How to Choose a UK Company Name

Choosing a company name feels like it should be the easy part of starting a business. You pick a name, check if it's taken, and move on. In practice, it's more involved than that — and getting it wrong can mean rejection at incorporation, a forced name change after registration, or a trademark dispute you didn't see coming.

The Companies Act 2006, the Company Names (Sensitive Words and Expressions) Regulations 2014, and Companies House's own guidance notes set out a detailed framework for what names are and aren't allowed. Most of this is publicly available, but it's scattered across multiple sources and written in legislative language. This guide pulls it together into one place, explains how the rules actually work, and shows you the things that trip people up.

We're an accounting firm that handles company formations. This is what we'd tell you if you asked us to check whether your name would go through. If you just want to check name availability, you can do that right now — but reading this first will help you understand what the results actually mean.

1. The rules: what Companies House will and won't accept

Before we get into the nuances, here are the baseline requirements for any limited company name in England and Wales. These are non-negotiable — if your name fails any of these, it won't be accepted.

Required suffix

Every private limited company must end its name with "Limited" or "Ltd". Welsh companies can use "Cyfyngedig" or "Cyf" instead. There's no legal difference between the full word and the abbreviation — it's purely a stylistic choice.

There is one exemption: private companies limited by guarantee whose objects are the promotion of commerce, art, science, education, religion, or charity — and whose articles prohibit distributing profits to members — can apply to omit the suffix under section 60 of the Companies Act 2006. This is relatively rare and requires a specific application.

Source: Companies Act 2006, s.59

Character limits

A company name cannot exceed 160 characters, including spaces and the suffix. In practice, this is rarely a problem — 160 characters is a lot. But it's worth knowing the limit exists, particularly if you're using a long descriptive name.

Permitted characters

Company names registered in England and Wales can use letters (A–Z), numbers (0–9), and a limited set of punctuation marks and special characters. The full permitted set includes full stops, commas, colons, semicolons, hyphens, apostrophes, ampersands, at signs, and various brackets. Since 31 January 2015, accented characters (such as é, ñ, ü) are also accepted under the Names and Trading Disclosures Regulations 2015.

What you can't use: most symbols not in the approved list, and anything that would make the name offensive. Companies House has broad discretion to reject names it considers offensive or objectionable.

Names that are always rejected

Beyond the specific rules above, a name will be rejected if it is the same as an existing name on the registrar's index (covered in detail in the next section), if it contains a sensitive word without prior approval (covered in section 4), or if in the opinion of the registrar it would constitute a criminal offence or is offensive.

2. How Companies House decides if a name is "the same as" another

This is the part most guides skip — and it's arguably the most important. When you propose a company name, Companies House doesn't just do a literal string match against its register. It applies a set of normalisation rules that strip away superficial differences before comparing. Two names that look different to you can be legally identical to Companies House.

These rules are set out in The Company, Limited Liability Partnership and Business (Names and Trading Disclosures) Regulations 2015, supplementing section 66 of the Companies Act 2006. Here's what gets normalised:

The effect is that two names which look different on paper can resolve to the same normalised form — and if they do, the new name is rejected. This is an automatic, non-discretionary check. There is no appeal process for a "same as" rejection; the name simply cannot be registered.

Worked examples

Here are some pairs of names that would be treated as "the same" after normalisation:

Source: Companies Act 2006, s.66 · Names and Trading Disclosures Regulations 2015

3. "Same as" vs "too similar" — two different problems

This is a distinction that catches people. The "same as" check and the "too similar" challenge are two completely different mechanisms with different triggers, different timelines, and different consequences. Understanding the difference matters because a name can pass one and fail the other.

How "too similar" works in practice

The "too similar" power under section 67 is most commonly triggered by an existing company objecting to the new name. If "Greenfield Solutions Ltd" has been trading for ten years and you register "Greenfield Solutons Ltd" (a typo, but a different normalised string), they can complain to Companies House, and the Secretary of State can direct you to change your name.

The factors considered include how close the names look and sound, whether the businesses operate in the same industry or geographic area, and whether there's a realistic risk of public confusion. This is a judgment call, not a mechanical test.

The Company Names Tribunal

There's also a separate mechanism: the Company Names Tribunal, established under section 69 of the Companies Act 2006. This allows a person to apply to the Tribunal if a company name is the same as or sufficiently similar to a name in which they have goodwill (reputation). This is a formal adjudication process, separate from the Secretary of State's powers, and can result in an order to change the company name.

New powers since 2024

Under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023, Companies House has been granted expanded powers to challenge and reject company names. These include the power to refuse names that are intended to facilitate fraud, contain computer code, or give a misleading impression of connection with a foreign government or international organisation. These powers are being phased in, with some already active.

Source: Companies Act 2006, s.67–68 · Companies Act 2006, s.69

4. Sensitive and restricted words — the full list

Certain words and expressions cannot be used in a company name without prior approval. These are defined in The Company, LLP and Business Names (Sensitive Words and Expressions) Regulations 2014 and fall into distinct categories, each with its own approval process. If your proposed name contains any of these words, Companies House will reject your application unless you can demonstrate you've obtained the necessary approval.

