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Choosing a company name is an exciting part of the company formation process, but there are several important rules and restrictions to bear in mind. Below, we outline the legal requirements and restrictions that affect your choice of company name, which are set out in the following legislation:
- Companies Act 2006
- Company, Limited Liability Partnership and Business (Names and Trading Disclosures) Regulations 2015 (SI 2015/17)
- Company, Limited Liability Partnership and Business (Sensitive Words and Expressions) Regulations 2014 (SI 2014/3140)
When you have chosen a name, enter it into Rapid Formations’ free company name availability checker before completing your company formation application. This tool will check against the Companies House database to determine if your company name is available to register.
It will also tell you if the name requires further attention, for example, if it is too similar to another registered company name, if it contains ‘sensitive’ words, or whether any supporting documentation is required.
Finally, you should check your company name against the Trade Mark Register to make sure that it’s not registered as a trademark.
Company name rules and restrictions
The following restrictions and requirements must be taken into account when choosing a company name:
- It must be unique – it cannot be the ‘same as’ or ‘too like’ the name of an existing company
- It must end with “Limited” or “Ltd”. Companies situated in Wales may use the Welsh equivalents ‘Cyfyngedig’ or ‘Cyf’
- Certain characters, signs, symbols, and punctuation are not be permitted (see below)
- It cannot suggest a connection with HM Government, a devolved government or administration, or a specified public authority
- Permission is required if it includes any ‘sensitive’ words or expressions
- It should not be offensive or include offensive words
- It can only contain a maximum of 180 characters
- You must not include ‘www’ at the beginning
- Public Limited Companies must add ‘PLC’ or ‘Public Limited Company’ at the end
What is considered the ‘same as’ or ‘too like’ for a company name?
A company name is considered the ‘same as’ or ‘too like’ another company name if it is so similar that it may confuse the public and make it difficult to distinguish between the two companies.
You will only be permitted to register a company with a name that is the same as, or similar to, an existing company if:
- your company is going to be part of the same group, or
- the existing company provides a ‘letter of non-objection’ consenting to the registration
The following words and expressions must be disregarded for the purpose of distinguishing company names:
- Limited or LTD
- Unlimited
- Public Limited Company or PLC
- Community Interest Company or CIC
- Right to Enfranchisement or RTE
- Right to Manage or RTM
- European Economic Interest Grouping or EEIG
- Investment Company with Variable Capital
- Limited Partnership or LP
- Limited Liability Partnership or LLP
- Open-Ended Investment Company
- Charitable Incorporated Organisation or CIO
- Industrial and Provident Society
- Co-Operative Society
- Community Benefit Society
- Cyfyngedig or CYF
- Anghyfyngedig
- Cwmni Cyfyngedig Cyhoeddus or CCC
- Cwmni Buddiant Cymunedol or CBC
- Cwmni Buddiant Cymnuedol Cyhoeddus Cyfyngedig or Cwmni Buddiant Cymnuedol CCC
- Hawl I Ryddfreiniad
- Cwmni RTM Cyfyngedig
- Cwmni Buddsoddi  Chyfalaf Newidiol
- Partneriaeth Cyfyngedig or PC
- Partneriaeth Atebolrwydd Cyfyngedig or PAC
- Cwmni Buddsoddiad Penagored
- Sefydliad Elusennol Corfforedig or SEC
The following must be disregarded when preceded by a blank space, a full stop, or “@”:
- & co
- & company
- and co
- and company
- biz
- co
- co uk
- co.uk
- com
- company
- eu
- GB
- Great Britain
- net
- NI
- Northern Ireland
- org
- org uk
- org.uk
- UK
- United Kingdom
- Wales
- & cwmni
- a’r cwmni
- cwmni
- cym
- Cymru
- DU
- PF
- Prydain Fawr
- Y Deyrnas Unedig
- Any of the above if preceded by and followed by brackets
- The following punctuation, signs and symbols: ‘’’, ( ), [ ], { }, < >, !,« »,“,”, “,?, \./,?,\, /.
- “*”, “=”, “#”, “%” and “+” when used as one of the first three characters in a name.
- “s” at the end of a name.
- Any characters after the first 60 characters in a name.
- “the” and “www” at the beginning of a name.
