ideas for names for childminding business

**daniellehumble** · 11-07-2016, 01:21 PM

Hi all, looking for ideas for a name for my childminding business- currently awaiting DBS checks before completing registration application. Would greatly appreciate any ideas! Had a couple of thoughts- my surname is Humble, so Humble Bees childminding or Humble Beginnings childminding? Any thoughts on these?

Also thought about Home from Home Childminding, any thoughts?

Thank you 😊

**moggy** · 12-07-2016, 06:20 PM

Home from Home Childminding is already used by many CMers as a google search will show.
I like the Humble versions... but definitely no plans to change your name at any time?!
I find people are rarely know by their CMing business name, they are know as 'Jean' or that 'lovely CMer called Jo' etc. I don't bother with a business name, I can not see the point of adding another layer of communication when you just want someone to know it is YOU who are the one to call for the best CMer service in town!

**daniellehumble** · 12-07-2016, 07:20 PM

Thanks Moggy- no plan on changing my name haha. Quite a few childminders have names for their businesses around here and thought it may be easier for advertising and maybe if I ever expand and take on an assistant. Will have a good think about it!

**loocyloo** · 12-07-2016, 07:25 PM

I like 'humble bees'

but I don't have a business name, I am just known as 'loocyloo'

( well actually my real name, although a few people know my forum name!

)

I find it easier, as moggy said, to be myself!

and to be honest, 'cutsie' names really put me off.

**moggy** · 12-07-2016, 07:59 PM

Originally Posted by loocyloo

...

and to be honest, 'cutsie' names really put me off.

Yes, I think you do need to be careful about cute and baby-ish names, you might be minding big children (and the little ones you might start with will grow older!) who really won't be won over by cutesy names. You have no idea where your business might take you in future years and a name could end up restricting you through its associations.

**Kiddleywinks** · 12-07-2016, 08:02 PM

I think sometimes a setting name makes parents think of a nursery type setting rather than a home from home, so if lots of settings are named locally to you, maybe not having a name would be more appealing to potential clients....

I started with a name, and have since dropped it lol

**bunyip** · 12-07-2016, 08:14 PM

Originally Posted by loocyloo

I like 'humble bees'

but I don't have a business name, I am just known as 'loocyloo'

( well actually my real name, although a few people know my forum name!

)

I find it easier, as moggy said, to be myself!

and to be honest, 'cutsie' names really put me off.

I absolutely agree with this. your own name is personal, sensible, and says "I am me, and I am prepared to put my trust in my own name".

Besides, anything else always looks a bit twee. (Especially anything that begins with "Little...."

**mumofone** · 12-07-2016, 08:22 PM

Lol I think town names followed by childminding are fine to be fair...
So may I use the example of our lovely own Sarah Neville and "knutsford childminding", I think that is great, is what it says...
:-)
X

**moggy** · 12-07-2016, 08:23 PM

Originally Posted by mumofone

Lol I think town names followed by childminding are fine to be fair...
So may I use the example of our lovely own Sarah Neville and "knutsford childminding", I think that is great, is what it says...
:-)
X

...as long as you don't move house!!

**k1rstie** · 13-07-2016, 05:45 AM

I have my small town name plus childminding as my website address and then my own name for everything else.j

**mama2three** · 13-07-2016, 06:04 AM

I have a business name , I wouldnt use the same one if I chose again Id drop the 'little' ! I wanted a business name for advertising...I didnt want my personal name and phone number on adverts , my car etcetera. Im known as my name the majority of the time , and collectively the children are called the explorers

**samb** · 13-07-2016, 06:13 AM

I have a business name and it begins with little lol! However it's not cute or small child based its based on my business philosophy. I wanted to come up with something I believed in and sorted a name from it. I am "little foundations" and my philosophy is "building foundations through care". My logo has a Lego brick- something that reflects the ideas and isn't bias to age or gender. I don't use it with the children just business stationary and I use it as a selling point to explain what I offer.

Of course children say they're going to samb house. But the business name I felt was the business side not "me" as such.

Hope that helps

**FloraDora** · 13-07-2016, 01:12 PM

Now from what posts have been put on here I know that what I am about to say may not apply everywhere....

But when I first started I researched this naming your setting. My anecdotal research from my own experience of talking to children for many years in my old life about their childminder, told me what others have said in this thread- the children usually say they are going to Jo's/ Sam's etc...so I never knew which childminder was linked with the business name. Someone came to my school with a logo on their car and I never found out who this was as they parked quite away and all the childminders picking up walked the children out of school so it wasn't clear who went to the car.
I looked at other childminders in my area and researched their grade and costs if I could find them and what they offered.
My very small survey showed me that more childminders achieved good / outstanding that used their own name than those that used a child like business name.....I chatted to colleagues about this and we wondered if some put a lot of effort into logos, names, business uniforms etc....but not the same into actually how they were going to create a learning environment and EY curriculum in their setting to enable all children to make good progress whilst they cared.

This is purely my research and interpretation.......but the first thing we should plan is our learning environment and vision and ethos....it doesn't really matter about a name......it's what actually happens whilst children are in your care.
Parents will look for those Childminders who have vacancies, policies and hors that suit them.....visit....go with their value judgements of what they see and what they hear from you...backed by good word of mouth recommendation or references. The name is the least thing that will influence.....unless as somebody else has said, it's twee and they have a strapping lad of 9,10, 11 - they may think the LO's will be your priority.