How to choose a name for your limited company

If you’ve decided to take the limited company route, one of your first tasks will be to choose a company name. Here, we look at the naming rules set by Companies House, and other factors which will influence the name you use for your new business.

Getting started with limited company names

• You want to give a good impression to prospective contracting clients and recruiters, so think of professional, concise names for your company – names which are memorable and unambiguous.
• You may want to include words related to your skill-set or industry, but be careful not to use brand names or anything which could infringe an existing trademark (see ‘trademarks’ below).
• Bear in mind that you may want to diversify your business interests in the future, or focus on different types of technology, so a more generic company name may be suitable.
• You can change your limited company name later if necessary, but you’ll need to update your bank, accountant, recruitment agents, clients, and other service providers to the new name.

Is your chosen limited company name unique?

• Most private limited company names must end with ‘Limited’ or ‘Ltd’. If your registered office is in Wales, you can use the Welsh equivalents ‘Cyfyngedig’ or ‘Cyf’.
• Companies House will not normally allow you to register a name which is the ‘same as’ an existing name on the register. Certain punctuation, characters and commonly used words are disregarded when Companies House decides whether two names are effectively the same.
• There is also a separate ‘too like’ rule. Even if a name can be registered initially, you may be required to change it if someone complains and Companies House decides it is too similar to an existing registered name.
• To get started, use the Companies House online name availability checker to see if your proposed name is available.

‘Limited’ or ‘Ltd’ – what is the difference?

In legal terms, there is no difference between “Limited” and “Ltd.”

Both indicate that a company is a private limited company with limited liability.

The choice is largely a matter of preference: some people prefer the formality of “Limited”, while others prefer the brevity of “Ltd”. Companies House displays registered company names in capital letters on the public register.

If your company is registered in Wales, you can also choose the Welsh equivalents – “Cyfyngedig” or “Cyf”.

Can you remove ‘Limited’ or ‘Ltd’ from your company name?

In limited circumstances, a private company can be exempt from using “Limited” or “Ltd” at the end of its registered name.

This mainly applies to certain companies limited by guarantee whose articles meet specific requirements – typically organisations whose objects involve promoting or regulating commerce, art, science, education, religion, charity or a profession, and which apply their income to those objects.

For the full rules, see Section 60 of the Companies Act 2006.

Do a trademark search

• Perform a search for your proposed company name on the Intellectual Property Office website to check whether the same or a similar name has already been registered as a trademark.
• Registering a name at Companies House does not give you trademark protection, and Companies House accepting your company name does not necessarily mean that using it will not infringe somebody else’s trademark.
• Likewise, owning a trademark does not automatically mean that the corresponding limited company name will be available to register.
• A trademark search only takes a few minutes and is particularly worthwhile if you intend to build a recognisable brand around your company name.

A matching web address?

• It makes sense to search for a suitable domain name at the same time as you’re choosing your company name. A matching or closely related domain gives your business a more consistent identity online.
• Many obvious domain names have already been registered, but you may still find a straightforward combination that works both as your official company name and as an online name – for example, ‘Decode Technology Limited’ and decodetechnology.co.uk.
• For most UK contractor companies, a suitable .co.uk or .com address is perfectly adequate. If both are available and the cost is insignificant, you may decide to register both.
• You don’t necessarily need a website immediately, but securing an appropriate domain when you form the company can prevent somebody else registering it later.

Sensitive words and expressions

You can’t necessarily use any available combination of words as your registered company name.

• Your proposed name must not be offensive.
• Certain sensitive words and expressions require approval before they can be used. These include words that imply a particular status, function, or connection to a regulated activity.
• Names that suggest a connection with the UK Government, a devolved administration, a local authority, or a specified public authority may also require permission.
• There are additional restrictions on names which could falsely suggest a connection with a foreign government or international organisation.
• Companies House can also reject names containing computer code, as well as names that are considered intended to facilitate fraud or another offence involving dishonesty or deception.

For example, words such as “Accredited”, “Bank” and “Banking” are subject to restrictions. The precise requirements depend on the word you want to use, so check the current Companies House list rather than assuming that an unusual or official-sounding name will be accepted.

Further resources

• Read the official Companies House guidance on incorporation and names, including the current lists of sensitive words and expressions.
• Find out more about where you have to display your company name.
• Read our guide to setting up a limited company if you’re preparing to incorporate your contracting business.