UK company name rules require your name to be unique — not the same as any registered company name — to end in ‘Limited’ or ‘Ltd’, to avoid offensive words, and to leave out sensitive words like ‘British’ or ‘Royal’ unless you get permission. Always check the Companies House register before you register your company.
Why getting your company name right matters
Your company name is the first thing customers, suppliers and Google see — and it’s a legal requirement when you set up a private limited company in the UK. But Companies House doesn’t wave every name through. In 2024, it rejected 560 name applications because the proposed name could cause offence or commit an offence — up from 479 in 2023 and 351 in 2022. Since March 2024, new powers under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act have made the checks even stricter, including rules against names that could facilitate fraud or falsely suggest a connection with a foreign government.
The good news? Every rejection is avoidable. The rules are short, public and easy to check — and running through them before you apply saves you the delay (and the fee) of a rejected application. Here’s every rule that applies.
The UK company name rules at a glance
Nine rules decide whether Companies House accepts your name. Work through this table first, then read the detail below.
| # | Rule | Quick pass/fail test |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Unique | Is the exact name already on the Companies House register? If yes — fail. |
| 2 | Not “same as” an existing name | Does your name differ only by punctuation, a common word like “UK”, or a lookalike word? If yes — fail. |
| 3 | Not “too like” an existing name | Could a customer confuse it with an existing company or trade mark? If yes — fail. |
| 4 | Ends correctly | Does it end in ‘Limited’ or ‘Ltd’ (‘Cyfyngedig’ or ‘Cyf’ in Wales)? If no — fail. |
| 5 | Not offensive | Could anyone reasonably find it offensive? If yes — fail. |
| 6 | No sensitive words | Does it include a sensitive word like ‘British’, ‘Royal’ or ‘Bank’ without permission? If yes — fail. |
| 7 | No government link | Does it imply a connection with the UK government or a local authority? If yes — fail. |
| 8 | Permitted characters only | Does it use only allowed characters and punctuation? If no — fail. |
| 9 | No computer code | Is the name made up of computer code? If yes — fail. |
Rules 1–3: your name must be unique
This is where most applications trip up. Your company name cannot be the same as another registered company’s name — and Companies House looks beyond exact spelling.
“Same as” names are rejected outright. These include names where the only difference from an existing registered name is:
- certain punctuation — for example, adding an apostrophe
- special characters such as the plus (+) sign
- a word or character that looks or sounds similar to one in the existing name
- a word commonly used in UK company names, like “UK”, “Holdings” or “Services”
GOV.UK gives this example: ‘Hands UK Ltd’ and ‘Hand’s Ltd’ are both treated as the same as ‘Hands Ltd’. You can only register a “same as” name if your company is part of the same group as the existing company (or LLP), or you have written confirmation from that company that it has no objection.
“Too like” names are handled differently. Companies House may let you register one, but if the existing business complains — and Companies House agrees it’s too like theirs — you’ll be told to change it. The official example: ‘Easy Electrics For You Ltd’ is the same as ‘EZ Electrix 4U Ltd’. The safest test is a simple one: if a customer could confuse your name with another company’s, pick a different name.
Beyond the register, also check GOV.UK’s company naming rules and the UK trade marks register. A name that’s free at Companies House can still clash with a registered trade mark — and a trade mark owner can force you to change your business name later.
Rule 4: the name must end in ‘Limited’ or ‘Ltd’
A private limited company’s name must usually end in either ‘Limited’ or ‘Ltd’. If you registered the company in Wales, you can use the Welsh equivalents ‘Cyfyngedig’ or ‘Cyf’ instead.
The one exception: registered charities and companies limited by guarantee can drop the ending if their articles of association say they promote commerce, art, science, education, religion or charity, don’t pay shareholders, and require members to contribute a small amount if the company is wound up.
Rules 5–7: offensive, sensitive and government-linked names are refused
Your name cannot be offensive. This is judged strictly — remember that 560 applications were rejected on offence grounds in a single year, and Companies House can also order an existing company to change a name that was wrongly registered.
