Brokers debate the merits of a name for success or failure
“What’s in a name? That which we call rose, by any other name would smell as sweet,” so pondered the female protagonist of William Shakespeare’s much revered love story Romeo & Juliet. She was right of course – a name really is just a name; identifying the same thing, regardless of how the letters are arranged or rearranged. But even though a product or service isn’t itself materially altered by the name adopted, how you choose to brand your offering from a marketing perspective, can arguably set you up for success or failure because of the impression it creates and the recognition it holds. And that’s why brokers, setting up in business, can spend plenty of time considering the company name that – hopefully - sets them apart from others in the market.
Do they straightforwardly use their own name as a no fuss introduction to their service, or do they try to come up with something that’s snappy and memorable, perhaps defining their approach to mortgage advice? Not everyone can be as blessed as broker Kelly Worthington, who recently told Mortgage Introducer how she dreamt the name of her business, All You Need Mortgages, and immediately bought the domain name online when she woke up.
It wasn’t quite as straightforward for broker Jonathan Smith (pictured left) when he set up his business, Springate Mortgages. He took his time deciding on its name, even though he was relaxed about how big a priority it was. “I'm a firm believer that the name is not actually as important as people think, so I wasn't too hung up on it,” Smith said. “I thought long and hard, and so did my family. A lot of brands have used alliteration, so I felt that had already been done. A lot of the buzz words had been taken such as mortgage studio, hub, guru etc, so there wasn't really any scope for that too. But then my wife suggested Springate Mortgages and we loved it from the off. Springate is taken from the street we live in, but doesn't tie us to an area at all, which I wanted to avoid, for example Sussex Mortgages or similar. The ‘Spring' part is really positive, and the 'gate' part gives prestigious IFA vibes. So overall it’s a good mix.”
Claire Towe (pictured second from left) sought a memorable name for her female-focused brokerage when she set up in business with her husband Matt – and they decided upon Meet Margo. “People often assume it’s because I’m Margo – I’m not!” explained Towe. “But the name carries a lot of meaning. Margo means pearl, a timeless symbol of wisdom and wealth. Buying a home is one of the biggest investments most people will ever make – that’s the wealth. But what often gets overlooked is the wisdom to get there with confidence - that’s where we come in. We wanted our brand to feel human and approachable, like you’re meeting someone you can trust to guide you through one of life’s biggest decisions. Meet Margo feels like the start of a relationship, not a transaction. It’s helped us stand out in a traditionally corporate space, and build a brand that genuinely connects with women.”
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Do you need to consult a brand expert?
The name of broker Ben Groves’ mortgage business doesn’t have a personal meaning. He went for something different when establishing his venture. “We consulted a brand expert who reviewed our target market, created personas of what these types of clients typically like, or do not like, and this had a real impact on choosing Yomo Finance,” said Groves (pictured centre). “We went with a more modern, short brand that’s easy to remember and I think it has had a really positive impact on the business. Consulting an expert was definitely the right move for us to ensure we stay relevant for the long term.”
For Sonya Atelier (pictured second from right), founder and adviser at The Mortgage Atelier, it was key to reflecting her business approach. “We like to get to know our clients on a really personal level, and each client works differently, likes to receive information differently,” explained Matharu. “We will meet them in whatever way we can to make it the experience that they want or need. Atelier is a French word for workshop or studio, where bespoke pieces are made, so it ties into our ethos of giving bespoke, tailored advice to our clients, for their individual needs and circumstances.”
Emily Franks (pictured right), director of Emily’s Mortgage Services, opted for a personal touch for her venture. “I've always been known as Em or Ems,” she shared. “I've got clients that will message me saying, ‘Morning, Ems how are you?’, and I just thought that made perfect sense - that's how I'm known. I don't want to be sat behind a corporate logo or a really formal business name. I've built a reputation online of people following Emily, the independent mortgage broker. So the initials for Emily's Mortgage Services, spell Ems. It does what it says, people know who I am. I'd rather people know me than the brand – I am the brand.”
For Saam Lowni (pictured inset, above), founder and managing director of Merryoaks Finance, it was important to have a link to his roots and the parents who inspired him into the property business. “Anyone who’s built something from the ground up knows how personal these decisions can be,” Lowni observed. “It’s the name of the estate I grew up on in Durham. A real community - football on Sundays, uni campuses, riverside walks and the place where I first fell in love with property. My parents were flipping homes for £2k back when the average house price was £80k - that’s where it all started for me. I decided at 10 I wanted to be in property, and that never changed. So when it came to naming the business, Merryoaks just felt like home. Merry is happiness and oak is long lasting, so long lasting happiness. I would like that for the people that interact with us.”
Broker Ajay Nayyar (pictured inset above), founder & CEO, of Hearthstone Mortgages, considers that in a market where a lot of firms’ names sound interchangeable, his company name has helped the business stand out and, importantly, helped clients feel they are dealing with people, and not just a process.
“When I was setting up the business, I knew I didn’t want the brand to sound like another ABC Mortgages or XYZ Financial or even Anything Solutions,” Nayyar explained. “I wanted something that actually meant something, to me, and to the people we help. I chose Hearthstone because historically, the hearthstone is the foundation of a home, a symbol of warmth, strength, and stability. That perfectly sums up what we aim to provide our clients: not just mortgage advice, but a real sense of security and trust.”
He continued: “There’s a subtle personal touch too, my name, Ajay, means unconquered in Sanskrit, so the themes of resilience and building something lasting felt even more aligned with what I wanted Hearthstone to represent. Naming is something I take seriously across all my businesses - my entertainment company, Khando, also comes from a Sanskrit word meaning sword or defender. Strength, protection, resilience, these aren’t just random words to me - they’re what I believe clients deserve, whether they're buying a home or investing in their future.”
