Business Naming

Choosing a Name for Your Business

One of the first major decisions faced by a business owner is the choice of a business name. What should the business name include? What will make it identifiable and memorable to customers? What types of guidelines need to be considered when naming a business? CorpAmerica is familiar with the typical characteristics of a business name and can help small businesses register their name.

Factors to Consider

1. Recognition

Entrepreneurs generally choose a business name that relates to the product or service they offer, their physical location (such as a city or state), or their personal name, or any combination of the three. These identifiers help customers recognize and remember their company name. Sometimes a business wants its legal name to be different from the name it is 'doing business as' (DBA).

2. Statutory Guidelines

There are state guidelines for the legal name for a business -- for example, corporate names generally end in Inc., Corp., or Company, whereas limited liability company names typically end in LLC. In many states, words such as 'bank' or 'insurance' in a business name require consent from other state agencies prior to filing. If your order through CorpAmerica is rejected because of such a statutory conflict, we will report the issue to you for correction.

3. Preliminary Searches

Prior to submitting an application to form a corporation or LLC, it is possible to conduct status searches of state records or trademark searches with the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office. If you wish to have a DBA name in addition to a legal name, then both names must be searched to make sure they are not already in use by another company. Click here for more information about CorpAmerica's name availability searches.

4. Intellectual Property Filings

Business owners sometimes file trademarks to protect their name or logo, either before or after they form a new corporation or LLC. This can help to avoid public confusion between companies that offer similar services. For more information about intellectual property protection, click here.

5. Name Reservations

Corporation and LLC names can be reserved in many states prior to submitting a formation filing. DBA names are usually filed separately from legal names. This does not, however, guarantee that the business name will be acceptable for filing when the formation request is examined by the state's office. CorpAmerica can assist with name reservations -- contact us at 877-246-2462 or 302-636-5448.

Placing an Order

When placing an order with CorpAmerica, it is best to provide both a preferred and alternate company name. If your preferred name is unavailable, we will immediately proceed with your alternate name. If both are unavailable, we will contact you for additional instructions and will work with you to complete the filing of your business name.  Request our free business formation guide to learn more.

Business Naming FAQs

1. What factors should I consider when naming my business?

Our customers generally choose a business name that will be easy for customers to recognize.The name might include a reference to their personal name, location, product, or service. Business owners should also consider whether the name is unique enough to avoid infringing on someone else's name.

2. Are there state guidelines for choosing a business name?

There are state guidelines for business naming. For example, corporate names generally end in Inc., Corp., or Company, whereas limited liability company names typically end in LLC. In many states, words such as 'bank' or 'insurance' require consent from other state agencies prior to filing. If your order through CorpAmerica is rejected because of such a statutory conflict, we will report the issue to you for correction.

3. What happens if my preferred name is not available?

If your preferred name is unavailable, we will immediately proceed with your alternate name. If both are unavailable, we will contact you for additional instructions and will work with you to complete the filing of your business name.