Choosing a Business Name

So you’ve got an idea- great, that’s the easy part! The hard part comes next- what will be your business name?

Many entrepreneurs overlook the immense importance of having a business name that is not only clear and memorable, but also legally correct too! There are strict rules and regulations that govern business names and the use of certain phrases or words within it.

Top Tips:

  1. Short, simple and memorable- consumers have a short attention span so you need to ensure that within that short time frame you are catching their attention. Even more importantly, having a memorable name will make it a lot easier for consumers to find YOU in directories and listings.
  2.  Unique – make your name as unique as possible to your business. Check the Company Names Index on Companies House, local directories, trade journals, and the Trade Mark register of the IPO to see if your proposed name is already in use. For example, if you checked some of these sources and found that there are 100 other companies in the consulting industry called ‘Bright Minds’ it’s a no-brainer that it would be wrong to pick that name. Especially when operating in a competitive or saturated industry it is important to choose a name that makes you stand out from the crowd.
  3. Keep it legal- do not use restricted, prohibited or offensive words to avoid any adverse legal repercussions. It’s not worth it.
  4. Internet domain availability- consider the availability of Internet domain names when picking your business name. Even if you do not plan to use a website, you may want to stop competitors using your business name as their internet domain. It would be commercially unwise to choose a business name, register it, produce promotional materials hublot replica watches and then seek to register an Internet domain name just to find that your business name has already been taken by someone else. Consider all variants for your Internet domain, for e.g. www.bookclubUK.com or www.bookclub.org, ensuring that whatever you choose is relevant to your region and business.