Name Check

Thought of a good name for your new business, or as a brand for a new product or service? Your first step: check that the name isn't already being used by another business.

If it is, you risk a costly row and a trade mark infringement or a 'passing off' action in the courts. You can get into trouble even if your name is merely similar to a name already being used.

Here are links so you can carry out five quick, initial checks to see if your name (or a name like it) is already registered at an official UK Registry, the EU Trade Marks registry or the .com domain name registry.

The checks are quick, easy and completely free, and could save you a lot of money later.

Companies House name check

Click the heading to see if an identical name has been registered as a UK limited company name. If it has, you can click on the company number to see basic details like when it was registered, its official address, whether it's trading and when it last filed accounts or an annual return.

UK trade mark name check

Click the heading to check if your name has already been registered as an identical UK trade mark in relation to the sort of goods or services you sell. Any similar marks (including phonetically similar names e.g. 'Photomagic' and 'Fotomagik') that are registered may also cause problems and ideally you also need to make sure no such similar marks are registered - but detailed checking for similar marks is a highly skilled task. You will need professional help to do this.

EU trade mark name check

Click the heading to check if your name has already been registered as an identical Community Trade mark (which means it is enforceable through the EU) in relation to the sort of goods or services you sell. Any similar marks (including phonetically similar names e.g. 'Photomagic' and 'Fotomagik') that are registered may also cause problems and ideally you also need to make sure no such similar marks are registered - but detailed checking for similar marks is a highly skilled task. You will need professional help to do this.

Domain name check for .com and domain name check for .co.uk

You can click the first and second parts of the heading to see if your name has been registered as a domain name under either the .com domain or the .co.uk and related domains. (The .co.uk search is in the top right hand corner of the Nominet home page).

A clear check?

This doesn't mean your name is available. You need to do more due diligence before you go ahead. But if there is an obvious problem with another business, these checks can flag it up early, while you can still take control of the situation.

What do I do next?

Once you've carried out your name check, click the relevant links below to help you decide what to do next.

• I haven't found anything – am I OK?
• I've found a problem – what shall I do?
• I already have good names I use – can I register and protect them?
• How do I find out if another business starts using my name, and what can I do about it?

We hope the above information gives you a good start - but when you're ready to get serious about your name, contact us to discuss the next steps.