Auto repair is a massive industry in the US, surpassing the $81 billion mark in sales. Furthermore, there are 286,000 auto repair shops of all types across the country, fighting for the attention of your target market.
With so many shops out there, choosing a unique and personable business name feels impossible. Are all the best names already taken? What makes a good business name? Is the name available to legally use? Where do you even start?
If you’re not sure how to answer those questions, you’re in the right place.
In this article, I cover my top tips and tricks for brainstorming potential business names for your new shop, as well as what to consider when making your final decision.
Learn more about the auto repair industry
Tips For Coming Up With The Best Auto Repair Shop Name
The best way to get ideas flowing is to brain-dump everything onto a piece of paper or into a spreadsheet. So, grab a pen and a notebook or open up a new sheet.
Then, take about ten minutes or so to write down every single word, phrase, term, or idea related to the auto repair industry you can think of. Try not to self-edit, overthink, or anything like that just yet.
When you’re done, use the tips below to add and edit your list. Spend a few minutes on each tip to add new ideas or remove those not-so-great ideas from the list.
And by the end, you’ll have a hefty list of ideas you can use to generate potential names.
1. Tap Into Your Target Market
Your target audience may or may not know much about the auto repair industry. Because of the varying levels of knowledge, it’s a great idea to tap into what they’re already saying.
Are there any interesting terms or phrases they use to describe their problems? If you’re not sure, you can sit down and talk to someone in your market. Alternatively, there are several other places to look, including:
- YouTube videos
- Online forums
- Social media posts
- Reviews of other shops
- Magazines and blogs
- Comments on blog posts/videos
It may take a bit of time, but odds are you’ll find countless ideas. And all it takes is one or two to spark an excellent idea.
2. Consider Auto-Related Terms
You probably already have some of these on your list. But now’s the time to really dig deep and explore every corner of your industry. From mechanical shop talk to standard automobile industry terms, add everything you can think of to your list.
When brainstorming, include everything that pops into your head. There’s no such thing as a bad or silly idea at this point.
Just remember: as you shift from brainstorming to honing in on the perfect name, carefully consider your target audience and their knowledge about auto repair.
It’s best to avoid jargon or words that won’t resonate with them. So, choose carefully.
3. Neighborhoods, Cities, and Streets
If your community is anything like mine, people love supporting local businesses. An excellent way to put your community in the middle of what you do is to include location-specific terms in your name.
You may want to consider including:
- Your neighborhood
- Street names
- Cardinal directions (i.e., west/east side)
- The name of your city
- An established nickname
Doing so immediately shows you care about the community. However, make sure it doesn’t limit your business from moving or expanding to new locations later on.
4. What’s Your Specialty?
Do you specialize in American-made cars? Maybe you prefer working on luxury imports or a specific make/model. Or perhaps you specialize in engine work, electrical systems, tires, transmissions, or collision repair.
If so, you should consider alluding to what you do in the name of your business.
Take a few minutes to brainstorm words and phrases related to your specialty services. And if you don’t have a specialty, think about what makes you stand out from the other shops around you.
5. Use Your Own Name
Many successful auto repair businesses include the owner’s name in the business name. So, if you’re still stuck or struggling to develop something catchy, consider using your name or infusing words related to who you are.
As a business owner, your name and face often make your business’s brand.
However, keep in mind that it may be harder to sell your business if you decide to do so later on. It’s not impossible, but it may make things a bit more challenging.
6. Consider Logo Design
Your logo is a unique identifier for your business. As such, it’s essential to consider the design of your logo when finalizing your business name.
Logos come in all shapes and sizes. Plus, they’re displayed at varying sizes depending on where they are (i.e., your website, a business card, or an advertisement). So, your business name and logo must be identifiable, even on a small scale.
Take Apple, for instance. Their logo is memorable, descriptive, and immediately identifiable. However, that logo wouldn’t have worked if they used a different business name.
You don’t need to have a logo yet, but it’s important to consider it when choosing your name.
7. Say It Out Loud
Your business name may look great on paper or as a logo, but it’s also important to consider how it sounds when you say it aloud. Furthermore, think about how it sounds in conversation as well.
You can start by saying the name out loud. But you should also use it in casual conversation to make sure it sounds good. So, take some time to talk to a friend or family member about the business.
And pay close attention to how it sounds when you talk about your business. Does it match the vibe and branding you’re going for? Is it immediately clear you’re talking about YOUR business?
If not, consider choosing a different name.
8. Keep It as Simple as Possible
Great brand names are simple, concise, and catchy. It’s best to keep your name as short as possible, and the fewer syllables, the better. Furthermore, try to avoid any words or phrases that are commonly misspelled or hard to pronounce.
This includes using numbers, homophones, or tricky words.
And don’t forget to consider voice search as well as standard text-based internet searching.
If your name isn’t easy to say, hear, or spell, people will have a hard time finding your business online. So, keep this in mind when making your final decision.
List of Catchy Auto Repair Shop Business Names
Here is a list of existing catchy auto repair shop names that may help give you some creative ideas. While many of these names may be available for you to use, be sure to check first to be sure they can be used.
Tips on how to check business name availability are after the list of names!
