Starting a business can be exhilarating—building your website, hiring employees, and cultivating your brand identity. But the possibility of your business name already being taken can halt that rush.
“There are a lot of things that have to kind of go the right way for a brand,” Sandro Roco, founder and CEO of sparkling water company Sanzo, says on an episode of the Shopify Masters podcast, “and one of them is the brand name.”
Fortunately, there’s a straightforward, systematic way to check if your business name idea is available. Read on to learn how to check if a business name is taken and what to do if your original idea is taken, with advice from Sandro and other successful entrepreneurs.
How to check if a business name is taken
- Search the trademark database
- Check social media
- Use a search engine
- Try domain name registrars
- Run a state record search
Prior to your launch, thoroughly search your chosen business name in several places before further developing your brand. Here’s how to check if a business name is taken:
1. Search the trademark database
Whether or not you plan to trademark your business name, start your business name search by checking for registered trademarks with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
You can use the USPTO’s Trademark Search System (previously called the Trademark Electronic Search System) to look for registered and pending trademarks that match or resemble your proposed name. Run a trademark search for common misspellings and variations—a trademark name holder can challenge your use of a name even if it’s not an exact match.
Trademark infringement lawsuits carry serious consequences, such as injunctions or destruction of infringing material.
Three Ships Beauty learned this lesson the hard way. The cofounders originally wanted to use the name “Niu Body.” But a brand with a similar name already existed.
“We got a cease-and-desist letter from them saying, ‘Oh, you’re infringing on our trademarks,’” Cofounder Laura Thompson says on Shopify Masters. By that point, they had already decided to rebrand.
2. Check social media
Even if a business doesn’t formally apply for trademark protection, using a name in commerce can establish common-law trademark rights. Search for businesses with a similar online presence, since unregistered trademarks won’t appear in the USPTO’s federal trademark database. And similar names on popular channels can cause brand confusion and make digital marketing difficult.
Search your proposed name across all major social media platforms: Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, TikTok, and YouTube. It could be that the name is available on one channel but not another.
3. Use a search engine
Conduct a simple internet search for your business name. Look beyond the first page of results, and try different relevant search term combinations. Pay attention to businesses in similar industries or geographic areas using the same name.
4. Try domain name registrars
Even if a name appears available for use, it’s worth making sure the corresponding domain name is also available. A matching web address lets you build a strong brand presence online.
Check domain name availability through popular registrars and tools, like Shopify’s free domain name generator.
5. Run a state record search
States generally provide searchable business name databases through the Secretary of State, Department of Commerce, or Division of Corporations. Search the database in every state where you plan to register or conduct business. Depending on the state, “doing business as” registration (DBA name) or assumed-name records may be maintained separately or at the local level.
Some states also maintain additional databases for specific industries or licensed practice areas.
What to do if your business name is taken
If your perfect business name is taken, you may need to modify your choice or purchase it from the owner.
Modify your business name
If another business already has the name you wanted, think about what part of the name most speaks to you, then develop alternatives around them.
You can then modify your original name choice by adding geographic identifiers (“Southwestern” or “Miami”), incorporating your own name, or using descriptive prefixes or suffixes that distinguish your business while maintaining the core concept. For example, if “Urban Bloom Florists” is unavailable, you might pivot to “Urban Flower Co.”
If you are in the same industry as the other business, be aware that if it sounds too similar, it can cause confusion on social media and might result in trademark issues.
Heyday Canning Co., a canned food company, and Heyday, which provides facials at 30 locations across the US, both use the term “heyday” in their brand names. Trademark rights are tied to specific goods and services, so businesses in different industries may be able to use similar names.
For a new name, use Shopify’s AI business name generator, which creates names and domains based on your business, industry, and brand personality.
Acquire the name or domain from the owner
A domain name, trademark, and business name registration are separate. Registering or acquiring one doesn’t automatically give you rights to the others. If the domain you want is already registered, for example, you may be able to purchase it from its current owner.
Headphones.com started as Premium Sound Canada, but the owner decided he needed a new domain name to establish authority as the company moved from selling speakers to headphones.
“We started trying to get these really good headphone companies to say yes to us selling their products,” Andrew Lissimore, cofounder and CEO of the brand, says on Shopify Masters. “I thought if we had headphones.com, they wouldn’t be able to say no to us. I went to the domain, and it wasn’t being used.”
At the time, the site redirected to headsets.com. Andrew used WHOIS to find the domain owner, who was open to selling headphones.com. Buying the domain was a significant investment, but it gave Andrew the credibility he was looking for.
While it worked out for Andrew, the acquisition route can be more complex than purchasing a domain. An attorney can help properly document the transfer and determine which rights or assets need to be transferred, including federal trademarks, online business domain names, and social media handles.
6 sources for business name inspiration
- Your products or services
- Company values and ethos
- Industry-specific terminology
- An interesting sound
- Meaningful personal connections
- Search engine optimization
A unique business name identifies your business to customers and, depending on your business structure, may also be the name registered with a government agency. It’s a crucial element of building brand recognition.
To come up with a brand name, aim to strike a delicate balance between communicating your company’s purpose and sticking in potential customers’ minds. Sandro of Sanzo suggests you also consider how the name sounds.
“Is it easy to say?” Sandro adds. “Is it something people like to say? Does it match the product that you’re selling? All these different cues can get folks to buy into what you’re doing.”
