Choosing a name for your spa is an integral part of creating its brand identity. The name of your salon is one of the first pieces of information on your business that a potential client receives when looking for a place to visit, so it’s important for it to make an impact.
The spa and salon market has plenty of competition, so the name you will choose for your spa can help decide if you stand out in the market and find the success you’re looking for as a business. You can offer the highest quality service and innovative treatments, but if your name doesn’t appeal to customers, you won’t have a chance to impact clients. Are you rebranding or opening a spa? Let’s take a look at a list of 50 cool spa names and check out a few of the mistakes you should avoid if you want to catch the attention of your clients!
What are the characteristics of a money-making spa name? We suggest checking your name for these four criteria:
These criteria are a starting point for your salon name, but it’s up to you to prioritize what matters most for your business. Let’s take a closer look at each of these criteria and dive into how they affect the naming process.
A name is truly memorable if it sticks with the client not just while they are visiting you, but is also easy to remember when they tell others about your spa or think of their next appointment. For example, a name like “spa4u” may seem memorable, but after the initial curiosity it sparks it’s hard to recall its proper spelling. The client will likely try to type combinations like “spaforyou”, “spa4you”, “spa four you” and might grow frustrated and give up. A memorable name doesn’t have to be complicated or obscure.
“Memorability” and “originality” oftentimes go hand-by-hand, but this isn’t always the case. We want to make sure that your memorable name isn’t extremely common, and that your original name isn’t SO unique that it’s hard to remember. A name can seem clever and original, like “Sparadise”. It’s super memorable and seems unique…until you google it. Suddenly, it turns out that there are dozens of Sparadises all around the globe. Is it a problem? Now, it depends - we mentioned before that each of the good spa name characteristics is relative. It depends on many variables, and in this case - on your local competition. You need to do some research - if your spa turns out the only “Sparadise” in your county, then the name truly is original. But if another business using the name pops up in your area, then it’s best to let it go.
The name you choose has to fit your business - which seems obvious. But there’s more to this rule than it may seem! Certain words bring certain feelings, emotions, connotations, and - as the younger generation calls it - vibes. Your spa name has to vibe with your business on many levels. For example, let’s take a look at “A Spa Garden”. It’s a very pretty name - hearing or reading it for the first time, the potential client thinks of relaxing greenspace. Then, they arrive at your spa and see that you are very much into industrial design and the only flower is that poor dying petunia on the receptionist’s desk. Or you go with “A Peaceful Escape” and then your spa has a more active and energetic approach, with music playing loudly all day long. Or maybe you go with “Waterfalls Spa” and don’t have a single treatment that involves water. Or you opt for “A Lake View Spa” and the closest water reservoir in your neighborhood is three blocks away (and it’s a sewage treatment plant). Or choose “Spa Plein de Vie”, because it sounds so chic, but not a single one of your employees (you included) speaks French. Even if your treatments are excellent, they may not be what your potential clients expect when they see your banner or ad on social media. It’s especially important when it comes to names that suggest the price range of your services. With a name like “A Luxurious Moment,” you may deter people with a smaller budget, while “Mean Steam Spa” will probably not attract more upscale clientele. Fit the name to your target goal!
Finally, remember that some names are insensitive or straight-up offensive. Again, this is a nuanced topic. Many treatments offered by spas have their origins in different cultures - and if you are not a part of the culture in question, you have to be very careful to not use its “exoticness” as a token. For you, it may seem fun, exciting, and different, but for a person who actually comes from this cultural background, it might have a much deeper (oftentimes religious) meaning and they may be offended by you treating it as a marketing gimmick. If you are offering such treatments, it’s always best to either employ specialists who originate from this culture, respect it, or have the right experience with it, or at least have someone originating from this culture to educate you and your team. And when it comes to names - simply avoid using terminology you are not deeply familiar with (yes, “Nirvana”, “Namaste” and “Karma” count as well) and forget that the word “exotic” even exists.
Now that you know what to look for, let’s list some great samples.
Now that you’ve got the tools for naming your business, don’t forget to get familiar with the biggest name in the world of spa business software - Booksy. It’s the best system on the market that meets all the needs of a spa owner - from appointment scheduling to room and equipment management. Try it for yourself and see how much easier spa management can be!
