Choosing a trading name for your business

Having decided that you are going to set up in business on your own, you will need to decide on a name. Some people choose to operate under their own name. However, if you are going to use a trading name there are a number of restrictions that you should consider.

Companies House restrictions

If you are registering a limited company or a limited liability partnership, your trading name will need to adhere to certain rules set out by Companies House.

Your business name must be unique; it cannot be the same or very similar to an existing registered name. You can check the list of registered limited company trading names on the Companies House website by clicking here. Bear in mind that there is currently no database of trading names for sole traders or partnerships.

Companies House will not allow you to use offensive words in your trading name. There is also a list of ’sensitive’ words and phrases that may not be used without prior official permission. These include words like international, British, group, trust and holdings. Full details of sensitive words are available from Companies House by clicking here.

It is also worth remembering that the only way of preventing another business using your chosen name is to register as a limited company.

Domain names and internet presence

The internet is increasingly important for businesses, and it is vital that potential clients can find you easily. As such, you may want to consider a name that is easily ‘Googlable’; avoid common words or combinations of words, and those that are easily misspelled.

You should also make sure that the web domain name for your chosen name is available. You can search for domain availability using the WHOIS service by clicking here. Where relevant you may also want to choose a name that is available as a username for social media like Twitter, Myspace and Facebook.