We did it!! Meet: Jac & Elsie

When I created my shop on Etsy, I did so with an account I originally opened as a buyer. The name, “Jaclyn1423,” was something I picked based off the AOL instant messenger name I had back in junior high. Fourteen was for my birthday, 23 for Michael Jordan.

When I began to post items to sell in that shop, I didn’t even think how silly “Jaclyn1423” sounded for a jewelry shop. It wasn’t until I realized that this wasn’t a whim — that I adored this and planned to keep it up — that I thought, “Well, crap.”

This week, Etsy has finally allowed those of us who perhaps didn’t entirely think our shop names through to amend our oopsies. Which means, today, for the first time, I bring you: Jac & Elsie.

The search for a name was a long one, starting months before I even knew I’d be allowed to make the switch.  I wanted to keep the portion of my name, “Jac,” and I always found “Jac & XXX” to be an adorable set up for a name. But “Jac &” what?

So I thought, what do I want to say with the name? Well, I wanted the name to show that the shop is playful and sweet. It has a vintage edge. And I wanted a name that was meaningful.

Enter Elsie, my nani.

This is my nani and me at the grandparents day lunch my kindergarten held. The pic ran on the front of the metro section of my hometown newspaper. I'm looking at a balloon; she's looking at my mom, who is walking down the aisle to our right.

I’m a lucky girl; I still have all four of my grandparents. As soon as I realized what a fantastic name “Jac & Elsie” was, I immediately tried to fit in “Diana.” She is my father’s mom; Elsie is my mother’s. However, no matter how I worded it, it sounded weird:

• Jac & Diana — Too Mellen-campy (To those readers who know him, you’ll appreciate this: I feel like Andrew H. would really approve of that awful pun.)
• Jac & Di — Too princessy
• Elsie and Diana — Too wordy
• Elsie and Di — Again, too princessy

(If I ever start a men’s line, I have some wonderful grandfather names to work with: “Isaac & Fred,” anyone? [To make it even better, you pronounce that “ISS-hawk.])

I managed to switch over my Twitter account, so you can now find me @JacAndElsie. Facebook won’t let me change my fan page name because I have more than 100 fans (I’d be lying if I said I didn’t think of starting an entirely new page). And Etsy, in a move that makes me wish the company was a big stuffed animal I could hug, will direct anyone who goes to Jaclyn1423.etsy.com over to JacAndElsie.etsy.com.

I would be remiss if I didn’t end this post with some huge “thank yous.” Twitter will never cease to amaze me: When I learned that Etsy was going to allow us to change our names, I posted out a tweet that asked if I knew anyone who could give some marketing and/or branding advice. Leonora @yellowheartart and Mandy @iamthemandy responded. I e-mailed each and explained that I was looking to change my name, and I asked if that was a silly thing to do.

In short, of course not. Leonora pointed out that I branded Jaclyn1423 so well that even if I change the name, if I keep the brand, customers will relate the two. She suggested I not change anything for six months or so until the name sticks before I make any branding changes (which I’m already thinking about — I see pale Tiffany blue and gray in Jac & Elsie‘s future).

Mandy pointed out I’m not exactly Nike or FedEx, so a name change would hardly be detrimental. Plus, Jac & Elsie does keep a part of Jaclyn1423.

Forgive me for boring you with the minutia of my decision-making process, but I absolutely wanted to give those two amazing ladies a shout out. Thank you, HUGELY, for your fantastic advice.