One of the first steps an artist makes when turning professional is to decide on an art business name, and many new artists make this more complicated than it should be.
Allow me to bottom line this entire article: If you are a fine artist, your first choice is to always use your given name for marketing your original art.
Using a Name Other Than Your Own
There are two primary reasons for using a name besides your own (aka “Doing Business As” or “DBA” name).
- The first is that you are a service business like Art Biz Success and want the benefits of the service to be in your business name.But even with a service business, you should be front and center for your business since we hire services from people we trust and like. I don’t know about you, but when I’m buying services, I want to know who is behind them and why I should trust their expertise.
Artists who also provide services include muralists, wedding and portrait photographers, instructors, and so forth. But don’t think that you need a DBA just because you provide a service. It still might be to your advantage to keep your name as your business name.
- The second reason to use a name besides your own is that you have a production line or “less serious” body of work that you want to keep separate from the art you choose to be known for.Reserve your name for how you want to go down in the history books and use a DBA for the other work.
You Are an Artist, Not a Company
Art history is a history of individual artists, not of company names. Since my master’s degree is in art history, I naturally want you to use your name when promoting your art.
Using a company name puts you in league with all of the companies out there who are manufacturing and promoting unremarkable products. You’re different. Art is different. Art is not a mass-produced product.
Using your name for your business name tells the world that your art is elevated from the stuff they can pick up at Target or Pier One. It says “This is made by hand, and not just any hand, but the hand of an artist.”
While it may seem safer to hide behind a business name, playing it safe won’t get you too far in your art career.
I understand it isn’t always this easy. There are sometimes reasons for not using your own name, including, as I’ve learned, reasons of physical and emotional safety.
Setting aside these very real concerns for the moment, the most frequent arguments against using given names for an art business are the following.
- My name is too common / Someone else already owns the URL with my name [And she’s a porno star!]
- My name is too hard to spell
- I sign my name as X on my paintings, but I want to be known as Y
Let’s consider these objections one by one.
Prefer to Listen?
Music by Wildermiss.
My Name is Too Common
If you think your name is too common, you have a couple of options for naming your art business.
You can change it (Hey, it’s been done!) as long as you haven’t already built a reputation with your given name. Or you can embrace it and distinguish it somehow. Add your middle name, your middle initial, or your maiden name.
Here’s how that might play out with your name and possible URL. When this article was first published in an earlier version, I used Jim Harris to illustrate my point, so we’ll stick with this real-life example. (I haven’t checked on the availability or use of any of these, but that’s not important to the argument.)
Jim I. Harris : jimiharris.com
James I. Harris : jamesiharris.com
Jim Harris : jimharrisculpture.com
James Harris : jamesharrisfineart.com
In the end, Jim chose to be known as James Harris professionally and use JamesIHarris.com. After all, a URL is just a web address. It doesn’t matter that it might be slightly different than what is on his business card, website banner, or marketing material.
Jim was concerned that James was too formal and that everyone knew him as Jim. We all know that Jim is a shortened form of James. We aren’t surprised that someone’s professional name is James and prefers to be called Jim in everyday conversation.
If you have one of these names (Peter/Pete, Robert/Rob, Michael/Mike, Katherine/Kate, Margaret/Meg, Jessica/Jessie), you can tap into variations of your name—as long as you’re comfortable being known by that moniker.
You could also default to your initials, like Lindsay Obermeyer, whose art is featured below. [Lindsay has sadly passed on, but her former studio was lbostudio.com ].
Then there is the opposite problem expressed by artists who struggle with using their names for their art business.
My Name is Hard to Spell or Remember
As someone whose name is rarely spelled correctly (Alison, Allison, Allyson, Stansfield, Stanfill, . . . ) I get where you’re coming from!
Still, use your name, even when it is frequently misspelled.
If you think your name is too difficult to spell, take solace in the fact that you probably have it easier than artists who have common names. You are more likely to stand out with an unusual name. Think Toyin Oji Odutola, Kehinde Wiley, or Yayoi Kusama.
