Names for LLC Companies: Everything You Need to Know
When choosing names for LLC companies, there are many things to consider. Choosing your business name is probably one of the most important business decisions an owner will make. 3 min read
When choosing names for LLC companies, there are many things to consider. Choosing your business name is probably one of the most important business decisions an owner will make. It is important to not only follow the legal regulations that come with naming an LLC but also choosing a name that will be the best fit for your business now and in the future.
One of the best ways to begin the process of naming your LLC is by brainstorming company name ideas. Be sure not to get into judging any names during this process. Let the ideas just flow and in the end, you will have a good list of names to get started with. Remember that choosing your LLC business name is an important part of the LLC startup process.
Ways to Pick the Best Business Name for Your LLC
While picking the perfect LLC name is a difficult process it is not impossible. Some ways to help make sure that you choose the best name for your company is by:
Making Sure its Legal
The business name you choose will appear on all the official forms for your business including your Articles of Incorporation or Certificate of Organization. Since your name will be on all legal documents, making sure your name follows all the legal requirements is essential. Some of the legal requirements an LLC name must meet include:
- Making sure it does not use any restricted or prohibited words
- Adding Limited Liability, Company, Limited Liability, LLC, or Ltd Liability Co
- Making sure it does not imply it is a corporation by adding corp, corporation, incorporate, or inc.
- Making sure it does not include the word partners in the name
If you are unsure what words qualify as restricted or prohibited, you will be able to find a list on your Secretary of State or Department of State websites.
Make Sure it Is Memorable
You will want to name your LLC something that your customers can easily remember. There are many ways to make your name more memorable for your customers. You can have your name:
- Use alliteration
- Use a play on words
- Be easy to spell
- Be easy to pronounce
- Be shorter in length
- Have a positive association
Make Sure it Is Meaningful
When choosing a name for your business, you will want it to have some obvious connection with the product or service that your business is offering. Your name is the heart and soul of your business as it is an important part of your marketing strategy as well as your customer's first impression of your business.
Make Sure it Is Original
To help your company name stand out from the competition, you will have to make sure that it is original, and not easily confused with another company's name or product. This is especially necessary for technology and software companies where there is heavy competition.
Make Sure it Is Distinctive
Avoiding confusing your name with another company name is relatively easy since it is a requirement when coming up with your original LLC name. Each state will have varies rules on what is enough to make your name distinguishable from others, and that is why it is important to perform a database search before determining your name.
Once you have found the perfect name, it is important to make sure you reserve it both in the state you plan to form and other states where you intended to perform business operations.
Rules on Making a Name Distinguishable
When filing your formation documents, there will be a period of time before your name receives approval and LLC is officially formed. Because of this, it is strongly recommended that you not begin using your name in a legal way until it's approved. If you have followed all the rules and legal restrictions that come with naming your LLC, you are likely to get your name approved.
Often names may get rejected if they are too similar to other business names registered in the state. Names are too similar if they:
- Only having the end designator such as LLC, Inc, or Corp be the difference
- Have a plural or singular form as the only difference
- Use only articles such as a and the as the distinguishing characteristic
If you need help with choosing names for LLC companies, 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.