Choosing a company name
This article is based on UK law. It was last updated in
August 2008.
When choosing a name for your company there are certain
considerations to bear in mind. Not only must the name that
you choose not be registered already with Companies House but also
the contents of the name must comply with various requirements.
You should check that the name that you wish to use is not
registered already at Companies House. The fact that the name is
not registered does not guarantee that the name is available for
use by you.
Someone else may be trading under that name already. In so far
as it is possible you should check that the name is not being used
as the trading or business name of any other company. Although you
may be able to register the name you could find yourself liable to
a passing off claim if you mislead people into thinking you are
connected to another business, trading under that name.
If you are setting up a limited company then its name must end
with either the word 'limited', 'ltd.' or the Welsh equivalent. If
you are setting up a public limited company then its name must end
with either the words 'public limited company', 'plc' or the Welsh
equivalent. These words must not be included anywhere else in the
name except at the end.
There are strict rules which limit the choices of name available
for your company. In essence any name which you chose, must
not:
- be the same as a name already registered;
- be offensive;
- constitute a criminal offence by its use;
- suggest that the company is connected to the
Government or a Local Authority; or
- contain certain words or expressions unless
approval is first received from the Secretary of State.
The words and expressions, which require prior approval,
include:
Abortion, Apothecary, Association, Assurance, Assurer,
Authority, Benevolent, Board, British, Chamber of Commerce,
Training and Enterprise, Chamber of Industry, Chamber of Trade,
Charitable, Charity, Charter, Chartered, Chemist, Chemistry,
Contact Lens, Co-operative, Council, Dental, Dentistry, District
Nurse, Duke, England, English, European, Federation, Friendly
Society, Foundation, Fund, Giro, Great Britain, Group, Health
Centre, Health Service, Health Visitor, Her Majesty, His Majesty,
Holding, Industrial and Provident Society, Institute, Institution,
Insurance, Insurer, International, Ireland, Irish, King, Midwife,
Midwifery, National, Nurse, Nursing, Patent, Patentee, Police,
Polytechnic, Post Office, Pregnancy Termination, Prince, Princess,
Queen, Reassurance, Reassurer, Register, Registered, Reinsurance,
Reinsurer, Royal, Royale, Royalty, Scotland, Scottish, Sheffield,
Society, Special School, Stock Exchange, Trade Union, Trust, United
Kingdom, University, Wales, Welsh and Windsor.
