Choosing a name for your limited company

Choosing a name for your company is an exciting part of starting out. But what makes a brilliant company name?

The legal requirements

To comply with the Companies House rules and restrictions your company must:

  • Be fewer than 160 characters including spaces and name endings

  • End in either Limited or Ltd

  • Only use permitted characters

  • Be sufficiently different to other company names and trademarks

Your company name must not:

  • Contain any restricted, offensive or sensitive words

  • Contain words that when translated to another language may cause offence

  • Suggest a connection with the UK government, a devolved administration, a local authority or a specified public authority

Other things to consider:

⃞ Is your preferred domain name available, even if just for company email addresses?
⃞ Does an internet search reveal anything you don’t want to be associated with?
⃞ Are social accounts available for your company name? e.g. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn

If you're unsure about whether your company name is suitable, check out the Companies House guidance.

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