- 1st Choice Auto Repair
- 2 Brothers Auto Repair & Tire
- 24/7 Auto Repair
- 24th Street Auto Repair
- 3rd Shift Motorsports
- 4 J’s Auto Repair
- 79th Street Auto Service
- 8th Street Garage
- 911 Auto Repair
- 9th Street Automotive
- A & J Auto Garage
- A Plus Auto Care
- A Plus Fleet Service
- A Team Automotive
- A To Z Auto Care
- A+ Auto Care
- A1 Complete Auto Repair
- AAA Auto Mechanic
- Aaron’s Auto Repair
- ABC Quality Auto Care
- Academy Automotive
- Accelerace Automotive
- Access Auto Repair
- Action Auto Care
- Adams Autoworx
- Advance Auto Care Service Center
- Advance Automotive Solutions
- Affordable Care Auto Repair
- Alexander Motorsports
- All Auto & Diesel Repair
- All Bimmer & Mini Specialist
- All Gas Garage
- Amazing Auto Care
- American Autoworx
- American Fast Lube
- Andrey’s Auto Repair
- Angel’s Collision Center
- Angry Goose Garage
- Anthony’s Classic Auto Werks
- Anything & Everything Garage
- Apex Automotive
- Arizona Master Mechanics
- Arkansas Car Clinic
- Attention To Detail Auto Repairs
- Auto Boss
- Auto Man
- Auto Repair Of Riverside
- Auto Shop
- Auto Surgeon
- Bent Wrench
- Bo Knows Auto Repair
- Boyz Automotive
- Breathe Easy Automotive
- Brothers In Arms Auto Repair
- Car Guys
- Car Guys Auto Repair
- Car Medic
- Car Surgeon
- Central Alabama Automotive
- Central Body Auto Repair
- Certified Auto Repair
- Chandler Auto Center
- Charlie’s Auto Repair & Towing
- Chelsea’s AC & Brake Emporium
- Christian Brothers Automotive
- Classic Motor Repair
- Crankshaft Automotive Specialists
- Cre8ive Autoworks
- Daniel’s Total Car Care
- Dash Auto Repair
- Davis Automotive Repair
- Desert Vintage Restoration
- Devine Power Automotive
- Dirty T Automotive
- Disciples Garage
- Discount Auto Repair
- Elite Automotive
- Emergency Auto Shop
- Exhausted Auto Repair
- Finish Line Auto Clinic
- Fireball Auto Repair
- Fox Auto Repair
- Get It Done Car Care
- Grind My Gears Auto & Diesel
- Hank’s Hot Rods
- Happy Helpers Auto
- Hawkins Collision
- Honest 1 Auto Care
- Hurley Family Auto Repair
- Import Auto Works
- Ken’s Bmw Service
- Lakeside Auto
- Landmark Auto & Diesel Repair
- Mack’s Mufflers
- Manic Mechanic
- Mannthey Motor Works
- Manny’s Garage
- Midtown Auto Service
- Mobile Fleet Specialist
- Mobile Medics Auto Repair
- MPG Automotive Service
- Mr Fix It All Auto Repair
- Muscle Car Garage
- No Limit Customs
- Old School Mechanical & Marine
- Outlawz Garage
- Ozark Diesel & Off Road
- Pablo’s Automotive
- Pearl Shine Auto Repair
- Performance Automotive & Tire
- Phelps Brothers Auto Garage
- Pinky’s Automotive & Performance
- Pinnacle Automotive East
- Pit Stop Auto Shop
- Precision Automotive Repair
- Precision Tune Auto Care
- Quick Lube Plus
- Quick Tyme Automotive
- Roadside Services Auto Repair
- Rocket City Body Shop
- RPM Auto Service & Sales
- Screamin’ Motors Auto Shop
- Sean’s Garage
- Smith Automotive
- St John Auto Repair
- Strawberry Motorwerks
- Thunder Alley Automotive
- Timeless Autowork
- Timely Auto Repair Shop
- Tony’s Car Care
- Top Shelf Auto
- Town Centre Automotive
- Tuffy Auto Service Center
- Twins Auto Repair
- Ultra Tune Car Care
- Walker Automotive Service
- We Care Auto Repair
- Wheels Auto Repair
- Wicked Wrench Body Shop
- Yankees Garage
- Your Neighborhood Mechanic
- Your Tech Automotive
- Yslas Brothers Auto Repair
Is Your Auto Repair Shop Name Available?
At this point, you should have several top considerations to choose from. And the best way to narrow it down further is to check each one for availability.
This step is helpful because using a name that someone else is using could be very costly, time-consuming to rebrand your business, and possibly embarrassing. There are several places to look to check whether a name is available to use, so let’s walk through each one.
Can the business name be registered in your state?
If you plan to use a specific business name, you may be required by the state to verify it’s available to use.
Related: How to check business name availability in your state
Is your name already trademarked?
When searching for a name for your new business, you should check that your new name isn’t trademarked by someone else. If it is, you may not be allowed to use it legally.
Thankfully, the United States Patent Trademark Office (USPTO) makes trademark searching a breeze through their Trademark Database.
A name isn’t necessarily available if it doesn’t appear in this search. Every business has some limited protection through a common law trademark. This means another business can’t open up down the street with the same name, as this creates confusion for customers. Also, check local competitors by doing a Google search and looking through the Yellow Pages.
If your name is available and you want to protect it from being used by anyone else, you can register it with the USPTO.
Related: How to check for a trademark
Pulling It All Together + Final Considerations
By now, you should have a long list of words, phrases, and terms related to you and your new business. After you get rid of any complicated words, you can use everything left to develop potential business names.
You can try combining words and forming completely new terms. Just remember to keep things as short and straightforward as possible.
I highly recommend creating a list of potential ideas and then going back through the tips and tricks in this article to narrow it down to THE perfect name for your new repair shop.
