Choosing a Business Name: A Few Tips

One of the most difficult decisions a future entrepreneur or someone, who has completed company registration must make, is choosing a business name. It is difficult because there are so many name choices to pick from, and it is a daunting task to trim it down to that one name that best describes the business and what it represents. As some businessmen say, picking a business name is even harder than picking a baby’s name.

Below are some tips that can help ease the difficulties of choosing that perfect business name for your enterprise:

Check the list of company names. The very first thing that you should do before even applying to form a company is to look at the index of Companies House. Try to get a feel for what names have already been registered that way, if you are already entertaining a possible business name you can immediately confirm if it has been used by other companies or not. Visit (www.companieshouse.gov.uk/info) for this information. You should also check the phone book and trade magazines to see if others are already using possible names for your

Follow the rules. There are certain rules to follow in naming a company, you can’t just pick any name. One example of a rule is that the company name must end with: Limited, Unlimited, Public Limited Company or their respective abbreviations. Remember, your proposed company name will be rejected if it’s already being used or if it is deemed offensive. There are also certain company names (like those where words like England and English are in the name) that needs the approval of the Secretary of State.

Don’t get confused between a business name and a company name. These two terms: Business name and company name are two different things. A business name is what is used for maintaining a business and can be different from the company name. The business name need not be registered with any government agency.

Don’t forget your business’ website. Don’t forget to also look at possible domain names for your company’s website. Try to find a matching name for your business name to make building a brand for your company and creating corporate equity easier. To get accurate info on domain names you can visit Nominet, a group that manages all the registered domain names in the UK.

All about trade marks. When you register a name it prevents another limited company from using the same name as your business. But don’t think that this will prevent a company from using it, say for a new product. If you decide that you want your company name trademarked you will have to go and contact the Patent Office. This exercise will also be worth your while because you can also find out if your company and/or business name is in fact a trademarked name by another company.