It is often quite difficult to develop a name and brand that you are happy with for your business. However, once you have, it is important to protect that valuable intellectual property. This can be done by registering the company name, applying for trademark protection and acquiring relevant domain names.
The name of your company cannot be the same as another registered company's name and, to avoid any disputes, you should seek to choose a name that is not too similar to another company. Your company name must not be offensive or suggest any connection with the government or local authorities. A private limited company's name will commonly end in either 'Limited' or 'Ltd'.
The government provides a useful tool, 'Company name availability checker', to allow you to see whether your proposed company name is available for use.
The name which your company trades under can be different to its registered name but, similarly to the registered name, you should seek to avoid the trading name being too similar to another company's name. The trading name must not include 'limited', 'ltd', 'limited liability partnership', 'LLP', 'public limited company' or 'plc'.
Learn More: UK Founder Series: Setting Up Your Private Limited Company