The following table outlines the characters, words, expressions, signs, and symbols that are considered the ‘same as’ each other:
| Permitted characters, words and expressions | To be treated the same as |
| À Á Â Ã Ä Å Ā Ă Ą Ǻ | A |
| Æ Ǽ | AE |
| Ç Ć Ĉ Ċ Č | C |
| Þ Ď Đ | D |
| È É Ê Ë Ē Ĕ Ė Ę Ě | E |
| Ĝ Ğ Ġ Ģ | G |
| Ĥ Ħ | H |
| Ì Í Î Ï Ĩ Ī Ĭ Į İ | I |
| Ĵ J | J |
| Ķ | K |
| Ĺ Ļ Ľ L ·Ł | L |
| Ñ Ń Ņ Ň Ŋ | N |
| Ò Ó Ô Õ Ö Ø Ō Ŏ Ő Ǿ | O |
| Π| OE, CE |
| Ŕ Ŗ Ř | R |
| Ś Ŝ Ş Š | S |
| Ţ Ť Ŧ | T |
| Ù Ú Û Ü Ũ Ū Ŭ Ů Ű Ų | U |
| Ŵ Ẁ Ẃ Ẅ | W |
| Ỳ Ý Ŷ Ÿ | Y |
| Ź Ż Ž | Z |
| AND | & |
| PLUS | + |
| 0, ZERO | O |
| 1 | ONE |
| 2, TWO, TO, TOO | TOO |
| 3 | THREE |
| 4, FOUR | FOR |
| 5 | FIVE |
| 6 | SIX |
| 7 | SEVEN |
| 8 | EIGHT |
| 9 | NINE |
| £ | POUND |
| € | EURO |
| $ | DOLLAR |
| ¥ | YEN |
| %, PER CENT, PERCENT, PER CENTUM | PERCENTUM |
| @ | AT |
Do I have to use Ltd or Limited at the end of my company name?
The vast majority of private limited companies in the UK are required to include ‘Limited’ or ‘Ltd’ at the end of their names. This denotes the limited liability status of the company. Welsh companies can use ‘Cyfyngedig’ and ‘Cyf’ instead.
A company will only be exempt from this rule if it is limited by guarantee with articles of association that state the company:
- has objects of promotion or regulation of commerce, art, science, education, religion, charity, or any profession
- must spend its income on promoting its objects
- cannot pay its members, i.e. through dividends
- requires each member to contribute to company assets if it is wound up during their membership, or within a year of them ceasing to be a member
What is the difference between ‘Limited’ and ‘Ltd’?
There is no official difference. The full word and abbreviation both mean exactly the same thing, so you can use either version. Your choice will only affect the way your registered company name is displayed on your incorporation documents.
However, Companies House always registers and records company names in capitals and never produces certificates of incorporation in lower case. During the life of your company, you can use whichever version and letter case you prefer on your company signage, stationery, and websites.
Can I use a dissolved company name?
The names of dissolved limited companies can be registered by new and existing companies. There are no legal restrictions when choosing such a name. However, one important point you should consider is the reputation of the dissolved company.
For example, if the dissolved company was well known and provided less than satisfactory services or products, your business could be mistaken for the dissolved company or pursued by scorned creditors and customers.
On the other hand, if the dissolved company had a great reputation, your new business could benefit from this association. You may attract the attention of potential consumers and, provided you deliver excellent service and products to satisfy your customers, your business may flourish through positive association.
Before registering a new company with a dissolved company name, you should:
- carry out an Internet search on the dissolved company to see if anything questionable comes up in the results
- consider accessing the dissolved company’s last set of financial accounts – you can obtain this information online via Companies House Service
- carry out a credit check to determine whether the company had any County Court Judgements (CCJs)
Do I have to trade under my registered company name?
The registered name of your company must be used and displayed when you carry out any kind of business activity. Therefore, most limited companies trade under their official registered name to avoid any confusion, but it is possible to make small alterations in terms of formatting, letter case, punctuation, and use of accents.
However, you can also use a ‘trading name’. This means that your company can use a different name for branding and marketing purposes. If you decide to do this, your company stationery and websites must clearly state that it is a trading name. You can do this by including a statement like “[Trading Name] is the trading name of [Official Company Name]”.
Appreciate this post. Let me try it out.
We’re glad you found this article useful.
Kind regards,
The Rapid Formations Team
I am thinking about starting a t-shirt company in the US with a certain name… but there is already a small shirt company in Paris, France with the same name. I am not sure if since we are established in different countries it would be fine or not?
Thanks for the question.
Unfortunately, we are unable to comment on specific cases so we would suggest you seek professional advice if you are uncertain.
If you were looking to establish such a company in the UK, the general rule would apply that if your desired company name was not already taken here, then you would be able to register it.
However, there would be other non-company formation and non-company secretarial considerations for you to factor in – in particular, that of copyright.
Whilst every country sets its own copyright laws, some protection is provided across different jurisdictions through various treaties, the most important of which being the Berne Convention.
We hope that helps!
