How to Choose a Company Name: Complete Guide 2025/26

Choosing a Company Name

Choosing the right company name is one of the first and most important decisions for any new business. It’s about crafting a name that reflects your brand’s identity. A company name represents your brand, values, and reputation, so it must be memorable, unique, and compliant. Let’s explore the key considerations when selecting a company name, ensuring you meet legal requirements and find a name that reflects your business identity.

Rules of a Company Name

Before registering a company name, you must ensure that it complies with the guidelines set out by Companies House. This is essential to avoid rejection or delays during the registration process.

1. Avoid Restricted Words: Some words are prohibited or restricted in the UK, such as “Royal” or “Bank.”
2. No Offensive Language: Any company name must not contain offensive language or misleading information.
3. Uniqueness: The name must not be the same or too similar to any existing Ltd company names already registered. You can use the Companies House name availability checker to ensure your desired name is available.

Check a Company Name with Companies House

Once you have a potential company name, the next important step is to check the company name with Companies House. This is essential to confirm whether your chosen name is already taken or too similar to another business. Companies House does not allow similar names to exist on their register of companies.

Companies House offers a company name checker tool, allowing you to quickly and easily verify the availability of your desired name. It’s important to run this check before proceeding with your business registration to avoid legal complications or delays.

How to Choose a Company Name and Logo

When launching a business, your company name and logo are the first things people notice. They shape how customers see you and help build trust from the start. A strong name and logo can make your brand memorable, professional, and easy to recognize.

Company Name
Pick a name that reflects what your business does or what it stands for. It should be short, easy to spell, and easy to say. Avoid complicated or confusing words; your name should stick in people’s minds and be simple to search online.

Logo
Once you’ve chosen your name, design a logo that visually represents your brand. Keep it clean and distinctive. A good logo works well in all sizes, from a website icon to a billboard, and should be easy to recognize even at a glance.

What is the next step after choosing a Company name and logo?

Once you’ve chosen your company name and logo in the UK, the next step is to register your business officially. This gives your company legal status and protects your name.

Here’s what to do next:

1. Register with Companies House
If you’re setting up a limited company, you’ll need to register with Companies House. This process includes submitting your company name, address, director details, and company structure. You’ll also need to prepare a Memorandum and Articles of Association.

2. Check for Trademarks
Registering your name with Companies House doesn’t stop others from using it. To protect your brand, consider registering your company name and logo as a trademark with the UK Intellectual Property Office.

3. Register for Taxes
Once your company is registered, you must tell HMRC that your business is active. You may need to register for Corporation Tax, VAT, or PAYE depending on your setup.

4. Secure Your Domain and Social Media Handles
Buy a domain name that matches your company name and claim your social media profiles. This helps build a consistent online presence.

5. Set Up a Business Bank Account
Open a business bank account to keep your finances separate and professional.

6. Create a Basic Brand Kit
Now that you have a logo, define your brand colours, fonts, and tone of voice. This helps keep your branding consistent across your website, emails, and marketing.

Reserving a Company Name

Once you’ve chosen a name, it is advisable to reserve the company name if you’re not yet ready to register your business. Reserving a name prevents others from using it until you’re ready to proceed with the registration.

1. Companies House Name Availability Checker: This tool helps you check whether the name is already in use.
2. Cost to Reserve a Name: While there’s no direct fee for name reservation, it is often done as part of the overall registration process.

Companies House Check Name Availability

Before you can officially register your business, you must check the company house name availability. This process ensures that your desired name is not already in use by another company or too similar to existing names, which could lead to confusion or trademark disputes.

Using the Companies House check name availability tool, you can input your preferred name and see if it’s available. If the name is already taken, you may need to modify it slightly or choose an alternative. Once you’ve confirmed the availability of your name, it’s time to move forward with the company name registration process. This step involves officially registering your name with Companies House, which grants you the legal right to use that name for your business.

The company name register process also includes your business name being listed in the Ltd company names register, making it publicly available for others to see. If you’re forming a limited company, you’ll need to register your Ltd company name with Companies House. This is a straightforward process that can be completed online. You are protecting your business name and ensuring it is legally recognized in the UK.

How to Change a Company Name?

If you want to change your company name, the process is straightforward, but you must ensure the new name also complies with the rules outlined by Companies House. You’ll need to submit a special resolution and update your records, including notifying stakeholders and updating your branding materials.

Trade Mark Registration

Registering a company name with Companies House doesn’t automatically protect it from being used by others. If you want exclusive rights to your company name, you should also apply for trademark registration. The registration of a business name in the UK is essential for ensuring that your brand is legally protected and recognized. This step protects your brand identity legally and prevents others from using a similar or identical name.

Reserving a Company Name on the Web

After checking availability with Companies House, it’s also a good idea to secure your company name on the web. This includes purchasing domain names and securing relevant social media handles.