OK – so you’ve got the ChurchNext online school, know which classes to offer, and are excited to launch – now the big question: what should we name our school?

Since it’s a question we often here around here we thought we’d share with you a couple of directions people go when naming their ChurchNext school.

There are three basic strategies people seem to have in mind. The first, and most common, is to name the school after the congregation. Let’s not get people confused. Online learning is new, so let’s keep it simple. So the most common names are St. Barnabas of the Desert, St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church, or Trinity Church Easton PA. Clearly, folk are interested in helping their members bridge the technology gap as seamlessly as possible – so three cheers for following the KISS method.

Another strategy is to inject a bit of academic aspiration into the mix, focusing on the learning that’s going to happen and helping to create an aura of educational expectation for the student. Some common names are St. Christopher’s University, St. Peter’s Online Academy, St. John’s Community School, Bruton U., and St. Mark’s Episcopal Bible School. Users will have no question as to what they’re in for – it’s all about learning in a school that may be a bit different than the last school you attended, but you’re going to learn nonetheless.

A third strategy we see is churches developing names around a deeply held tradition or conviction. These names seem to reflect who a congregation is, what they believe, or what they’re trying to do. And they are undoubtedly instantly recognizable by the members of that community. Examples include Christ Church Poughkeepsie Soul School, Beyond the Red Door, Shepherd’s Table, Food for the Journey, Growing in Christ, and The Front Porch.

There are also a couple of schools that have creatively incorporated acronyms into their school names: LOTS (Learning Online Together School) and FLOCK (Flexible Learning Online in Community for the Kingdom).

Whatever you choose to name your school, you are free to experiment because you can always change it back! Your administrator can do this by going to your school’s console and looking under Manage School>Branding. Happy naming.