Regards,
The Rapid Formations Team
Hi, I dissolved my company last year with no debt or any ccj etc. I’m now in a position to kick it off again and would like to use the same name. Can I re register the company under the same name? If not can I use the name as a trademark or trading name?
Tom
Thank you for your kind enquiry, Tom.
If the company name is still available, then you can use the same company name again as the company has been dissolved. However, for all intents and purposes, this will be a ‘new’ company, with a new company registration number and a new name (albeit with the same name as previously), and the previous history of the dissolved company on Companies House will not appear for the new company.
I trust this information is of use to you. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to leave a comment.
Kind regards,
Rachel
Hi everyone,
I have opened Limited company and I just released that ten years ago limited company with same company name as mine has been dissolved with outstanding mortgage, and my first question is what kind of impact it could have on my new company’s credit score?
Thank you for your enquiry, Tadas.
In general terms there should be no impact on your company’s credit score, as the credit rating system is likely to be sophisticated enough to determine the difference between the previous dissolved entity, and your entity. Each company has a unique company registration number which does not change over time and allows Companies House to differentiate between companies even if they are using a company name previously used. The credit rating system is very likely to be able to identify companies on this basis as opposed to solely by their company name.
If in doubt, you should run a credit check on your company to see what comes up.
I trust this information is of use to you.
Regards,
Rachel
Hi,
Is it recommended to have the company name and trading name the same? I searched the company name and trading name and both are available. In your opinion would you recommend having the company name as the trading name or would it better to have a different company name to the trading name?
Thank you for your kind enquiry, Hasan.
We cannot ‘recommend’ whether your trading name and registered company name should be the same or different, as this is a commercial decision based on your specific company. However, in general terms, there is no downside to having the trading name use the same name as the registered company name.
I trust this information is of use to you.
Regards,
Rachel
Good day,
I’ve registered a travel company Bucket List Galactic LTD .Can I leave LTD out when I promote my company through the social media or create a site with just “Bucket List Galactic”? Or I have to use it as it was registered,always putting LTD at the end?
Many thanks,
Anna
Thank you for your kind enquiry, ANNA. It is a legal requirement for the word LTD to be used on your website and stationery – however, this can be on the footer of a website for example. The most common way to market a company is to use a ‘branding style’ – for example, Bucket List Galactic – this can be used without the need for the ltd company name on social media etc, and even on the top of your website, as long as on the bottom of your website it states that Bucket List Galactic is a trading style of Bucket List Galactic Ltd.
I trust this information is of use to you.
Kind regards,
Rachel
Hi, I tried to registar a company name with company house that started with kingdom but, was rejected as it’s a sensitive word yet there are at least three other companies begining with Kingdom, but offer different services, do I have to get permision to use it?
Hi Kevin,
Thank you for your kind enquiry. The word ‘King’ is a sensitive word, and you must provide the following supporting evidence to be able to use it within a company name, even if the word ‘King’ is part of another word – e.g. Kingdom:
To use this word in your proposed name, please provide a letter or email of non-objection from the relevant body.
To speed up your application, please include:
– the reason(s) you wish to use this word
– whether the organisation already exists, its current activities and future plans
– details of any Royal or Government associations
– details of leading members and membership numbers
– if the name represents a pub, evidence of location and length of time in existence
– evidence, if the word is a surname
England & Northern Ireland
royalnames@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Cabinet Office
Constitutional Policy Team
4th Floor (Orange Zone)
1 Horse Guards Road
London
SW1A 2HQ
More information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/incorporation-and-names/annex-a-sensitive-words-and-expressions-or-words-that-could-imply-a-connection-with-government
You should submit the above supporting evidence alongside your application to use the name ‘Kingdom’.
I trust this information is of use to you.
Kind regards,
Rachel
Hi Rachel
I am thinking of going through a de-merger for my current limited company but, for FCA registration reasons, it would be a lot simpler for me take to the current Ltd company name and then change it to what I need it to be, which I understand is simple. We would then need to set up a new Ltd Company for the other part of the current business but the current Ltd company name suits them better. Is it possible and easy for the newly formed Ltd company to adopt the old name once I’ve changed it and therefore as it will no longer be in use?
Thanks
Jed
Dear Jed,
Thank you for your kind enquiry.
As soon as your original company changes its name, the old name immediately becomes available for use and can be adopted by the new company. Kindly note that, when the old name becomes available again any company can register it, so you will want to ensure you do not delay in adopting the old name for the new company.
Kind regards,
Rachel
Hello Rachel
I have a limited company established. Is it essential that any bank accounts set up must be in the exact same name, or is there no such requirement?
