How to name a cooperative

The name of the created cooperative, whether it is consumer, agricultural, garage or credit, is its business card and should distinguish it from the rest. In fact, naming, the so-called process of selecting a name for an enterprise, is an entire industry and is considered a marketing service. But you can try to name a cooperative yourself using simple rules.

Instruction manual

1

At its core, a cooperative is a kind of association for professional, functional, financial and other interests. It is created to achieve common economic and social goals that are associated with the satisfaction of the material or other needs of its members. Therefore, in its name one can use such words as “Union”, “Commonwealth”, “People’s”, “One”, “Our”. These epithets emphasize the essence of the partnership being created, its unifying nature.

2

Choose a name that evokes either neutral or positive emotions. Neutral may include those that use geographical names associated with the location of the cooperative or its legal registration. The positive emotions for the target audience will be caused by the names in which the words “Perspective”, “Right”, “Faithful”, “Own” will be found.

3

In the name of the cooperative you can use the words that relate to its activities: "Car enthusiast", "Cashier", "Spikelet", "Vegetable grower", "Summer resident". But before you give a name that literally lies "on the surface", ask the tax registration authority if it is already engaged in another cooperative association. Check the uniqueness of the name. It can be ordered from a law office specializing in this.

4

Keep in mind that the name of the cooperative must in any case be checked to see if it is a trademark. For example, Sberbank has already managed to defend its exclusive right to the Sber trademark in court. This means that a consumer cooperative, called, for example, "Savings Bank" or "Savings Credit Union", may be presented with claims from the largest credit institution in Russia. Precedents of court decisions in favor of Sberbank already exist, so it’s better not to risk it and manage in the name without this controversial prefix.