The best names often emerge from a creative naming process that draws inspiration from various sources:
Your products or services
If you have an innovative product, a name that communicates your product’s utility could help with customer education.
For example, Transformer Table sells kitchen tables that can expand or shrink to suit various dining needs. The brand’s name clearly illustrates the product’s ability to transform for different scenarios.
Company values and ethos
If your company places brand values at the forefront, you could use that as a starting point for your business’s name. This can help make that connection apparent to your audience.
Helmet brand Thousand launched after Founder and CEO Gloria Hwang’s friend died on impact after a biking accident. The friend wasn’t wearing a helmet, so Gloria set out to save a thousand lives through helmet safety.
“Our brand is a mission-driven brand,” Gloria says on an episode of Shopify Masters. “Originally, the name came from ‘How can we save a thousand lives?’ We track that statistic to see if we can save a thousand lives with our accident replacement policy.” Thousand says it achieved its goal of 1,000 lives saved in 2024.
Industry-specific terminology
If technology is a big part of your value proposition, you may want to make it part of your name.
Take HexClad Cookware, for example. The term “clad” describes the layers of several bonded materials that cover the surface of a pan or pot and help distribute heat evenly, while “hex” references the hexagonal, textured pattern on the cookware’s surface. HexClad patented this technology.
An interesting sound
Something that sounds interesting can stick in your audience’s mind. If you want something that’s unique, get playful with your words.
Sandro came up with a list of about a dozen names, but since most of them were taken or didn’t feel right, he decided to try something different.
“I went through an exercise of writing down all the letters of my first, middle, and last name, which is Alessandro Lorenzo Roco,” he says. “One of the combinations ended up being Sanzo. And I was like, ’OK, this could be interesting.’”
Meaningful personal connections
If you started your brand to create something that a loved one needed, you can use that connection as inspiration when naming your business.
Cofounders and life partners Stephanie Moran Reed and Muammar Reed named their bookstore, MiJa Books, after their oldest daughter, but the name also has a second meaning.
“It’s really special to us since it’s our daughter’s initials,” Stephanie says on Shopify Masters. “[But] it also means ‘my daughter’ in Spanish.”
The name is fitting since the couple decided to start MiJa Books after struggling to find enough diverse books for their daughter.
Search engine optimization
If you want to start with a strong SEO strategy, let keyword research inspire your name.
Zero Waste Store started as Earthy Shop. The cofounders behind the sustainable products brand decided to change the company’s name when they realized that the domain name for Zero Waste Store was available and received up to 15,000 searches a month.
“People were actively looking for that keyword,” Cofounder JJ Follano says on Shopify Masters. “We were about a few months in, and I said, ‘I think there’s a really strong play here. Why don’t we rebrand as Zero Waste Store?’”
This switch ended up helping the brand make more sales. It went from a few hundred orders a month to making more than a million dollars within the first year of the name change.
Types of business designations
Your business designation dictates how you register your name. State law usually governs business names.
Research your state’s naming requirements to avoid complications. For example, some states require specific designations to ensure customers understand the structure and industry of your business entity.
Here’s an overview of how different business structures handle naming:
Sole proprietorships
A sole proprietorship, the simplest form of business available, has straightforward naming rules. Since you serve as the sole proprietor of your business—its single owner—the sole proprietorship operates under your legal name, though DBA rules vary by jurisdiction.
You can also operate a sole proprietorship under a DBA name. For instance, if Jane Smith wants to open “Green Thumb Gardening Services” as a sole proprietorship, she can register that trade name as a DBA.
Partnerships
A general partnership, like a sole proprietorship, can operate under the names of the founding partners or use a DBA.
LLCs
A limited liability company (LLC) is a formal business structure with greater personal asset protection than a sole proprietorship—and more regulation. States typically require an LLC’s name to be distinguishable from names already registered in that state and include a designator like “LLC,” “L.L.C.,” or “Limited Liability Company.” Other naming restrictions vary by state.
C corporations
A C corporation (C corp) business structure establishes the business as separate from their owners. C corps can have unlimited shareholders but are subject to corporate income taxation. A C corp must usually include “Corporation,” “Corp.,” “Inc.,” or “Incorporated” in its name, though exact requirements vary.
Licensed professional organizations
Some states impose additional naming rules for businesses owned or staffed by certain licensed professionals. For example, medical practices in New York must include the type of practice (“Smith Family Dental, PLLC,” or “Johnson Internal Medicine, PC”). In Florida, only licensed insurers can use the words “insurance,” “assurance,” or “surety” in their business name.
How to check if a business name is taken FAQ
Why should I check to see if my business name is available?
It’s a good idea to check if a proposed business name is available to ensure you don’t invest time and resources building your brand identity around an existing trademark or selecting a name that doesn’t meet your state’s business-naming requirements. A trademarked business name may also create potential legal issues and fail to meet state law requirements
Where do I check business name availability?
You can check your prospective business name’s availability via various sources: the USPTO’s federal trademark database, popular social media sites, search engines, domain registrars, and state business registers.
What does it cost to check if a business name is taken?
Checking if a business name is taken is generally free. If you want a deeper availability search for your desired name or strategies to secure a similar name, consult a business, intellectual property, or trademark lawyer. These legal professionals understand the complexities of starting and naming a business and have access to special databases and techniques for researching names.
Are LLC names public record?
Generally, yes. States maintain public records for registered LLCs.
