Is your UK company name available?

Our company name checker shows where your name would sit on the register of every live UK company, and whether anyone's already there.

Your Company Ltd Compared as YOUR

The register of live UK companies, A to Z
  1. YOURYour Company LtdYour name

Why “available” is more than an exact match

Companies House doesn't just look for the same spelling. It strips out the parts of a name that don't make it different, then compares what's left. These three names all reduce to the same thing, so only one of them can exist.

A simple search for “Acme UK Ltd” would miss “The Acme Company Limited”. Our checker applies all the rules from the 2015 Names Regulations, explained step by step in company name rules.

A clear answer, either way

If no company has the same name
  1. COPPERKETTLECOPPER KETTLE LTD
  2. COPPERKETTLEANDCOCOPPER KETTLE AND CO LIMITED
  3. COPPERKETTLEBAKERYCopper Kettle Bakery LtdYour name, free
  4. COPPERKETTLECAFECOPPER KETTLE CAFE LTD
  5. COPPERKETTLEHOMECOPPER KETTLE HOMEWARES LIMITED

The reduced form Companies House compares, the names closest to yours that could still draw a “too like” objection, and the ways to register, plus trade mark and domain checks.

If a company already has it
  1. KETTLEANDCOKETTLE & CO LIMITED
  2. KETTLEBAKERYThe Kettle Bakery LtdYour name, taken
  3. KETTLEBAKERYKETTLE BAKERY LIMITED
  4. KETTLEBARNKETTLE BARN LTD
  5. KETTLEBREWKETTLE BREW LTD

The companies it clashes with, each linked to its Companies House record, the reason the names count as the same, and ideas for a name that isn't taken.

Both columns use example names to illustrate the two results.

Before you register a name

  1. Check it here

    Then read through the similar names on the result.

  2. Check the domains

    See if the web addresses you'd want are free with the domain name checker.

  3. Search trade marks

    Make sure nobody owns the name as a brand: see UK trade mark search.

  4. Register

    Online with Companies House it costs £100 and is usually within 24 hours. See how to register a limited company, then compare business bank accounts.

Frequently asked questions

Is this the official Companies House name checker?
No. Company Name Checker is an independent service. It uses Companies House data and applies the published "same as" rules, and it also shows similar names and the ways to register. Companies House has its own name availability checker, and only Companies House can accept a name when you file.
How up to date is the data?
We load every live UK company from Companies House's monthly data file. When that data finds no clash, we also search Companies House live, so names registered in the last few weeks are caught too. The result page says which checks were used.
What does "same as" mean?
Companies House ignores parts of a name that don't make it different: endings like "Ltd" or "Company", punctuation, accents, "The" at the start, a final "S", and equivalents such as "&" and "and". If what's left matches an existing company, the name is the "same as" it. See company name rules for every step.
The name I want is taken. What can I do?
Add a distinctive word ("Copper Bakery" rather than "Bakery"), change the order, or use a different descriptive word. The business name generator suggests ideas and checks each one. A same-as name is only allowed in narrow cases, such as a company in the same group as the existing one with its written consent.
If the name is available, can I use it?
Usually, but check two more things. Companies House can object to a name that is "too like" an existing one, so look at the similar names we list. And a company name doesn't override someone else's trade mark, so search the UK trade marks register too.
How much does it cost to register a company?
Registering directly with Companies House costs £100 online. Some providers register the company for you and include extras such as a business account; see how to register a limited company for the steps and a comparison, and Companies House fees for every other fee.