New business name/site- another WWCOJD

It should be noted that "sykkel" is the Norwegian word for "cycles" or "bicycles".

I think you're better served with a business name that is a recognizable word--prefferably one or two (KISS method)--with nothing unusual in the spelling.  Save special names and things with meaning for specific frames or something else that you do within your business, but keep the name as clean, simple, and as easy to remember and pronounce as possible.

X2. I can't imagine a customer trying to remember a name with such non-phonetic spelling and esoteric meaning, much less typing that URL into a browser window. If you're naming it to please yourself, that's find. If you're naming it for your customers I'd go back to the drawing board.

for a web-based business, it is going to be realllllly hard.  if you have a store/shop/location and are focusing on local business, it's not really so bad.  i love the idea and the imagery and how it lends itself to logos/merchandise.  i have NEVER been to the websites for my local cycling shops because i know where they are, who they are, and i'd rather just head on over to talk to them.  (however, i could google them if i needed to, simpler names)

but - if you are trying for a virtual business it is not a good name.  i bet its not taken yet..

Let's also keep in mind the TYPE of business we're discussing. This isn't a web-based business. It's a local custom bike frame builder. The website, facebook presence, Flickr pages, etc., would all follow from organic growth, not from any kind of search engine optimization. I'm not out to become the next CannonTrekalized, or even Serotta or Richard Sachs. 

"On this board..." There's a huge part of the problem with even asking this question here. I could name a good dozen custom buildefs that are doing quite well, and guarantee you that no one on this board has heard of them. But the people in that market have heard of Lynskey and know their story.

This dude near me has an ethnically-named-and-themed successful custom bike-building business.  (I guess.  If you consider Irish an "ethnicity." work with me  here.)

I thought of him instantly when you asked the question. Agree with the KISS principle.

If you make it hard to spell, people will never find it online.  Or look it up in the phone book.   Or be able to tell their friends how to find it.

 ETA:  He's not *currently* near me.  Near my home in the US. 

I read the OP and the proposed name once, and intentionally did not re-read it to see if I would remember the name (which I think was part of the question, I don't know because I haven't let myself re-read the post yet).

Trying to recall - I would type into Google:

Major Sickle

Spelled in the oddest ways I could think of, and add "custom frames" to the search.
Do you think I would find you? I don't know. But I think you need to be "find-able" to your customer. 

I don't personally like the idea of a totally obscure business name from a customer perspective. It means nothing to me unless I do a lot of background research and then commit it to memory (which I won't). Which is OK I guess, just not memorable whatsoever.  

You're totally right, and this is an important part of branding.  Knowing your target market is key.  Following this exchange is actually pretty insightful and a good window into your market: not only are you cyclists, you're elitist cyclists.  The snobbiest of the snobby and the geekiest of the geeky.  This sounds like a put-down, but it really isn't; it's your market.  A good name for your business will be a name that makes your potential customers feel like they're in the "in" group.  A reference to something only you guys know or care about? Win. But it should still be easy to pronounce and follow spelling convention because it will, as you said, "follow from organic growth"; you want a name that people remember easily after doing a group ride, talking at the coffee shop or packing up after a race.

Here's the crux of the problem -- the LBS and mass production IS NOT THE MARKET. You'll never see these frames on the floor of the LBS (unless some one has one in for repairs/adjustments).

As for paying the bills? Ask Richard Sachs if his high-end stuff doesn't pay the bills.

If it were me I would look into something like 

Sykkel Cycle

You still get your Norwegian nod, but it's fun to say and easy(ier) to remember. 
You could have your logo incorporate the Thor hammer so you don't completely lose your first vision/inspiration.

I love the history and name, but as the others have mentioned it's a really hard one to spell/remember.  I think there's a zero point zero chance I could ever learn to spell Mjolnir lol.  

However, I propose splitting the difference.  Sykkel.com is cool and I'm assuming it's pronounced somewhat like "cycle" so I recommend naming it as you mentioned as Mjolnir Sykkel but use msykkel.com as the domain name.  I just checked it and it's available.  The general rule of thumb is the shorter the domain name the better and msykkel.com is fairly easy to remember.

I think it can be esoteric, but I really am not a fan of hard to spell/say.   If I was having a conversation about custom frame builders (and this does happen) I may even be too embarrassed to try to say it for fear of being wrong and it's a missed opportunity.  Or it would be jumbled at best. And, let me add, I am  pretty good with languages and spelling.

One of the more famous frame builders in my area is Peacock Groove.   I have no idea what the name means to him, but it's really catchy for some reason.  This is why I still think esoteric can work.

How about "Thor's Hammer Custom Frames"?

I really like the idea of playing to your Norwegian roots, but I agree with others on here that it really would be too much to try and remember both the name and the spelling, and I wouldn't know where to start to try and pronounce it.  

Is it possible to shorten the name to just something with "Sykkel" and have the logo incorporate the hammer?  

I'm more attached to the "Mjolnir" part than "Sykkel". Sykkel was just in keeping with the Norwegian theme.

Here's why -- it's more than just a reference to a random Norwegian mythology item or a tattoo.

From Wikipedia:

"Mjölnir is depicted in Norse mythology as one of the most fearsome weapons, capable of leveling mountains."

"...compares the name to Russian [blast this editor doesn't allow cyrillic] (molniya) and the Welsh word mellt, both words are taken as meaning "lightning"."

Skáldskaparmál from Snorri's Edda:
"Then he gave the hammer to Thor, and said that Thor might smite as hard as he desired, whatsoever might be before him, and the hammer would not fail; and if he threw it at anything, it would never miss, and never fly so far as not to return to his hand."

And from Marvel comics, Mjolnir is inscribed with this:

"Whosoever holds this hammer, if he be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor."

I was thinking of a tagline being, "Are you worthy to take up the hammer?"

I didn't come up with this in a vacuum of input. I've done lot of reading and in discussion with other prominent leaders in the custom bike world, especially regarding branding. The overwhelming response is that what you sell is yourself, your skill, and your ethos -- what do you stand for? The name itself is somewhat irrelevant as long as it's unique. But in this case, the name reflects the ethos.

And lest I come across as trying to defend myself, that's not the case. I'm trying to fully disclose the thought process, volume and target market.

If you have to explain yourself in that much length I think it's too complicated. Will your average customer/target appreciate all of that research and background into your storefront name, or will they care more about the actual product?

I LOVE the idea of using the unique words as model names. THAT would be cool!