Should You Use Your Real Name or a Business Name for Freelancing?

John Smith, we’ve got some talking to do.

If I could get back all the hours that I spent stressing about what to call my business, I could probably write at least 3 solid articles and still have time to post grainy photos of my dog on Instagram.

And after all that, I ended up naming my business “Jessie Lewis.” Haha, go figure.

I’m the poster child for waffling around on a business name, but you shouldn’t be. In fact, I basically did enough waffling for both of us, so you can save time and just walk through my analysis below.

What should you name your freelance business? Is your birth name good enough, or should you get creative? Does it matter?

Read on, my padwan.

The benefits of using your given name for your freelance business

For most freelancers, using your actual name is the best way to go. Not only is it great for personal branding, but it just makes your life easier. You’ve got clients and confusing tax forms now — You need something simple in your life.

If that alone didn’t totally convince you, fine. Here’s my super subjective breakdown: