Is Your Company Name Available? How to Check Before You Register

A practical guide to naming your business, checking availability and choosing a name you can build on.

To name a business, start with who you want to reach and what you want the name to communicate. Build a shortlist, test how the names work in everyday use, then check Companies House, trade marks, domains and social handles before committing.

If you’re setting up a UK limited company, your registered name must also meet Companies House rules. Finding an available name is one check; deciding whether it is the right name for your business takes a little more thought.

Start with what your business name needs to do

Before generating ideas, write one sentence describing what you do and who you do it for. For example: “I help independent shops improve their websites and sell more online.”

Then decide what the name should communicate. A personal consultancy might benefit from a founder’s name. A local service business may want its work or location to be obvious. A product brand might prioritise something distinctive that works across different markets.

You do not need a name that explains everything. You need one that makes sense to the people you want to reach and is practical to use.

How to come up with business name ideas

Explore a few approaches before settling on a favourite. These examples are invented to illustrate the choices; their availability has not been checked.

Use your own name: “Morgan Ellis Consulting” could suit a business built around personal expertise. Consider whether you want the business to remain closely associated with you.

Describe the service: “Clear Ledger Bookkeeping” gives customers an immediate clue about the work. Very descriptive names can be harder to distinguish from competitors.

Use a relevant idea: “Next Chapter Studio” suggests a fresh start. A tagline could explain the service while the name provides the character.

Create a distinctive word: “Velmora” could work as a flexible brand, but customers may need help understanding what it does and how to spell it.

Write down ten or fifteen options, then reduce them to three to five. A name generator or AI assistant can help you explore directions, but an attractive suggestion is not evidence that the name is available or safe to use.

How to choose a company name from your shortlist

Try each name in the situations where you will actually use it: introducing yourself, answering the phone, writing an invoice and giving someone your email address.

Say it aloud. Can someone repeat it and spell it after hearing it once?

Show it to a few potential customers. Ask what kind of business they expect, rather than simply whether they like it.

Search it online. Are the results dominated by another business, or could customers easily confuse you with a competitor?

Think about growth. A name tied to one town or one service may become awkward if your plans change.

For example, a hypothetical designer choosing between “Morgan Ellis Design”, “Stockport Logo Studio” and “Next Chapter Studio” has three different trade-offs. The first centres the founder, the second makes the location and service explicit, and the third leaves room for a broader offer but needs more explanation.

Choose the option that fits the business you intend to build. A distinctive spelling can work, but weigh it against the repeated explanation it may require.

Check whether your company name is available

For a limited company, use the Companies House company name availability checker. Search the register for close alternatives too.

Names can count as the same despite differences in punctuation or certain words. “Too like” names can also be challenged after registration. Adding “Ltd” or a punctuation mark is not a reliable way around an existing name.

Read the official company naming rules before applying. A checker result does not reserve the name or settle trade mark rights.

FOUNDRS includes company-name checks within its guided incorporation process. These help you check a proposed name as you prepare your application; they do not replace wider checks on the brand you plan to use.

Check restricted words and the company name ending

Some words need approval, and names suggesting a government connection may need permission. Company names cannot be offensive. Check the official sensitive words guidance rather than guessing from how a word sounds. Our guide to words you can’t use in a company name explains the topic in more detail.

Most private limited company names end in “Limited” or “Ltd”. Companies registered in Wales can use the Welsh equivalents, and specific exemptions exist. “Limited” and “Ltd” do not make otherwise identical names distinct.

Check trade marks and existing businesses

An available company name does not automatically give you the right to use it as a brand. Companies House registration and trade mark protection serve different purposes.

Use the Intellectual Property Office’s trade mark search to look for your proposed name and similar words or spellings. Consider the goods and services covered, not just exact matches.

Also search for businesses already using similar names online, in directories and on social platforms. Businesses can have rights in names they use even without a registered trade mark. If a close match creates uncertainty, get advice before spending on branding or applying for protection.

Check domains and social handles

Check whether you can get a domain that customers can remember and type easily. Look at the extensions relevant to your business, such as .co.uk and .com, and check the renewal price as well as the first-year offer.

You do not need every extension or a matching handle on every platform. Prioritise the channels you expect to use and avoid alternatives that make you look like another business.

Buying a domain or claiming a social handle does not reserve a company name or establish trade mark rights. Carry out the other checks before investing heavily.

Does your company name have to match your trading name

No. Your registered company name can be different from the name customers know you by. For example, a hypothetical “Morgan Ellis Services Ltd” might trade as “Next Chapter Studio”. Check both names where relevant and make sure the company’s legal identity is disclosed where required. Our guide to company name vs trading name explains how the arrangement works.

If you are a sole trader, you do not register a limited company name at Companies House. You can use your own name or a business name, subject to the sole trader naming rules. Brand, domain and trade mark checks still matter.

What if the name you want is taken

Return to your shortlist rather than forcing a small spelling change. Try a different phrase, a more distinctive concept or a meaningful additional word, then repeat the checks.

A name being absent from the Companies House register does not mean nobody uses it. Equally, a domain being taken does not necessarily mean the matching company name is unavailable. These are separate checks.

If you are considering buying a domain or an existing company, be clear about what is included. Neither purchase automatically provides rights to every use of the name.

Your final checklist before registering

1. The name fits your business and is straightforward to say and spell.

2. You have checked Companies House availability and close registered names.

3. You have reviewed sensitive words and any permission requirements.

4. You have checked relevant trade marks and existing businesses.

5. You have a workable domain and suitable social handles.

6. You understand which name will be registered and whether you will use a trading name.

Once you have chosen and checked your name, the next step is preparing your company details. Our guide to registering a limited company in the UK explains what you will need.

With FOUNDRS company formation, you can work through the incorporation process with guided support and company-name checks built in. Companies House makes the final decision on registration.