My business will involve writing. I wanted the name of my business to relate to writing. I also wanted the name to be playful and, ideally, to convey a deeper meaning to the target audience for my services.

I chose “Serial Comma”.

The name works for me on several levels. First, for those who care about writing, it will instantly communicate a degree of seriousness about the endeavor of writing. It shows not only that I know what a serial comma is but also that I care enough about it to name my company after it. Second, it playfully references one of the most divisive issues in English grammar. I hope it brings a smile to people’s faces when they see it. Third, it can serve as a hook for a business that provides several services (which will become clear later in this project). I’m pleased with the name from a branding perspective.

A business name must also satisfy two other fundamental conditions: it must be available as a company name in the jurisdiction of incorporation and it must be available as a domain name. Serial Comma met the first condition. Unfortunately, I had to compromise on the second condition. “serialcomma.com” was registered to a domain name speculator, who wanted $200 for it. I declined as a matter of principle, choosing instead to insert a hyphen. Thus was “serial-comma.com” born.