You’ve landed on a name you love. Great! Before you print a business card, buy a sign, or tell everyone you know, there’s a short round of checks worth doing. It takes less than an hour, and it can save you from a very expensive “oops.”
Here’s the order I’d do them in, from fastest to most serious.
1. The domain
Check whether the .com is open. That’s the one most people will type by default.
If it’s taken, you have choices: tweak the name, add a short word, or pick a different ending. Just be careful with the lookalikes. If someone else already owns the .com for a similar business, a near-identical version of it can send your customers to the wrong place.
The free generator on my homepage shows whether the .com looks open for each name, which is a handy first look. Confirm it with your registrar before you count on it.
2. The handles
Search the name on the platforms where you plan to show up. Even if you only use one or two, it helps to match the name everywhere. Matching handles make you easier to find and look more put-together.
If a handle is taken, look at who has it. An abandoned account is different from a busy business with a similar name.
3. The search test
Search the name in quotes. Then search it with a word that describes your business.
You’re looking for two things: anyone already using it in a similar field, and anything surprising it brings up. If the first page is full of someone else, that’s a sign.
4. Your state’s business name records
Most states keep a searchable database of registered business names. If you’ll register an LLC or a “doing business as” name, check there first. It’s usually free to search.
5. The trademark search
This is the one people skip, and it’s the one that can cost the most.
In the US, the Patent and Trademark Office has a free trademark search tool on its website. Look for names that are the same as yours or close to it, in a related line of business. If you find one, that’s a good moment to talk to a trademark attorney before you go further.
I’m not a lawyer, and this isn’t legal advice. A name that passes every other check can still run into trademark trouble, so please don’t treat my list as a replacement for a professional opinion.
What to do if a check fails
Don’t panic, and don’t force it. A failed check is information. Most of the time the fix is a small change: a different word, a shorter version, a new ending. If a name keeps failing, it’s often kinder to your future self to move on to the next one.
Your quick checklist
- The .com is open (or you have a clear plan if it isn’t)
- The handles you want are free
- Searching the name doesn’t lead to someone else
- Your state’s records show no conflict
- A trademark search turns up nothing close
Where I come in
If you’d like names to run through this list, the free generator on the homepage gives you three to start with. If you want a full set of seven, personally reviewed by me, that’s $30.