The Story Behind the Name Gingiber — and What It Teaches About Naming Your Art Business

The number one question I get asked as a business owner isn't about licensing or pitching or pricing. It's this: What does "Gingiber" mean, and how did you come up with it?

It's a fair question. The name is unusual, memorable, and a little mysterious — which is partly why it works so well as a brand. But the story behind it is more accidental than strategic, and I think that's what makes it so encouraging for anyone who's still trying to name their own business.

The Origin: A College Assignment and a Latin Dictionary

When I was a junior at Drury University, a small liberal arts college in Missouri, my graphic design professor gave us an assignment: create a magazine entirely about yourself. This meant branding, photography, layout, articles — the whole thing. And, of course, a name.

I knew who I was, more or less: a newlywed, an assistant manager at Starbucks, someone who loved printmaking, cooking, and decorating my tiny cottage of a house. That was easy enough to photograph and write about. But the name — the name stopped me cold.

So I went to the university library and found an old Latin dictionary. I was drawn to the G section — I've always had a thing for the letter G typographically — and I just started scanning the pages until something caught my eye. And there it was: Gingiber. The old Latin word for ginger. I liked the double G's. I liked that it could mean anything. I liked the sound of it. So I went with it.

That was 2007. The magazine cover reads "gingiber.com" — a domain I didn't own yet, advertising a brand that didn't exist yet. I couldn't have imagined then that just two years later, both would be real.

From a Fictional Magazine to a Real Etsy Shop

In 2008 my first daughter was born. I was working full-time as a store manager at Starbucks. Her nursery walls were bare because I couldn't find art I loved. So I doodled — sharpie drawings on manila envelopes — and eventually my husband mentioned Etsy, which at the time was a small, intimate platform for artists and makers.

I browsed it and still couldn't find what I wanted for my daughter's room. So I decided to make it myself. And then sell it. When the moment came to name my Etsy shop, I thought about it for a week. Should I use my own name? A cute baby-themed name? Something that sounded more established?

And then I remembered the college magazine project from two years before. I pulled out my old branding, dropped it into my Etsy shop, and called it Gingiber. The simplest possible solution, using what I already had.

What Gingiber Is Today — and What the Name Still Means

Today, Gingiber has grown from a one-woman Etsy shop into a business with 1,400+ brick-and-mortar retail partners and $2M+ in annual revenue. Many people still don't know how to pronounce it — say the word "ginger" and add an "ib" in the middle. It's always a good conversation starter.

I share this story because there is no perfect way to name your business. Sometimes the simplest solution is the best one. Sometimes the name you've been sitting on for years — the one you made for a class project, or the one that sounds a little weird but feels right — is exactly the one you're supposed to use. You've got to leverage what you've got right in front of you to get to where you want to go.

Thinking About Naming Your Own Art Business?

The name matters less than you think — and more than you think. It matters less because what really builds a brand is consistent, quality work shown up for again and again. It matters more because the right name will make you feel proud to put it on everything you make. If you're building an art business from the ground up, The Artist's Side Hustle is a great companion for the whole journey — naming included.

Frequently Asked Questions About Naming an Art Business

What does "Gingiber" mean?

Gingiber is the old Latin word for ginger. Stacie Bloomfield found it in a university library Latin dictionary in 2007 while completing a graphic design assignment. She liked the double G's, the unusual spelling, and the open-ended quality of the name — that it could mean many things while anchoring to something real. To pronounce it: say "ginger" and add an "ib" in the middle.

How do you come up with a name for an art business?

Start by listing words that feel true to you — your subject matter, your aesthetic, your values, or even something personal like a place or word you've always loved. Then look for names that are easy to say, easy to remember, and available as a domain and social handle. Don't wait for the perfect name — Stacie spent a week on the decision and ultimately went with something she'd already created for a college project. Often the right name is already closer than you think.

Should you name your art business after yourself or use a brand name?

Both approaches work. Using your own name builds personal brand recognition and makes it easy for people to find you specifically. A brand name (like Gingiber) creates a business identity that can outlive any single product line or style evolution. The practical considerations: does the domain exist? Is the Instagram handle available? Can people spell it easily after hearing it once? Whatever passes those tests and feels right to you is the right name.

About Stacie Bloomfield

Stacie Bloomfield is the founder of Gingiber, a surface pattern design and art licensing brand she built from her dining room table into a multimillion-dollar business with products in 1,400+ brick-and-mortar stores. She has earned $500K+ through art licensing and has taught 5,000+ artists how to build real income from their work.

She is the author of The Artist's Side Hustle (Hay House), a Moda fabric designer, and the host of the Art + Audience podcast. Her programs — including Side Hustle Society, Leverage Your Art, and the Art Licensing Pitch Playbook — help artists at every stage turn their creativity into consistent income.