Overlay images, text, and signatures on PDFs of any size
PDFCanvas is a web-based application that lets you modify PDF files directly in your browser — no installs, no complexity. Think of it as a flexible canvas on top of your PDFs, where you can place content exactly where you need it. With PDFCanvas, you can:
- Upload and preview PDF files instantly
- Add images to any PDF page
- Insert custom text with your choice of fonts and colors
- Add signatures to PDF documents
- Download your modified PDF files in seconds
Built by 35sites, PDFCanvas makes working with PDFs simple, precise, and accessible — whether you’re making quick edits or preparing documents to share.
Naming Our New PDF Tool: From Generic Ideas to PDFCanvas
When building a new product, naming it feels deceptively simple — until you actually try to do it.
As we started developing a new web app that lets users overlay images and text onto PDF files of any size, we went through a deliberate brainstorming process to find a name that was clear, safe, and future-proof. This post walks through that process, the options we considered, why some were dropped, and how we arrived at the final decision.
Step 1: Starting With the Obvious (and Why It Didn’t Work)
Our first instinct was to use very direct names like:
- PDF Editor
- ChangePDF
- PDF Shift
These names clearly describe what the app does — but that turned out to be the problem because of several reasons including:
- Too generic: Names like “PDF Editor” are descriptive, not brandable. They’re hard to protect legally and easy to copy.
- Crowded space: App stores and search results are already full of similarly named tools.
- Trademark risk: Some appealing options (like PDFShift) are already in active use by other companies in the PDF space, increasing the risk of confusion or conflict.
At this stage, it became clear that we needed a name that did more than describe a function — it needed to feel like a product we could own.
Step 2: Leaning Into Our Existing Brand
Since the tool would live under our main domain (35sites.com) as a subdomain, that gave us flexibility.
Using a subdomain meant:
- The primary brand is already clear: 35sites
- The tool name doesn’t need to stand alone legally
- We can focus more on clarity and usability
This opened the door to cleaner, simpler names like:
- LayerPDF
- OverlayPDF
- PDFCanvas
Rather than forcing “35s” (our WordPress plugins sub-brand) into the product name, we decided it was better to let the domain do that work for us.
Step 3: The Final Two Contenders
These are some of the names we considered
| Category | Name Options |
|---|---|
| Generic / initial ideas (dropped) | PDF Editor, ChangePDF, PDFShift |
| Descriptive / functional options | OverlayPDF, LayerPDF, StampPDF, MergeMark PDF, DocOverlay |
| Creative / brandable options | PDFLoom, InkLayer, PDFCanvas, PaperFuse, MarkShift |
| Variations using “35s” prefix | 35sLayerPDF, 35s PDF Layers, 35s PDF Canvas, 35s OverlayPDF, 35s PaperLayer, 35s PDF Stack, 35s DocLayer, 35s LayerDocs, 35s PDF Mark, 35s Layer |
| Subdomain-friendly candidates | layerpdf.35sites.com, pdfcanvas.35sites.com, overlay.35sites.com, pdfoverlay.35sites.com, pdf-layer.35sites.com, canvas.35sites.com, docs.35sites.com, mark.35sites.com |
We narrowed it down to two strong options:
| Option | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| layerpdf.35sites.com | • Very literal and precise• Appeals to technical users• Clearly communicates functionality | • Slightly technical• Less inviting to non-technical users• Feels more like a feature than a product |
| pdfcanvas.35sites.com | • Instantly conveys free placement and flexibility• Friendly and intuitive for a wide audience• Scales well to future features (drawing, signing, annotations)• Feels creative, not restrictive | • Slightly less literal than “LayerPDF” (but still clear) |
The Decision: PDFCanvas
We ultimately chose:
👉 pdfcanvas.35sites.com
PDFCanvas best reflects how the tool works: a blank canvas where users can place text and images anywhere on a PDF, regardless of size or layout. It’s approachable, brandable, and flexible enough to grow as the product evolves.
How we present it:
PDFCanvas
Overlay images and text on PDFs of any size
by 35sites
https://35sites.com/pdfCanvas
Final Thoughts
This process reinforced an important lesson:
A good name balances clarity, safety, and future potential.
By avoiding overly generic terms, respecting existing products in the space, and leveraging our main brand through a subdomain, we landed on a name that feels both practical and intentional.
Now comes the fun part — building it.