Sensitive words need permission. Words and expressions that imply a particular status or trusted activity — such as ‘British’, ‘Royal’, ‘Chartered’, ‘Accredited’, ‘Bank’, ‘University’, ‘Institute’ or ‘Tribunal’ — can’t be used unless you get approval from the relevant authority and Companies House. To use ‘Accredited’ in your company name, you need permission from the relevant authority — GOV.UK gives the example of needing approval from the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade. The full list of sensitive words runs to hundreds of entries across the official guidance’s Annexes A to C, so always check the current list before you commit to a name.
| Common sensitive word | What it implies | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| British / English | National link | Permission required from the relevant authority |
| Royal | Crown connection | Permission required — rarely granted |
| Bank | Regulated banking activity | Permission required from the financial regulator |
| Chartered | Professional chartered status | Permission required from the relevant chartered body |
| University | Higher-education status | Permission required from the relevant education authority |
| Accredited | Official approval status | Permission required (e.g. Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) |
Your name must not suggest a connection with the UK government, a devolved government, a local authority or any public authority — and since March 2024, it also can’t falsely suggest a link with a foreign government or international organisation, or be designed to facilitate fraud.
Rules 8–9: characters and code
Your name can only use permitted characters, punctuation, abbreviations, signs and symbols — and it cannot consist of or include computer code. In practice, this means sticking to normal letters, numbers and standard punctuation.
How to check if your company name is available (5 steps)
- Search the Companies House register. Use the free Companies House search to look up your exact proposed name first — if it’s already registered, it’s a hard no.
- Test the “same as” rule. Run the variations test yourself: strip the punctuation, drop words like “UK”, swap lookalike words. If any variation matches an existing company, assume it fails.
- Test the “too like” rule. Search for similar-sounding names and common misspellings. If a customer could mix you up with an existing business, keep brainstorming.
- Check sensitive words. Scan your name against the official sensitive-words list (Annexes A–C). If it contains one, get permission before you apply.
- Search trade marks. Check the UK Intellectual Property Office trade marks register for your name. Clearing Companies House is not enough — a trade mark clash can still force a name change later.
Once your name passes all five checks, you’re ready to register a limited company at Companies House — the name you just approved goes straight into the application.
Can you trade under a different name?
Yes. You can trade using a different name from your registered company name — this is known as a business name (or trading name). But business names have their own rules:
- they must not include ‘limited’, ‘Ltd’, ‘LLP’, ‘public limited company’ or ‘plc’
- they must not contain a sensitive word or expression unless you get permission
- if a business name is too similar to another company’s trade mark, you may have to change it if the owner complains
So ‘Smith & Sons Coffee’ can happily be the trading name of ‘Smith Retail Ventures Limited’ — but ‘Smith & Sons Banking’ would need permission for ‘Banking’, and ‘Smith Retail Ventures Ltd’ as a trading name would be misleading.
What happens if Companies House rejects your name?
If your application fails the name rules, the incorporation is refused and you have to reapply with an acceptable name — which costs you time and a second filing fee. Worse, a name that’s accepted but later ruled “too like” an existing one can trigger a forced change, meaning new stationery, new signage, and a website rename after you’ve already started trading. Running the checks above before you apply is far cheaper than fixing the name later.
Frequently asked questions
How do I check if a company name is already taken in the UK?
Search the free Companies House register for your exact name, then repeat the search with the “same as” variations — remove punctuation, drop common words like “UK”, and try lookalike spellings. If any version matches an existing company, the name is taken.
Can I use “British” or “Royal” in my company name?
Only with permission. Words like ‘British’, ‘English’ and ‘Royal’ are sensitive words that imply a national or Crown connection. You must get approval from the relevant authority and Companies House before you use them — otherwise your application will be rejected.
What happens if Companies House says my name is “too like” another?
If the owner of the existing company complains and Companies House agrees, you’ll be told to change your name. This applies even after you’ve been trading with it, so choose a distinctive name at the start rather than fixing it later.
Can I trade under a different name than my registered company name?
Yes — that’s called a business name or trading name. It can’t include ‘limited’, ‘Ltd’ or ‘plc’, can’t use sensitive words without permission, and must not clash with another company’s trade mark. There are also rules about displaying your registered company name on stationery and your website.
Conclusion
The UK company name rules are straightforward once you know them: pick a unique name, end it with ‘Limited’ or ‘Ltd’, avoid offensive and sensitive words, don’t imply any government link, and check both Companies House and the trade marks register before you apply. A name that passes these checks sails through incorporation — and one that doesn’t will cost you a rejected application at best. Run the five availability checks now, and your company name becomes one less thing standing between you and launching.
