Choosing the name for your business is not a decision to take lightly. You want a name that will both stand the test of time, and embody the core values of your business. As a general rule, smaller businesses are more daring with names, because larger businesses would rather stay neutral for fear of offending any prospective customers. That is not to say that, as a small business owner, you should throw caution to the wind and call yourself something outrageous; but you can afford to go beyond choosing a bland name if you wish.

Being bold in the name of your business will ensure that you stand out from your competitors. Your business name should have positive connotations. It should be easy to spell, needs to be fairly short and should include information on what your business actually does. Including information about what your business actually does in the name makes it easier for potential customers to pick you out in phone books, which is why plumbers, hairdressers and electricians often include their profession in the business name.

Once you have all this in mind and are confident of the purpose of your business name, you can brainstorm ideas onto a piece of paper. Write without pausing for a good two minutes or so, pick out your 5 favourite names and then run these names by someone you trust.

It is highly recommended that you should have a website to accompany your business; so when naming your business be sure to consider your domain name. Single words that are fewer than six letters will be difficult to come by, as these domains will most likely be taken already. An alternative trend that many people are practising at the moment is to use key words as a domain name instead of an actual business name; ‘plumbersin _______’ followed by a location, for example. However, Google changes its algorithms on many occasions, so this strategy won’t always benefit you in the long term. Keyword website URLs are just a short term solution, so it isn’t a particularly good business practice.

Of course, once you have decided upon a name for your limited company you will have to check that it hasn’t already been taken, as no two limited companies are allowed to have the same name in the UK. Here at Formations Direct a company name check is just a click away. With our company name search you will also see which domains are available in conjunction with your company. For your convenience, you will also have the choice to order your domain when registering a company with us. We have a range of packages for you to choose from, and it will only take you around 5 minutes to form your very own company. If you have any queries don’t hesitate to call us on 0800 085 45 05.