Guide
Check your business name is available
Step-by-step guide to checking your business name is available across Companies House, trademarks, domains, and social media before you commit.
Choosing a business name is exciting, but committing to a name before checking availability can lead to costly problems — from rejected Companies House applications to trademark infringement claims. Check all four areas before you decide.
Understanding registered names and trading names
Before you start checking, understand what type of name you need. The rules and checking process differ depending on your business structure.
Checking Companies House
If you are forming a limited company or LLP, your registered name must be unique on the Companies House register. Use the free name availability checker — it applies the same 'same-as' rules that Companies House uses when processing applications.
Important: Companies House only blocks identical names (after stripping punctuation and common words). It does not check for similar names. However, an existing company can object to a similar name within 12 months under s.69 of the Companies Act 2006, potentially forcing you to change.
Sole traders and partnerships do not register their name with Companies House, but should still search the register to avoid confusion with existing companies.
Checking trademarks
A company name registration does not give you trademark rights, and a trademark does not register your company name. They are separate systems.
Search the UK trademark register before committing to any business name. If someone has trademarked your proposed name (or something confusingly similar) for the same type of goods or services, using it could lead to legal action — regardless of what Companies House accepted.
If your name is clear, consider registering it as a trademark yourself for stronger legal protection.
Checking domains and social media
In practice, your online presence matters as much as your legal name. Before committing:
- Domain names: Check .co.uk and .com availability. Register both if available — even if you only plan to use one initially. Domains cost £5-15 per year.
- Social media handles: Search Instagram, Facebook, X, LinkedIn, and TikTok for your proposed name. Consistent handles across platforms strengthen your brand.
- Google search: Search your proposed name to check for existing businesses, negative associations, or unintended meanings in other languages.
If your exact name is not available as a domain, consider whether a slight variation works or whether you should choose a different name entirely.
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Search the Companies House register
Use the free name availability checker. If forming a limited company, this is the definitive check for whether your registered name will be accepted.
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Search the UK trademark register
Check at gov.uk/search-for-trademark that your name does not conflict with an existing trademark in your class of goods or services.
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Register matching domain names
Secure .co.uk and .com domains before incorporating. Domains are cheap (£5-15/year) but impossible to get back if someone else registers them first.
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Reserve social media handles
Create accounts on major platforms using your business name, even if you do not plan to use them immediately. This prevents others taking your name.
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Consider trademark registration
If your name is clear across all checks, consider registering it as a UK trademark (£170 for one class) for stronger legal protection.