To simplify matters when deciding on a URL, you might add “art,” “fine art” or “studio” to the end of your first or last name, but always keep your name prominent on the pages of the site. You are an individual, not a dot com.
Dianna Fritzler, whose art is at the top of this post, isn’t an unusual name, but she has 2 “n”s in her first name. Nobody remembers that! Her website is dfritzlerart.com.
Now for the final concern….
I Don’t Sign My Name to My Art That Way
You do not have to sign your art with the full name you choose to be known as.
A signature is just a mark, just as a URL is just a web address. You can sign your art with whatever feels natural.
For example, I have signed my name “AB Stanfield” since I was a teenager. “Alyson Stanfield” was just too long to write out and the y in my first name seemed to interrupt the flow of writing it out. So, AB Stanfield it is. Signing my full name is awkward. But, I chose “Alyson B. Stanfield” as my professional name. I didn’t fear there would ever be too many Alyson Stanfields around, but I’m kind of attached to my middle name, so I always wanted the B in there.
Need more to go on?
Other Artists Share Their Naming Experiences
I asked artists how they decided on their professional names. Read their insights. In particular, read what women wrote in the comments. There is solid evidence that all women should use their maiden names.
Did you make the mistake of taking your spouse’s name and now wish to shed it? Try this approach.
Even though you select a name by which you would like to be known, it doesn’t mean that careless people will abide by your wishes. Sometimes, people make up their own names for you. Read my suggestion for handling this.
The big question to answer is: How do you want to go down in the history books? The choice is yours! Nobody else can select your art business name for you. But you have to select one and use it everywhere with conviction.
I know from experience that even after reading this, you may still have concerns or be confused. Please tell me what those are in the comments.
Music by Wildermiss.
This post is a compilation of posts that were published starting in 2008, which were added to a post originally published on November 29, 2010. The original comments from 2010 are intact.
78 thoughts on “The Art Biz ep. 56: How to Name Your Art Business”
The problem I had was that my domain name was already taken. There was a Peter Ahrens out there that was using the .com address for his djing website. The .com.au was free and I took that since I’m Australian, but I hope I don’t lose traffic because I don’t have the preferred domain name.
What about peterahrensart.com ?
I didn’t think about that one, but it would be easier to describe my work as photography (even though it is fine art photography) than art. http://www.peterahrensphotography.com becomes that bit too long, though!
Could do ahrensphotography.com ??
I haven’t seen the work, so I’m not sure. I don’t distinguish between art and photography and think “photography” in the name might imply a for-hire photographer.
My husband and I started out together as Eggert Glass, pre-internet. We now have individual bodies of work which are showcased on our website: Eggertglass.com. I want to do a facebook fan page for the business and can’t decide if we should share one Eggert Glass Art fb page or have one each, i.e., Kathleen Eggert Glass Art and Dale Eggert Glass Art.
This is a really great guide to finding a Great name for your art business but if after following this guide you still can’t come up with a name I’d suggest you read this free ebook with detailed explanation of the points in this guide.
The Art Studio of Meltemi was an obvious choice for my art studio. Meltemi is the Greek Summer Wind. Most of my ‘Traditional/Representational art’ is based on Greek inspirations. This Meltemiart Domain name was available. Given the number of Meltemi’s in the Greek connection I was totally surprised to find even this name available. My own name was already taken by 134 UK based Phil Kendall’s alone. Also see my blog @ meltemiart.com for more on ‘Meltemi’.
Meltemi: Do you find Greek-lovers find your site fairly easily because of that? How popular a word is it?
So, do people call you Phil or Meltemi? I think that would be confusing.
Hi Alyson,
Meltemi? About 387,000 mentions on Google
Meltemi art?About 49,000…
Art Studio Meltemi? about 18,000
Meltemi Phil Kendall? about 4,300
Yes I agree the name is a bit of a problem that is why Phil kendall aka
Meltemi/ Meltemi aka Phil Kendall has to be it for me. Either way it makes
the mark on the historical record of the world. Meltemi has been my online
nome de plume for the last five years and many simply call me Mel.
