Finding a perfect name for your new business is one of the hassles of starting a business.
This is because your need to go through the right and functional format to let your name speak more for your business.
As such, a short, descriptive, and memorable name not only help your customers remembers the name it also builds trust.
To be sure that another hasn’t taken your desired name, you need to do a name search for a business.
You can conduct a corporation or LLC name search for a business in your state to ensure the name hasn’t been registered.
If you need more tips and advice on choosing a perfect name for your business and a simple guide to doing a name search for a business, then this article is for you.
Why is A Business Name Important?
For so many reasons aside from building visibility and credibility, a business name is an essential part of business forming that can’t be overlooked.
Before we dive into how to find a name for your business, let’s explore the importance of a name search for a new business.
Your business name is more important because:
- It will help you brand your business. All you need to impress your business which includes logos, taglines, product names, and promotional materials, are embedded in your trade name.
- It helps you stand out from the crowd and encourage patronage.
- It exemplifies what your business offers and helps people be associated with your products and services.
- Lastly, it is your organization’s public identity.
What to Consider When Conducting A Name Search For a New Business
To create a perfect name for your business, there are things worth considering.
This is because your business name represents you and your business everywhere; as such, it should portray the vision of your business.
Let’s look at the essential things to be considered when carrying out make search for your business.
Consider the following:
- The name that would appeal to the main audience for your business products and services.
- Your means of advertisement, either online or offline.
- Name that functionally describes what your business does.
- Consider the theme and element of your business.
- The accomplishment you want the name to have.
- Your competitors’ names and come up with something catchy and appealing.
- How easy would it be to incorporate your business name into a logo or other branding?
- Easy spelling and pronunciation of your business name.
- Intention, approach, and image of your business.
- How the name will represent the products and services, you sell.
- If there is a website address available for your proposed business name.
- Social media profiles (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.) are available for the proposed business name.
- If the name search is not already in use.
Tips for Name Search For A Business
In your quest to come up with an amazingly perfect name for your business, and you are confused about how to go about it, let’s consider these pointers.
Firstly, ensure that you’re following all applicable rules for your business name.
More so, ensure that your name is not trademarked (in full or in part) by another business entity operating in the same country.
In addition, ensure that your business has an official name like a corporation, incorporated, limited, company, Inc., or Corp.
Furthermore, ensure that the name briefly describes what your company’s purpose is.
Above all, choose a business name that you enjoy.
Rules for Names Search For a Business
There are some rules you must abide by when conducting a name search for a new business. These rules are standard in all states.
Here are some rules you must follow when conducting a name search for a business.
- The name:
- Must be unique and not taken by another business entity.
- Must be unique from the name of another business entity.
- Cannot include definite articles (“a,” “and,” “an,” “&,” “the,” etc.).
- Must not contain symbols, abbreviations, pluralization, or fonts.
- Do not use a name that is confusable with another existing business name.
- You can’t form a name similar to the federal or state agency or organization.
- You can’t use any term that is trademarked.
How to Find a Name For A Business
Now that you have a unique and perfect name idea for your business, it is time to check the business name availability.
To conduct a name search for a business, go to the website of the business formation agency in your state and search there.
Look for the option to conduct a “business entity search,” “LLC name search,” or “corporation/LLC search,” ?the terminology may differ depending on the state.
Click on your state below to begin the name search.
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- Alabama
- Alaska
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts: Reserved Names Search and the Corporate Database Search.
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
How to Use the Search Tool For A Name Search For A Business
Here are a few tips to help you navigate the search tool for your name search for a new business (LLC lookup).
After clicking your state name, you will find yourself on the search page.
Type in the perfect name you’d like to use without including any entity type identifiers like “Co.” or “LLC.”
Check out the list of results for any exact matches.
If there is an exact match, you may need to change your name.
You can also perform a discretionary keyword search.
You can also use the “contains” filter (or a similar filter) to search for a name within your business name.
You can use that knowledge to make your name unique from your competitors.
Conclusion
If you are incorporating a business, you need to do a name search for a business to be sure that your desired name hasn’t been taken and used by another.
You can do this by checking for the name availability on state search websites.
However, when choosing a name for your business, you need to consider some things like the vision and mission of your business.
Also, your business name must be easy to pronounce and mustn’t contain watermarked words.
We wish you success as you begin the journey of naming a business.
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