s book. We chose the name “Lumeon” for this client because it combines the concept of “discovery” (illumination), with the company’s focus on innovation and transformation.

This proprietary name sets the company apart as a pioneer in its field. Plus, it’s short and simple, ensuring it’s easy for customers to remember the title, and share it with others.

Moderna

Probably best-known for its role in tackling the COVID pandemic, Moderna is another world-leading medical brand. Like other medical brands, Moderna chose a name that’s simple, evocative, and descriptive. It attracts the attention of their ideal clients, and showcase’s the brand’s values.

The name “Moderna” combines the word “modern”, with the term “RNA”, which stands for “Ribonucleic Acid”. This unique name helps to distinguish Moderna as a thought leader in the medical space, while ensuring the company can appeal to a wide audience.

Tips for naming a medical company

Ultimately, the best way to ensure you make the right “final choice” when naming a medical company is to work with experts who have experience in your industry. If you’re planning on navigating this process alone, here are a few tips to boost your chances of success.

1. Avoid generic terms

Using highly generic terms in your medical name, such as “Medical”, causes a few problems. First, there’s a good chance generic names will already be trademarked by other medical and healthcare providers, making it harder for you to “own” your name.

Secondly, if your name is too generic, it can harm your online presence. Searching for a term like “Medical” on Google or other search engines is going to surface millions of results, making it tougher for customers to find you.

2. Showcase your brand personality

When naming a medical company, don’t just tell your audience what you do. Look for ways to convey “how” you influence the medical landscape. A good business name should offer an insight into your brand’s values and personality.

Think about your unique selling proposition and how you can implement it into your name choices. For example, if you help medical practitioners deliver exceptional patient care, you might choose a name that revolves around concepts like “empowerment” and “optimization”.

3. Keep it short and simple

If you want a catchy business name, it makes sense to keep it short and simple. There are a lot of medical companies out there that use more complex names. However, many modern organizations are adopting shorter titles that align with the current digital landscape and are easier to remember.

Avoid using too many words in your name and consider combining terms together if you think your title looks too long. Also, remember to ensure your name is easy to say, and spell.

4. Don’t limit yourself

A good name should grow with your medical brand. When choosing a memorable name, avoid any terms that might restrict your growth. Geographical terms generally aren’t a good idea, particularly if you’re planning on scaling globally in the future.

Terms that describe the exact products you sell might not be a good choice either. For instance, if you sell cardio-focused medical devices now, but want to expand to reach more target customers in the future, consider technology-related terms, instead of “heart-focused” terms.

5. Do your diligence

Due diligence is crucial when choosing a memorable business name. First, you’ll need to ensure you can avoid potential legal issues, by checking to ensure your name isn’t being used elsewhere. Don’t put yourself at risk of fines because you overlook trademark law.

Secondly, it’s worth checking that your new name is available to use everywhere. This means evaluating domain availability (for your domain name) and looking at whether you can obtain the right handles for your social media channels.

6. Test your names

If you end up with a range of evocative and descriptive names, but you don’t know which to pick, it could help to test your best options on your target audience. You could host a focus group and ask for feedback from relevant consumers from different jurisdictions. 

You might even decide to create mock-ups of business cards, logos, and other brand assets that use your name, to see what it will look like in context. At the very least, make sure you gather feedback from shareholders in your team before making your final decision.

Choosing the right name for a medical company

Naming a medical company isn’t easy. It’s tough to find a name that’s unique, evocative, descriptive, and powerful, in such a crowded market. That’s why so many newcomers to the medical industry make the mistake of relying on a generic business name generator.

Unfortunately, choosing the wrong medical company name doesn’t just harm your chances of long-term growth. It can get you into trouble with trademark law, harm your reputation, and make it impossible to attract the right people to your business.

If you’re looking for modern names for a professional medical corporation, the ideal medical supply name, or a moniker that resonates with a specific niche audience, Fabrik can help.

Contact us today to learn how we can help you choose a memorable business name that supports and augments your company’s growth. Alternatively, check out our case studies for more insights into how we’ve conceived amazing names for various medical companies.

Fabrik: A branding agency for our times.