Greek’s and their use of the internet is a slow & expensive development for
them…but I get some traffic from them.
The art started as a retirement activity without any commercial intent then
the commercial bug in me cut-in. then I learned how to build a website, add
the ecommerce, add the blog. My mornings are the business side [unless a
commission is on-going] the afternoons are the dedicated studio time. the
studio is a beautiful 8′ x 10′ summer house in my garden at home.
I have the best job in the world, I am an artist.
When I was single, I signed only my first name, Sari…When I got married I added my new last name, Grove to the signing…I keep my banking still in my maiden last name for economic safety…Online, I use GroveCanada, which has worked well to push both name & location…I registered GroveCanada as a business, with both Joseph & I as partners…I like to include both of us, since we are both artists, & again, online, for personal safety…(also, I like the Christo & Jeanne-Claude thing)…
Sari & Joseph. Has a ring to it!
Over the years (since high school) my friends started to call me Jenny Schu when my real last name was Schumaker. It stuck through college and I had started to introduce myself to people in that manner because it was easy. In art school pretty much everyone including professors and staff knew me as that name so I stuck with it. I’m not sure who I have to thank for giving me my business name at this point!
I got married 1.5 years ago and in the excitement I changed my social media, e-mail title, etc to Jenny “Schu” Behler. What a mistake! The first press release that went out with that on it made change everything back to Jenny Schu and the married name is just a formality. I did purchase jennybehler.com though because I meet potential clients through my husband and it seems to be working well since it goes right to jennyschu.com
I’m glad to know that keeping the long-time known name is better than trying to change it due to getting married, thanks!
Jenny: Thank you for sharing your experience. I know it will help others.
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So about 6 years ago (before kids) I tried a go at starting an Etsy shop and doing a few art and craft shows. Needless to say it all lasted a little while before it became too much with the kids. They are older now and I’m thinking about starting back up but with a more aggressive marketing plan. My old name for the site was “Nellie’s creations” (my name is Nellie btw)
I will focus me artwork on portraits both watercolor and digital and watercolor landscapes. I’m a realist painter with a touch of impressionist, so I’m wondering do I change it up?? Honestly I just want another artists perspective!
Nellie: I would use your name if you are selling fine art. Just your name or your name + Art or Fine Art.
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I am working on starting my own page to sell my art work on. I’ve been pondering business names for a little while and can’t seem to quite “fall in love with any.” I want something creative. The name that keeps coming back to me is ‘ A Brush Above the Rest.’ Any ideas?
Hello! I am starting my own business as well and I’ve actually been selling my artwork like crazy. My name on my facebook page is shondaleann (my first name Shonda and middle Leann). What do you think? I have two children who were born on the same date(no not twins) Dayne is 10 and Rylee is 4 and their birthday is December 7th. was maybe calling my business something that represents that also. Any suggestions? Thanks!
Your page should be named as you would like to be known.
Finding this blog has been very helpful and fun (sharing some of the humorous experiences). I am in the process of deciding how to name my DBA. After reading all the posted input- I will be using my name.
I do both art (several mediums) and photography. Concerned on the length of the name and would like feedback. Sue Dickson Art and Photography, Sue Dickson Nature Art and Photography, Sue Dickson Studio Creations. Thoughts??
Why do you need a DBA, Sue?
I’d stick with Sue Dickson Art. That about covers it all.
What an interesting discussion. For over 10yrs I was one half of Tate Sisters – myself and my sister’s maiden name is Tate, we lived in London, we worked together and the name worked well especially with several famous galleries with the same name – people remembered us and we had many sales. Even if we were to google our own individual names our Tate Sister website would pop up on the 1st page.
Unfortunately when I moved to the states in 2005 she was unable to compromise or work well as a team. In 2010 I broke free and became – Project M. My actual name is way too long and I saw this as a new “project”. Hoping perhaps we’d get back together again at some point n the future…..
