There doesn’t seem to be a previous discussion about company names. The topic might interest others as well, so I decided to open a discussion thread about it. On a Finnish-language forum, it’s probably natural to focus mainly on Finnish company names, but other really good examples are welcome too.
What kind of name is particularly good? And what kind of names do you hope to avoid? Do you think a name matters at all? Should company names follow spelling rules? Can you think of examples of successful, unsuccessful, or perhaps unintentionally comical company names?
Suggestions for as-yet-unused names, presented tongue-in-cheek, are also suitable for discussion. However, you shouldn’t expect royalties if one day you find a name you previously suggested here being used by someone else.
This is a famous “bad” example of why a company’s name should also be considered from perspectives other than just the Finnish language. When KOP and SYP merged in the 90s, the merged bank briefly operated under the name Unitas, which means “toilet bowl” in Russian. It was perhaps not the most successful choice of name, and it eventually became Merita.
Many celebrities have quite funny and self-deprecating company names. For example, Vappu Pimiä’s company is named Dark May Oy. Meanwhile, the band Apulanta’s auxiliary trade name is Päijät-Hämeen Sorto ja Riisto Oy (Päijät-Häme Oppression and Exploitation). They can certainly afford to joke around with these, unlike, for instance, listed companies.
I don’t know if the tax authority’s AI will eventually flag targets based on their names to identify potential criminal intent right from the start, but a certain local legend’s Tillsten Oy and Torocks Oy would surely end up in a “special class.”
“PasiKuikka Oy offers affordable and versatile solutions for temporary restroom needs. Whether it’s an event, a celebration, or even a construction site – PasiKuikka finds the right solution for your needs”
Apparently Yleisradio has done a story on the subject before. There’s ManitPois OY (MoneyGone Ltd), the transport company Met ÄS-SÄ OY (InTheWoods Ltd)… Creativity is blooming in many ways.
In the Lifa Air thread, Sijoittaja-alokas shared a release stating that the company’s new name is Anoair. Translated into Italian, that means, to put it politely, anal air.
Years ago at work, I came across Tuho & Turma Oy (Destruction & Disaster Ltd), which has since gone bankrupt. Even though I’ve dealt with hundreds of companies for work since then, that one has still stuck in my mind.
When driving through Central Finland, you can find a place called Multamesta, which uses the slogan: “multa tulee ihan kohta” (soil is coming very soon).
Similarly, there was an engineering firm where the first two letters were the start of the entrepreneur’s first name and the last two were the start of his surname. If I remember correctly, the entrepreneur was Rauno or Raimo Peltonen.
RAPE-plan doesn’t work very well abroad.
