You probably put plenty of thought into what you named your business, trying to find that magic word with a certain something that would spark interest, create a memorable brand and inspire a great logo. And, inevitably, you ran into a problem: All the good names are taken. OK, that may be going a bit overboard, but as far as trends in naming go, today's startups--especially internet startups--are sounding pretty bizarre.

Looking at names like Wakoopa, Ooma, Frengo, Vudu, Qumana, Imeem, Tendango and Xobni, just try to guess what the companies do. Or try to pronounce them, spell them or remember them. There's a fine line between finding a memorable, brandable name and one that sounds like gobbledygook.

Worse yet, a strange name may turn off investors. San Francisco e-mail organization startup Xoopit faced having to change its name after a VC considering investing in the company thought it was just too odd. Xoopit's alternative names were also rejected, so one of its founders took to the streets and asked people if they could pronounce the name (ZOO-pit, if you're wondering). Most could, so he kept it.

"Google, too, may have sounded silly in its early days, but the name developed a pedigree through good products," said Michelle Quinn in her LA Times article. And with many companies seeking to recreate Google's signature "oo," it'll be interesting to see which names will stick around and create a cachet for themselves.--Francine Kizner