It feels like I have had to start from the beginning again as I was not allowed to share my new name with my old client list. However I’m just starting to get some recognition (some press, print sales and painting inquiries) – I feel the work in the end shines through. I’m slowly getting a new body of work together and hoping things will get better in the future. A name is important, but I think it’s up to each individual circumstance for things to work.
A touchy subject in my house. Married for 35 years, have always been known by his last name. But it’s a long one, and I frequently paint small canvases. So, I often sign Retta, my art name for many years. He seems offended I don’t want to use “his” name. sigh.. does not understand…
Now that I want to expand my business, I think I need to be more formal?? My blog and Facebook is “Art by Retta”. I’m wondering if I should change it all… start clean with my maiden name?? Loretta Brown, or I’d even prefer Retta Brown. Naturally (!) there is another Retta Brown “out there” already, with all versions of my name taken as domains. That’s why I grabbed up ArtByRetta while it was still available. Thanks for the discussion… food for thought.
I like Retta as a monoymn. Kind of like Madonna or Sting.
I like it, too. I believe Loretta wrote this comment many years ago. I’d love to know what has come of it since.
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I’m just getting started selling my work, and am not sure what I want to do as far as a name for my business or whatever. I won’t be using my married name, especially since it won’t be my legal name much longer. But my maiden name (Brower) doesn’t really sound right with any ideas I’ve come up with. I’ve considered using my daughter’s name, or a nickname I had as a child.
so im just starting out im !7 ( almost ) but ive sold quite a bit of my work now im thinking of advertising but i dont know what to call myself . if thought about “natarleyart”
because that involves my first name well my fullname but it seems like a mouthful.
i thought about “the blank canvas ” but thats taken.
i sign my work with nktwose but it wouldnt seem right to have that as a big kinda name an you help me?
Hello, I’m trying to come up with a name to use for an online website. I’m an artist, sculpture, maker. My work is mostly horror related zombies monsters etc. the problem is that I wanted to use my name, but my last name is Cartier it’s causing issues. Any suggestions? Thanks
What’s the issue with Cartier? Spelling?
Hello. I am just beginning to go professional with my painting and have been contemplating this very issue. I have heard elsewhere as well that it is best for artists to go by their name in their branding. However, where the problem comes in is that my last name is Cochensparger. People I have known for years still misspell or mispronounce it or just avoid using it all together. On the one hand, it is memorable because people have to repeat it several times when they hear it. On the other hand, I fear that it will prove difficult in search engines or word of mouth for people to be able to find me. Any thoughts on this?
Katherine, I agree with Project M below. Embrace your name!
I would stick to your own name. Google searches these days sometimes spell check and it’s much easier to find things. I’m using a brand name now for several reasons, but it would be so much easier to have stuck with my maiden name. But after two years under Project M I’m just starting to get a small following 🙂
What about nicknames? And is there any reason not to use “Designs” instead of “Art”? I paint, but I also do macrame and woven wall hangings. I was thinking Kit Bek Designs.
Kit: It depends. If you are going after a sophisticated art audience, you wouldn’t use Designs. If you’re selling directly to people, it’s probably okay. How about Kit Bek Studio ?? That would cover it!
Hello, I am just starting to show my work off to start to sell, but I am not sure what domain I would want I want to use my name but not certain about it. I was wondering if you had any ideas. I’m not sure who my focus audience or how I want to be seen yet. I am still trying to figure this all out.
I am just starting to become professional in my local art community and am having a particularly difficult time coming up with a business name as I am a domestic violence survivor. I try to live life normally, but I have a child to protect and safety is the utmost importance. As such, I wanted anonymity, however, the alias I was using as a nonprofessional artist is Finnish and difficult to pronounce. I paint, sketch, ink and am generally versatile. I want my name associated with my art, but I want to keep that added layer of protection. Would anyone have suggestions or know of situations such as these? Thank you so much.
Kesajarvi: I understand your wanting to protect yourself and your child. I hope you get a chance to read the other articles I linked to, along with the comments on all of those posts. I think you might find some insights.
