How to check whether a name is available
Checking whether a name is available means checking several separate things: trade marks, the company register, domains, social handles, app stores and who already trades under the name. Start with quick web, app store and domain searches, then search the trade mark register before you spend money.
By Phil Martin at Incyworks Ltd · Published · 7 min read
“Is the name available?” sounds like a yes-or-no question. In practice it's several separate questions, and each one has its own register, its own rules and its own risks. Here is what to check if you're launching in the UK, in an order that rules names out cheaply before you spend real time on them.
The checklist
1. Trade marks
This is the check that matters most, because a conflict can force you to rebrand after you've invested in the name. Search the UK register for identical and similar marks in the classes that cover what you sell. If you also sell abroad, check those markets too. Our guide on checking a name for trade marks in the UK explains how to search the register and read the results.
2. Companies House
If you're forming a UK company, check the name on the Companies House register. Companies House won't register a name that's the same as an existing one, and it treats some differences as not counting, such as “Ltd” versus “Limited”, punctuation and some common words. A company can also be told to change its name later if it's too like another company's name. Some words, such as “Royal” or “Bank”, need permission. GOV.UK explains the rules in choosing a company name (opens in a new tab).
3. Domains
Check the endings that matter for your audience: usually .com and .co.uk or .uk for a UK business, and perhaps a product-style ending such as .app or .io. If the exact name is taken, check variations such as get{name}.com or {name}app.com. A registered domain isn't necessarily in use, and an unused one isn't necessarily for sale. See does the .com really matter? for how much weight to give it.
4. Social handles
Check the platforms where your customers spend their time. You don't need every network, but a matching or near-matching handle on the two or three that matter will save confusion. An inactive account with your name is a minor problem. An active brand using it in your space is a warning sign.
5. App stores
If you're building an app, search the Apple App Store and Google Play. Two developers generally can't publish under the same app name, and a similar app with a similar name will compete with you for the same searches.
6. The open web
Finally, search the name, and the name with your category, in a search engine. Look for businesses already trading under it, especially in your sector. In the UK, a business can sometimes stop you using a name through the law of passing off, even without a registered trade mark, if it has built up a reputation under that name. A web search also tells you how crowded the search results will be.
What order to do it in
Start with the quick searches: a web search, the app stores and a domain lookup take minutes and rule out obvious clashes. Then do the trade mark search on everything that survives, and Companies House if you're forming a company. Only buy domains and claim handles once a name has passed the trade mark check. It's easy to spend money securing a name you can't use.
What “available” really means
No single check proves a name is clear, and none of these checks can guarantee that you're free to use or register a name. Registers change every day, searches can miss similar marks, and unregistered rights don't appear on any register. What these checks do is reduce risk and show you where to look harder. For a name you're about to invest in heavily, a full clearance search by a qualified trade mark attorney is worth considering.
What NameClicked checks
Free results give each name a preliminary score and say clearly which checks haven't been run. A Full Assessment adds:
- Live domain checks against the registries' own records for .com, .co.uk, .uk, .app, .dev, .ai, plus common .com variations. The .io and .co registries don't offer a lookup service, so we can't check those live.
- UK trade mark screening for identical and similar marks in the classes that match your description.
Companies House, social handles and app stores aren't checked yet, and every report says so. See how NameClicked scores a name for how these results feed into the score.