How to choose a company name

Your company name is one of the few decisions at the start that's genuinely worth a little care, it goes on the public register, on your invoices, and (usually) into your domain. The good news is the rules are simpler than they look, and checking availability takes seconds. This guide covers what's allowed, what isn't, and how to avoid the most common mistake, choosing a name that turns out to be unavailable.

The quick answer: your limited company name must be unique enough (not identical or too similar to an existing company), must not include restricted or sensitive words without permission, and must usually end in "Limited" or "Ltd". Check it's available before you commit to anything, our free name checker searches the Companies House register instantly.

The Companies House naming rules

A limited company name has to clear a few specific rules before Companies House will accept it:

• It must be unique enough. It can't be the same as, or too similar to, an existing registered company name. "Too similar" is the single most common reason a name gets rejected.
• It usually must end in "Limited" or "Ltd" (or the Welsh equivalents), unless a specific exemption applies.
• It can't include sensitive or restricted words without permission. This covers words implying a connection to government or public bodies, and words implying regulated activities (like "bank", "insurance" or certain professional terms) that you'd need authorisation to use.
• It can't be offensive, or imply a connection that doesn't exist.

Sole traders have more freedom, since you're trading under a business name rather than registering a company, but you still can't pass yourself off as another business or imply a status you don't have.

How to check availability

Before you print anything, buy a domain, or fall in love with a name, check it's actually available on the Companies House register. This matters because a name that's too similar to an existing company will be rejected at registration, which is the most common cause of a delayed or bounced application.

Our free name checker on the homepage searches the live Companies House register in seconds, so you know immediately whether a name is clear before you build anything around it. It's worth checking a couple of alternatives at the same time, so you have a fallback ready if your first choice is taken.

Company name vs trademark, they're not the same

This is a genuinely important distinction that catches people out. Registering a company name at Companies House does not give you trademark protection. They are two separate systems protecting two different things:

• A company name simply reserves that exact name on the companies register, so no one else can register an identical or near-identical company.
• A trademark protects your brand, name, logo, or product name, from being used by others in your area of business, and is registered separately through the Intellectual Property Office.

It's entirely possible to have a registered company name that infringes someone else's trademark, or to have a trademark without an identical company name. If your brand is central to your business and you want real protection against competitors using it, a trademark is the mechanism, not company registration. For many small businesses a trademark isn't an urgent day-one task, but it's worth understanding the gap so you're not relying on company registration for protection it doesn't provide.

Domain and social handle availability

While you're choosing, check that a sensible domain name and your key social media handles are available too. There's little worse than registering a company name only to find the matching domain is taken or costs a fortune. You don't need an exact match, plenty of businesses use a slightly different domain, but a reasonable, memorable domain that relates clearly to your name is worth lining up at the same time. A registrar like Cloudflare (which sells domains close to cost) is a straightforward place to secure one once you've settled on a name.

Practical tips for a name that works

Beyond the rules, a few practical things make a name easier to live with:

• Easy to say and spell. If people have to ask "how do you spell that?", it costs you every time you say it aloud.
• Not too narrow. A name tightly tied to one product or location can box you in if the business grows or pivots. A little room to expand is worth keeping.
• Distinct enough to be findable. A very generic name is hard to rank for and hard for customers to remember among competitors.
• Check how it reads as a domain and email. Some names look fine but produce an awkward or unfortunate run-together web address.

None of this is a rule, plenty of great businesses break every one of these. But they're worth a moment's thought before you commit.

Changing your company name later

If you outgrow your name or simply change your mind, you can change a limited company's name later, it's a formal process through Companies House, and the company itself (and its number, history and legal identity) stays the same, only the name changes. It's not difficult, but it does mean updating everything that carries your name, so it's better to get the name reasonably right up front than to treat it as easily disposable. The company number, importantly, never changes, so contracts and records tied to it remain intact even if the name does change.

FAQs

Can two companies have similar names? Not too similar, Companies House rejects names that are the same as, or too close to, an existing registered company. This is the most common cause of a rejected application, which is exactly why checking availability first matters.

Do I need to trademark my name too? Not necessarily, but company registration and trademark protection are separate. If protecting your brand from competitors matters, a trademark (registered through the Intellectual Property Office) is the mechanism, company registration alone doesn't provide it.

Can I change my company name later? Yes, through a formal Companies House process. The company's number and legal identity stay the same, only the name changes, so it's manageable but means updating everything that carries the name.

Does my company name have to match my trading name? No. A company can trade under a different name to its registered name, as long as the trading name doesn't breach the naming rules or pass you off as another business. Many companies do exactly this.

Do I have to include "Limited" or "Ltd" in the name? Usually yes for a limited company, unless a specific exemption applies. Sole traders don't use "Limited", since they aren't a company.