My name is usually frequent, but not in the artistic world. I was lucky to find free my domain name.
When I made my first presentation, with my class group, I didn’t know what name to use.I was married a short time ago.I was a painter long before I got married. The teacher told me, “Don’t use your husband’s name.” It was a sign of empowerment as a woman, in a difficult environment for women.
You had a wise teacher, Cristina.
Would you recommend something different for people like me who do paint but also create Holiday items using paperclay ? My name is not the easiest to spell or pronounce
Aghavni: Use your name for your fine art. Then maybe read that article about when to use a different name — for the paperclay work.
This is why my freelance graphic design is done as “Chrome47” and my fine art is done as me, Brad Blackman. That essentially makes Chrome47 a one-man design firm.
But it doesn’t have to be a 1-man firm. Because it isn’t eponymous, you can bring in many people and also have a business property that is easier to sell.
Whew, big sigh of relief. I saw this title in my inbox and wondered if my nascent art business would have to undergo a name change at the tender age of 1 month! I’ve been an artist for 30 years, but never as a business. I always thought I’d use my name, even though it is a mouthful. As I was setting up accounts I added ‘fine art’ – if it’s going to be long just own it! So I am quite glad to see this post and all the comments. Thanks for the timely topic, Alyson, and the insights of all the commentary.
Kristen: Sorry I missed your comment previously. Yes! You’re safe. 😇 Good job!
Oh wow, I actually searched your book for guidance on this a month or two ago as I was redoing some marketing materials. My URL is christinegedye.com, but I often insert my maiden name, Olson (which is now my legal middle name) on my business card, postcards, stationery and other places, including my art FB page. While there are many reasons I liked holding onto Olson (including because my landscapes have a Scandinavian feel to them), it really felt long. In the end, I decided to simplify to just Christine Gedye and add Fine Art in smaller type. Unfortunately, I have not been able to make that change on my FB page, but I’m not sweating that one inconsistency. One marketing friend of mine recommended purchasing any URL that is close to mine and redirect from those to christinegedye.com, which is on my to-do list. Feeling grateful to have married into a very unusual last name, even if folks do stumble over the spelling sometimes.
Christine: Yes, you can absolutely purchase the other so people can find you. And your header on your website can have your full name. Have you tried requesting the name change through FB? I’ve seen so many people do it that I thought it was quite common.
I wish I had read this article years ago. I have changed my business name so many times in the last 30 years that the list is way too long to even admit too! And registered them all $$$ – never kept them up for more than a year or too. But in that process I also registered http://www.LorettaBusch.com and held on to it while messing around with other identities. I am finally sticking with my name and embracing that the introverted me has to be as bold as my art. I have to stop hiding online and behind the camera.
Loretta: We all make business mistakes that cost us energy and dollars. Owning a business is expensive! I’m glad you have this part settled.
Hello
I find this article quite interesting – as well as the comments.
I just recently splurged on a website through WordPress and was faced with choosing a domain name. My name is rather common, and I reasoned that I am not well known and have not sold anything so I was concerned that my name would not bring traffic to my page. So I chose createart.gallery.
And as for signing my art- I haven’t any art from before I was married and having been married 38 years, I’ve almost forgotten my maiden name! ShCraig is usually how I sign.
Thanks for reading, Sheryl. Glad you found it helpful.
My name is too long: Nayara Fernanda de Queiroz Ramos. I’m left with many doubts about which name I use, if NFQRamos, or just Nayara Queiroz or Nayara Ramos. My photographer sister adopted for her Nayane Queiroz, but for me it is not being the easiest to choose.
Ultimately, you’re the only one who can decide, Nayara. What are the options?
I married into a french canadian name that no one can pronounce- from Brunelle. I would love to use my full name (Kelly Lyn Brunelle) but it’s annoying that no one can say it correctly and it’s very long. What should I do? I do photography and wood art- burning, frames, etc…
I really just wanted my initials KLB or Kelly Lyn, but having trouble adding an art catchy word that isn’t taken -please help! 🙁
Thank you in advance
Kelly Lyn: I address both married names and “difficult” names above. Use what you want to be known as forever. Only you can make this decision.