This isn't just about obviously official-sounding words. Some entries — like "Group," "Holdings," or "Foundation" — are common in everyday business naming and catch people off guard.

Words implying authority or status

These words suggest the company has a special status, official function, or pre-eminence in its field. Approval is required from the Secretary of State (in practice, Companies House), and you'll typically need to provide evidence justifying the use of the word.

Words implying government or state connection

These words suggest the company is connected to the UK government, a devolved administration, or a public authority. Most require you to obtain a letter of non-objection from the relevant government department before your application will be accepted.

For devolved nations, the approval body is the relevant national government: Scottish Ministers for "Scotland" and "Scottish," Welsh Ministers for "Wales" and "Welsh."

Words implying royal connection

These all require approval from the relevant government department and in some cases the Privy Council. They are very rarely approved for commercial companies.

Regulated profession words

These words are restricted because they indicate professional qualifications or regulated activities under separate legislation. Using them without the appropriate professional standing is potentially a criminal offence — it's not just a naming issue.

Financial and charitable terms

"University" requires Privy Council approval and is almost never granted to commercial entities. "Charity" and "Charitable" require Charity Commission approval and evidence that the company genuinely has charitable purposes.

Source: Company Names (Sensitive Words and Expressions) Regulations 2014

5. What about dissolved companies?

When you search the Companies House register, you'll often find that your desired name is already taken — but by a company that's been dissolved. This raises the obvious question: can you use it?

The short answer

Generally, yes. When a company is dissolved, its name is removed from the active index. A new company can be registered with the same name. Companies House will not reject your application solely because a dissolved company once used that name.

The risk: restoration

Here's the catch. Under the Companies Act 2006, a dissolved company can be restored to the register — and when it is, it's treated as though the dissolution never happened. There are two routes:

If the original company is restored and you've registered a company with the same name in the meantime, you'll likely be directed to change your name. The restored company has priority — it's treated as having existed continuously.

Practical guidance

The risk is proportional to how recently the company was dissolved and how active it was. A company dissolved last month after years of trading is much more likely to be restored than one dissolved eight years ago that never filed accounts. There's no definitive rule here, but as a practical measure:

Source: Companies Act 2006, s.1024 · s.1029

6. Trademarks — the risk Companies House doesn't check for

This is arguably the biggest gap in the company naming process: Companies House and the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) don't talk to each other. You can register a company name at Companies House that directly infringes someone's registered trademark, and Companies House will accept it without question. The two systems are completely separate.

This means passing the Companies House name check gives you no protection against a trademark claim. A company with a registered trademark can take legal action against you for using a name that infringes their mark, regardless of when you incorporated.

What to check

Before committing to a name, search the IPO trademark register at gov.uk/search-for-trademark. This is a free search. Look for trademarks that are identical or very similar to your proposed name, particularly those registered in the same class of goods or services as your business.

You should also check the EU trademark register (EUIPO) if there's any chance you'll trade in Europe, and consider whether unregistered rights (known as "passing off") could apply — this covers businesses that have built up goodwill in a name without formally registering it as a trademark.

The limits of what we can tell you

7. Practical tips for choosing a name that sticks

The sections above cover the legal framework. This section is advice — informed by experience rather than statute. Take it as recommendations, not rules.

Check domain availability early

Your company name and your domain name don't have to match, but it helps if they do. Before falling in love with a company name, check whether the .co.uk and .com domains are available. If the exact match is taken, consider whether a reasonable variation exists or whether you'll be fighting an uphill branding battle.

Say it out loud — and spell it over the phone

If you regularly need to give your company name verbally (to clients, banks, HMRC), test whether people can hear it and spell it correctly. Names with unusual spellings, double meanings, or homophones cause surprisingly persistent problems. "Kopykat Kreative Ltd" looks distinctive on paper but becomes a headache every time you need to spell it to a call centre.

Think about what "Limited" does to it

Your name will always appear with "Limited" or "Ltd" appended — on invoices, contracts, bank statements, and official correspondence. Some names that work well as brands become awkward with the suffix. Test how your name reads as "[Name] Ltd" before committing.

Avoid names that box you in

"Manchester Web Design Ltd" tells you exactly what the company does and where — which is fine if that's permanently your plan, but becomes a constraint if you expand to other cities or start offering broader services. This isn't a rule, just something to consider. Plenty of successful companies outgrow their names. But if you can see the possibility of changing direction, a less literal name gives you more room.

Don't use "Group" or "Holdings" without good reason

"Group" implies a parent company with subsidiaries. If you're a single-entity business, it can look pretentious and may raise questions with clients, banks, and HMRC. More importantly, "Group" may be treated as a sensitive word depending on context. Save it for when you actually have a group structure.

Avoid names too close to well-known brands

Even if there's no formal trademark conflict, a name that's obviously derivative of a well-known brand ("Amazonia Logistics Ltd," "Microsofit Solutions Ltd") invites trouble — both legal and reputational. Companies with deep pockets are more likely to send cease-and-desist letters and have the resources to follow through.

8. Check your name now

Now that you understand the rules, run your proposed name through our free checker. It searches the live Companies House register, applies the same normalisation rules described above, flags sensitive words, and shows you similar active and dissolved companies — so you can assess availability properly before applying.