UK Business Name Checklist

The legal rules you must follow

Limited company names are governed by the Companies Act 2006 and Companies House rules:

• Must end in "Limited" or "Ltd" (or "Cyfyngedig"/"Cyf" in Welsh)
• Cannot be identical or "too like" an existing name on the register
• Cannot suggest a connection to government, royalty or local authority without approval
• Cannot contain sensitive words (Bank, Charity, Royal, Architect, Solicitor, etc.) without specific permission
• Cannot be offensive or constitute a criminal offence

Sole traders can trade under a personal name or a chosen business name. Restrictions are lighter but you still cannot use protected words or pretend to be a company (no "Ltd" if you're not one).

Companies House name check

Use the free Find and Update Company Information service. Search for:

• Your exact proposed name
• Singular and plural variants
• With and without common words like "and", "the", "group"
• Phonetic alternatives (Aero / Airo, Smyth / Smith)

If a very similar name exists, your application will usually be rejected. If you find an inactive dissolved company with your preferred name, you can usually still use it — but check carefully.

Trademark check

A clean Companies House search doesn't mean you're safe — a trademark holder can force you to stop using a name even if Companies House accepted it. Run a free search at the UK IPO trademark database:

• Search the exact name
• Check the classes relevant to your business (e.g. class 35 for advertising, class 42 for software)
• Look for trademarks that are "similar" not just identical — visually, phonetically and conceptually
• Check the EU IPO database too if you'll trade in the EU

Domain and social handle check

If the .co.uk and .com both have someone serious on them, your customers will end up there by accident. Compromises that often work:

• A .co.uk-only strategy for a UK-only business
• Adding a relevant word (e.g. "studio", "co", "labs")
• Using a country-code TLD (.io, .uk, .digital) only if the audience expects it

Check social handles on whichever platforms matter to your business. A consistent handle across platforms is worth more than the perfect domain.

The real-world test

• Say it out loud on a phone call: "Hi, this is Sarah from..." If you'd hesitate or spell it three times, reconsider.
• Spell it character by character: ambiguous spellings cost you customers in voice contexts forever.
• Search your name + "scam" or "complaints": if someone with a similar name has a bad reputation, you'll inherit some of it.
• Sketch a logo or wordmark: some names are awful in display type. Better to know now.
• Show it to five people in your target audience: ask what they think the business does. If they're badly wrong, the name isn't telling the story.

Full pre-commit checklist