This doesn’t seem to stand for performance artists. Singers/Actors etc have used a stage name if they wanted to for the last century. Makes sense to me as a performance artist because it separates your self which is publicly put on display as part of your art form, from the real life you who pays bills and has friends/fam. I don’t see why nowadays everyone is expected to go by their real name if it isn’t in line with a vision they may have for their work (again speaking for performance art; or those with a terrible name; or those who for any reason want to separate from their real name, yes including: abuse, past relationships, family ties…)
Also: it’s just fun and part of the process, to create a stage name that suits your music vibe or performance work.
Dear all,
great topic!
I started to paint as Philip McKenzie not that long ago. I was just too shy to do it under my own name. What you just wrote above describes my initial intentions and my fears really well:
“While it may seem safer to hide behind a business name, playing it safe won’t get you too far in your art career.”
My real name is Bátor Tóth – it’s on the difficult side of the names 😀 In Hungarian we say it this way: Tóth Bátor. I am planning to do a website (with a webshop), with paintings, conceptual works, designs, prints, tshirts, other projects (this all alone is a bit confusing, but I want to put all my works under the same roof). The PhilipMcKenzie url is taken, I don’t like the philipmckenzieart.com or the options alike, although there are some. But my email is already tothbator, and I actually just purchased tothbator.com to be on the safe side. In order to this to work I only need to change my instagram page. It wouldn’t be that much of a trouble with the 300 followers I got so far…
My only concern with this is mixing my painting work with other designs in a webshop – I’m afraid they might weaken each other. Do you have articles on the topic of selling art in webshops?
any feedback much appreciated 🙂
thank you!
I like using your real name! Far more unique. As for your site: I suggest different sites for different audiences. Not sure what “other designs” means, but it sounds like you have an idea of the direction you want to go. Thanks for stopping in, Bator.
Maybe I should’ve read your article earlier, lol. I did do a lot of research at the time I decided to set up a website, but went with a company name because my married last name is so hard to spell and pronounce. I always hated my husband’s nickname, but decided to own it instead. It’s ‘Farky’, from our last name – Farquharson. So I went with Arty Farky as my business name. I like to play with words, and thought it was quite good and memorable. Also lending itself to being used as an umbrella company name for anything else I decided to do in the future – photography etc. Now I’m trying to create a logo, and I’m worrying that I should have just stuck with my name. Any advice?
Charli: My advice is pretty well spelled out in the article. I do think Arty Farky sounds a little less than serious. I would prefer you use your full name.
My dilemma is I’m selling paintings as fine art, but looking at creating simple art for patterns and things like stationary, wallpaper, bedding and such that I can license. So I have Denise Ruggiero Art as my fine art business but often wondered if I should use my maiden name which I love Cheramie – means dear friend in French and easier for me to sign – the ‘gg’ in Ruggiero doesn’t flow easily when writing it out. BUT Cheramie is always butchered in saying it and spelling so I just went with Denise Ruggiero.
Now…..that I want to also start with simple and digital art to create fabric or other products to license to companies, I’m not sure what to name that business. I feel Denise Ruggiero Art is too formal for including a graphic art and print company focused on licensing.
My middle name is Nicole – so thought of Denise Nicole Designs – but that’s already taken 🙁
and… do I even need to have a separate name for the two businesses even though they are both based off of art I do?
I kinda feel I should keep them separate because I would charge less for a simple graphic design print than I would for an original painting or even for say an archival print of one of my original paintings. What do you think?
Some thoughts I had for my graphics art business were
Denise Nicole Studios
Cher-amie Designs
Cheramie Studios
If I do a different business name for my graphic art/ patterns could I frame it as say Cher-Amie Studios featuring Denise Ruggiero Fine Art???
