HELP! With choosing an Identity....

I'm a graphic designer looking to break off
from my current employer and make some
money on the side with websites & banners, etc.

I told my wifey that I'd planned on using "aeY2k.com" as my place
of residence on the web. She didn't like it at all (good thing to know AFTER
I purchase the name).

I also have the address "MassFX.com".

Which of the two names would YOU go with if you were me?

I guess I have a hard time coming up with something.
I don't want to call my self "blah-blah studios" or "blah-blah design",
nor do I want to pretend I'm 12 years old and give myself a nickname
and/or name from some video game with numbers added to it.

This is a name that HAS to sell me and my services in a professional manner.

Suggestions?

Thanks much guys!

What's your name?

my name is aaron.

I forgot to mention that the "ae" in aeY2k are
the initials of my first and last name.

"y2k" in anything is sooooooo 4 years, 2 months and a day ago.

Also you have to keep in mind you're going to have to say your domain name over the phone, so keep it simple and easy to spell. With that you'd have to spell it out, make sure they hit the number 2, rather than typing the word, etc. Not to mention it's very non-descript and kiddie looking. MassFX.com is much better than that one, but still not ideal. There is a reason a lot of people name their companies "blah blah design", so that you actually have some idea of what they do.

"There is a reason a lot of people name their companies "blah blah design", so that you actually have some idea of what they do."

-------

Thanks for your input.

I understand that.

But there are also a lot of web designers who don't.


Any more suggestions?

Okay, guys, let's help him from a different perspective. Let's name some of the top web design firms (in our opinion):

Stop Design
Happy Cog
...

very good design firms that do at least some interactive:

juxt interactive
ride studio
chase design group
pixelgrazer

This is a name that HAS to sell me and my services in a professional manner.

massFX ain't it

the guys that have obscure names (i.e. pixelgrazer) also have sick contacts and probably named their sites after they'd been working for a while and already had a solid client base. you can also market yourself as 'bob designer' and your site just happens to be something uniquely named (which is what i do).

chris

"you can also market yourself as 'bob designer' and your site just happens to be something uniquely named (which is what i do)."

================

What's the difference between massfx.com and
a site name like tangentoriented.com? not much if you ask me.
i'd even argue that massfx.com is easier to remember and
relates more to the field. (not being mean, just sayin').

And if you do great work, should it really matter?

Also, what are the pros & cons with marketing yourself
under your real name (individually) as opposed to selling yourself
under a professional name like you're a 10 person business?

I work for a small company who carries 3 different names
and pretends to be larger than we really are. It seems to work.

comments?

again, I really appreciate the honest feedback.

:D

[QUOTE=aey2k]What's the difference between massfx.com and
a site name like tangentoriented.com? not much if you ask me.
i'd even argue that massfx.com is easier to remember and
relates more to the field. (not being mean, just sayin').[/quote]

no offense taken, i have a good answer anyway

tangent oriented actually has a concept behind it, it refers to both my personal randomness and the variety of areas that i work in (web, interactive, print, video, 3d, architecture). if i sit with someone for 2 minutes and tell them the story ('i'm not random, i'm tangent oriented') it DOES stick, it's unique and actually means something. even so i have thought about changing it to something simpler, tho i don't think i will because i feel it embodies what i want it to.

massfx doesn't say anything to me, it sounds like the visual effects company of two 14 yr olds to be honest. design is about communication, your name should say something even if it's not a concept that will be immediately grasped.

And if you do great work, should it really matter?

nope, but sometimes it does anyway.

Also, what are the pros & cons with marketing yourself
under your real name (individually) as opposed to selling yourself
under a professional name like you're a 10 person business?

the short version is that a business name implies a business which can carry with it a number of other financial/tax issues. an individual is an individual.

I work for a small company who carries 3 different names
and pretends to be larger than we really are. It seems to work.

for me that's an integrity issue. to each their own.

chris