LCC Names

Your LLC name will be around for a while, so it makes sense to take your time when deciding on the right name. Pay careful attention to what your business stands for and how you want it to be portrayed. It’s not impossible to change the name in the future, but the process to do that involves quite a bit of work and expense. If you change the name of your LLC, you will also lose out on any name recognition your company has built up.

The number one consideration to make when choosing your LLC name is to ensure it is a legal name. There are required words and restricted words that depend on your state.

Specifically, some state that you include something that identifies what type of business you are. For example, you will need to use one of the following phrases: “Limited Liability Company,” “Limited Liability,” or “LLC.”

In addition to required terminology, some words are restricted. You can usually find this list on your state’s website. Some of these restricted words are allowed with special permission.

If you are unable to find the list of restricted words on your state’s business website, then contact them via email or phone to ask about your specific wording.

LCC Names: Make it Memorable

You want your business name to stand out to potential and existing customers, so think of something that is easy for people to remember. You could do something that is a play on words, or that has a specific sound to it. Those tactics will help the name stand out in people’s minds.

LCC Names: Make it Meaningful

Your LLC name should also be meaningful and should tell people right away what you sell or what services you offer. A name like “Whimsical Fancy” might be fun and memorable, but it doesn’t immediately tell what the business does.

When it comes to marketing, the business name is important. Choose the right name, and you’ll have an instant advantage in your advertising efforts.

LCC Names: Make it Original

In addition to being memorable, you’ll want an original name. This is particularly important for online businesses. Choosing a name that is original will help your business stand out from all the other stores on the internet—especially your direct competition.

LCC Names: Make it Distinctive

Originality is good, but you also really want to make sure that you’re not choosing a name that is identical or too similar to another company’s name – even if they are not your direct competition. If the name is similar and registered in your same state, then that will be an issue with approval.

Most states have an online searchable database with business names, so you should be able to quickly find out if there is already a similar name out there. Do a name search for all the names you have chosen as possibilities.

Additionally, do a quick patent search with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to see if there is a product with the same name as your business. This can also help you narrow down your list of names because you can eliminate any ineligible names immediately.

LCC Names: Make it Domain Ready

Next, you need to make sure you have access to a matching domain name for your website. Do a search on a service like GoDaddy.com to see if someone already has your domain name reserved. If you have a long LLC name, this might give you an advantage because shortened versions of the name might be available.

LCC Names: Make it Social Media Friendly

You’ll also want to make your LLC name social media friendly. Come up with a username for services like:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest, etc.

that reflects your full business name or specialty. With Facebook and Pinterest, you can even create a vanity URL.

LCC Names: Grammatical Differences

Singular, plural, and possessive words can offer some additional options in your LLC name. However, it is important to remember that simply changing a singular to a plural or possessive does not make the name unique.

If you need help with your LLC name, you can post your legal need on UpCounsel’s marketplace. UpCounsel accepts only the top 5 percent of lawyers to its site. Lawyers on UpCounsel come from law schools such as Harvard Law and Yale Law and average 14 years of legal experience, including work with or on behalf of companies like Google, Menlo Ventures, and Airbnb