Dear Sir
There is no requirement to open a bank account in the company name, it is the choice of the company officers if they wish to do this or not.
Best regards,
Rapid Formations Team
Hi. The name I am considering for my company has some similarity to a registered trade mark. How can I check whether or not it is too similar to be permitted ?
Thanks
Jack
Dear Jack,
There are 2 elements to your issue, the first being Companies House. You cannot find out in advance from Companies House if your company name will be too similar to a trademark, you would simply apply to Companies House and they would decide whether the name is acceptable or not. If the name is not acceptable you would be asked to select a different name and there would be no extra cost to the revision of the name. In terms of the trademark owner you do have the option to write to them in advance and find out if they will oppose the name if you have time to wait for a reply. What can happen if the name is opposed and Companies House agrees they would write to you to force you to change the name and give you a time-frame to make the change.
Kind Regards,
Rapid Formations Team
Hi,
I have started a company called ‘Apex Fire and Safety Systems Ltd’ based in Yorkshire. I have found there to be a small company in Scotland called ‘Apex Fire and Security Ltd’. We both carry out similar work in similar industries, although our work will never overlap. Could they potentially have a complaint against the name, and would their complaint be upheld?
Any advice much appreciated!
Joe
Dear Joe,
The Scottish company could complain about the name if they existed first. Similar name issues are dealt with on a case by case basis so I could not comment on the likelihood of a complaint being upheld or otherwise.
Best regards
We have a new company called storage solutions Thornton Cleveleys ltd.
As it is a long name could we have and use a logo with just Storage Solutions Ltd?
Dear Jill,
Thank you for your message.
There is no reason why you cannot use a “trading as” name for your company as a logo. On your invoices you will need to have the original company name as well as the having the trading name.
Best regards,
Rapid Formations Team
Hi! I’m looking to set up a business in the UK, and I wanted to clarify if I am confined to using only “Ltd” “Cyfyngedig” or “Cyf” for the company name?
What about other terms such as ‘Inc.’ / ‘Co.’ / ‘Corp.’?
Dear Ken,
Thank you for your message.
You are confined to the endings you can use for a company name however you can put any other terms such as the ones listed above in the company name if you wish.
Best regards,
Rapid Formations Team
I want to register a business here in the U.K. . . . Am I able to manufacture & sell products in CHINA under this UK company name?
Dear Darron,
Thank you for your message. There are no restrictions on what a UK company’s activities are so you would be able to do this, however I would seek the advice of an accountant so that you get the correct advice as to how the company will be treated for tax and accounting purposes.
Best regards,
hi, wanted to ask, I chosen a trading name but this is already registered under a company name by someone else, would I be able add uk at the end and use it for a trading name, I’m in Manchester and the registered company is down south.
thanks
Dear Jay,
Thank you for your message. We cannot comment on trading name issues as we are not professionals in that field. I would suggest you discuss this matter with an appropriate solicitor.
Best regards,
Company name advice Vs U.S.A
I have a company based in the U.K.
We have a registered our name, have a website ending .co.uk and Facebook etc.
We are a local company that operates locally.
I have received a threatening email from a like named company (.com) based in the States who also operates locally. Stating that we have infinged the name etc etc and they wish to take legal action (they are just upset we have the Facebook name)
Do non international company’s in the states have any say with like named firms based in the U.K.?
Thanks
Hi Danny,
You should first check if the name is registered as a trade mark in the UK. If so, you certainly cannot use it, regardless of what country the other company is registered in.
Do you operate in the same industry as the existing company – i.e. offer the same products or services? If so, it is unlikely you will be allowed to use the same name.
Due to the fact I do not have all the particulars of this situation, however, I cannot advise one way or the other – you should contact Companies House asap to determine your rights and the necessary steps required to resolve this situation.
Best wishes,
Rachel
Hi, anyone can help please with template to be used as a non-objection letter by relevant party for using a sensitive word in my new company, appreciate your help
Adam
Hi Adam,
There is no template for a letter of non-objection – it is simply an email or letter from the relevant authority that states their non-objection to you using the particular word or expression in your company name. This email or letter should be included with your application to register a company – either as an attachment or hard-copy, depending on whether you apply to register online or by post.
I hope this helps but please let me know if you need advice or guidance on any other matters.
Best wishes,
Rachel Craig
Many thanks Rachel, much appreciated
I am launching my business and have named it pink palm properties.co.uk I noticed there is a business trading under the same name in Florida USA and I emailed them to ask if they had any objection. They replied saying do not use it its copyright ?
Hi Tracy
Thank you for your message.
I believe this is a question for a lawyer if you need to confirm any issues regarding copyright.
Kind regards