Using data from Meridian-IQ, we compiled a list of the top 50 most commonly used words in registered investment adviser (RIA) firm names across the United States. These words are presented in the table below in order of the frequency with which they occur nationally. The percentages listed for each word represent the frequency in which that word appears in the name of an RIA firm.
What’s interesting is that the popularity of these words varies depending on region. The words Capital, Management, Partners, and Global, for example, are significantly more likely to appear in the name of an RIA firm located in the Northeast than in that of a firm located anywhere else. To further quantify this a bit, an advisory firm located in the Northeast is 43.9% more likely to use the word Capital in the name of their firm when compared to an advisory firm located in the Midwest.
There are, however, some words that are decidedly Midwestern. Financial, Services, and Planning all see their highest popularity in the country’s heartland. As an example, an RIA firm located in the Midwest is 63.4% more likely to use the word Financial in the name of their firm when compared to an investment adviser located in the Northeast.
Names aside, when it comes to business entity structures for RIA firms, it appears that the limited liability corporation (LLC) is nearly twice as popular when compared to traditional corporations (Inc, Corporation, Corp, and Incorporated).
Finally, it should be noted that while Midwestern firms may be slightly less ambitious when it comes to using words to describe themselves, they are slightly more creative than most: Using a total of 3,286 distinct words to describe the 3,669 RIA firms located in the Midwest sampled by our survey, the Midwest averaged 0.90 unique words per RIA firm name. This compares to unique word figures of 0.87, 0.86, and 0.85 for advisory firms located in the West, Northeast, and South, respectively.
Also, the letter “J” is strangely popular as a standalone character.
Here are the top 50 words most frequently used in the names of RIA firms:
|
Ranking |
Words |
National |
Northeast |
Midwest |
South |
West |
|
1. |
LLC |
11.57% |
12.88% |
10.90% |
10.89% |
11.21% |
|
2. |
Management |
8.59% |
9.18% |
7.89% |
8.36% |
8.65% |
|
3. |
Inc |
6.28% |
5.43% |
7.23% |
7.02% |
5.84% |
|
4. |
Capital |
5.44% |
6.20% |
4.31% |
4.92% |
5.87% |
|
5. |
Financial |
4.16% |
3.05% |
4.98% |
4.71% |
4.29% |
|
6. |
Advisors |
3.92% |
3.82% |
4.12% |
4.24% |
3.56% |
|
7. |
Investment |
2.97% |
2.58% |
3.71% |
2.80% |
3.05% |
|
8. |
Wealth |
2.50% |
1.50% |
2.87% |
3.09% |
2.79% |
|
9. |
Group |
1.86% |
1.62% |
2.02% |
2.05% |
1.84% |
|
10. |
Asset |
1.84% |
2.14% |
1.68% |
1.76% |
1.70% |
|
11. |
& |
1.76% |
1.60% |
1.88% |
1.86% |
1.77% |
|
12. |
Services |
1.39% |
1.13% |
1.71% |
1.51% |
1.34% |
|
13. |
Partners |
1.27% |
1.77% |
1.11% |
1.01% |
1.06% |
|
14. |
Advisory |
0.87% |
0.75% |
0.96% |
1.06% |
0.75% |
|
15. |
LP |
0.85% |
1.76% |
0.22% |
0.67% |
0.44% |
|
16. |
Associates |
0.83% |
0.81% |
0.84% |
0.76% |
0.90% |
|
17. |
Planning |
0.68% |
0.55% |
0.93% |
0.72% |
0.63% |
|
18. |
Investments |
0.66% |
0.55% |
0.64% |
0.69% |
0.76% |
|
19. |
Company |
0.56% |
0.61% |
0.50% |
0.60% |
0.49% |
|
20. |
Co |
0.48% |
0.61% |
0.50% |
0.43% |
0.35% |
|
21. |
The |
0.47% |
0.34% |
0.53% |
0.53% |
0.50% |
|
22. |
Ltd |
0.38% |
0.31% |
0.81% |
0.34% |
0.21% |
|
23. |
Strategies |
0.30% |
0.25% |
0.30% |
0.27% |
0.40% |
|
24. |
Advisers |
0.30% |
0.48% |
0.23% |
0.21% |
0.23% |
|
25. |
Corporation |
0.27% |
0.27% |
0.28% |
0.26% |
0.27% |
|
26. |
Corp |
0.27% |
0.38% |
0.26% |
0.27% |
0.14% |
|
27. |
Global |
0.24% |
0.31% |
0.11% |
0.24% |
0.25% |
|
28. |
And |
0.22% |
0.15% |
0.23% |
0.24% |
0.26% |
|
29. |
Solutions |
0.21% |
0.19% |
0.26% |
0.18% |
0.23% |
|
30. |
Retirement |
0.21% |
0.17% |
0.24% |
0.22% |
0.22% |
|
31. |
Fund |
0.20% |
0.24% |
0.24% |
0.21% |
0.13% |
|
32. |
Investors |
0.20% |
0.27% |
0.21% |
0.09% |
0.20% |
|
33. |
Consulting |
0.19% |
0.12% |
0.25% |
0.24% |
0.20% |
|
34. |
Private |
0.19% |
0.20% |
0.20% |
0.14% |
0.23% |
|
35. |
Securities |
0.19% |
0.19% |
0.21% |
0.19% |
0.17% |
|
36. |
Counsel |
0.17% |
0.08% |
0.28% |
0.18% |
0.18% |
|
37. |
Portfolio |
0.16% |
0.12% |
0.18% |
0.16% |
0.21% |
|
38. |
Street |
0.16% |
0.19% |
0.16% |
0.16% |
0.15% |
|
39. |
Strategic |
0.16% |
0.12% |
0.16% |
0.18% |
0.16% |
|
40. |
Advisor |
0.14% |
0.13% |
0.15% |
0.15% |
0.14% |
|
41. |
Equity |
0.13% |
0.16% |
0.13% |
0.09% |
0.15% |
|
42. |
J |
0.13% |
0.14% |
0.10% |
0.15% |
0.13% |
|
43. |
Consultants |
0.12% |
0.07% |
0.18% |
0.13% |
0.12% |
|
44. |
First |
0.11% |
0.06% |
0.19% |
0.14% |
0.10% |
|
45. |
Research |
0.11% |
0.15% |
0.11% |
0.10% |
0.07% |
|
46. |
Money |
0.10% |
0.07% |
0.08% |
0.20% |
0.07% |
|
47. |
A |
0.10% |
0.07% |
0.12% |
0.09% |
0.15% |
|
48. |
New |
0.10% |
0.18% |
0.08% |
0.06% |
0.06% |
|
49. |
Of |
0.10% |
0.07% |
0.09% |
0.15% |
0.08% |
|
50. |
Hill |
0.09% |
0.18% |
0.08% |
0.06% |
0.05% |
Be sure to check back soon as we continue to break down more RIA industry data.