Company and business names: Words and phrases you can't use without permission

The law says that certain words and phrases may not be used in a company or business name without the approval of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (formerly Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform). Others require the approval of some third party - often a regulatory or professional association, or another government department - before they can be used.

These words and phrases - sometimes called 'sensitive' words and phrases - are set out below, in alphabetical order. In all cases, the feminine and plural versions are also sensitive - for example, since 'His Majesty' is specified as sensitive, 'Her Majesty' is sensitive too. In many cases, the Welsh and Scottish Gaelic equivalents are also sensitive and, where such words are marked with an asterisk, grammatical mutations of them are also sensitive.

Click here to see these sensitive words, in alphabetical order. If you want to include any of these words or, where appropriate, their Welsh equivalents, in your company or business name, call us for advice, or visit the Companies House website to find out more.