I can go in circles for days over this but need to register for a tax ID to be in local Art Festivals for my paintings so do I register two separate businesses or start with Denise Ruggiero Art because that’s what I currently use and when I expand do I get a second tax ID for the graphics art licensing side of my business?
I like your last idea. Just start and then expand. Good luck, Denise!
So I’ve been painting for many years and have always signed my maiden name “Talley” on my paintings. I had started a side business selling my art on merchandise, Southern Wildflower Co., and have also a small following under my social media name as “Southern Wildflower”. But, recently my art career has taken over almost full time and I don’t have as much time to devote to the business. Should I keep my website and social media of Southern Wildflower/Southern Wildflower Co. and just change “Co.” to “Art” or completely change the name to Jennifer Talley Fine Art? I worked hard to get a following as Southern Wildflower though. And it’s kind of fun and whimsical. But is it not serious enough for the fine art I’m now producing?
I hate giving advice on the fly without knowing you better, but this is the best I can do … Change the name! You can have the old URL point to the new one, so keep it for awhile. Also very easy to change your Instagram name.
I’ve been divorced for over 20 years but still use my married name legally for various reasons. Pretty much all legal paperwork shows me as First Name, Middle Name, and Married Name. I don’t normally include my maiden name on things like bank accounts.
I’m only just starting to think of marketing my art and would prefer to use my maiden name. Will I run into problems if people see my legal name is different? Are they going to go “Why does Pat G want me to pay someone named Pat L? Why is her id not the same as the name on her application?”
Register your business with your maiden name, Pat. And I suggest you stop using the married name. Period. You can transition by adding your maiden name to everything for awhile. Then just drop the married one.
Alyson, thank you for your response but legally changing my name is not something I want to tackle. For others who may read this, I want to point out you must file legal paperwork with the courts to change your name. It’s not as simple as just starting to use my maiden name. My family changed the spelling of our last name when I was a minor. Forty years later and we still have to have notarized copies of the document to get a driver’s license.
To change my name would require a lot of money and time. My day job career is under that name. All of my financial accounts (banking, mortgage, retirement, pension), utilities and asset ownership are in my married name. I counted at least 30 places I would have to change my name. I think I will just go with having my art business as “Pat MaidenName Art”. It’s a less common name than my married name and I just prefer it for my art.
Hello Alyson,
I just came across your amazing article, however I went to click on the link to read “Use Another Name for Your Art Business ” and it links back to the top of this page. Has the article titled Use Another Name for Your Art Business been removed from your website? I was really looking forward to reading it, as I am wanting to register my business under another name.
Thank you
Andrew
Andrew: Most of that post was included in this post, but I have updated this post with what wasn’t here. I hope it helps!
Generally I work with Bangladeshi folk art. Besides, i also work with a lot of craft. I didnot find a name for the website for my website of page . What should I do?
I’m not sure I understand your question.
Usually I am an artist. I mean I want to open a facebook page and website. So that I can present my artistic works in front of everyone. But I can’t find any name for my page according to my work. I read your article, very nice. That’s why I want suggestions from you how to open a page with my name for folk art work? Please suggest me.
Hello Alyson!
I am an artist and designer based in New Jersey, and would love some advice on my name dilemma. My full name is Sara Lynn Fioriglio, and have been nicknamed “fig” for short for a long time. So I started using Sara Lynn Fig for my website and I want to start an online shop for graphic design work that is a separate business of its own but connected in some way by the name. I loved the name “Fig Studio” or “Fig Art and Design”, but the word “Fig” is so common in other businesses, so I am not sure if I should steer away from using it and just stick with something like “Saralynn Fig Studio” for now?
Also, I do love my last name, and don’t want to get rid of it completely so I still sign my artists name as Sara Lynn Fioriglio. Do you think that will get confusing?
I know I am over thinking this so any advice is greatly appreciated 🙂
I think you’ve got this, Sara. But using both Saralynn and Sara Lynn is confusing to me.
Please come back here or email me with an update when you get that new site up.