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How to check if a business name is already taken

You are about to print visiting cards, buy a domain or open an Instagram page. Two minutes of searching first can save you from changing your name later. Here is how to check, step by step, without paying anyone.

Step 1: Write down 3 to 5 names

Pick names that are short, easy to say on the phone and easy to spell. If people cannot type it after hearing it once, it will be hard to find you online.

Step 2: Search Google for each name

Type the name in quotes, for example "Sharma Sweets", then again with your city and business type. If a business in your line of work already uses the same or a very close name, keep looking. Look at page 1 and page 2 of the results.

Step 3: Check social media handles

Search Instagram, Facebook and YouTube for the name. Try the handle you would want, for example @yourname. A name is much easier to use if the same handle is free everywhere.

Step 4: Check the web address

Search the name at any domain seller and see if the .in or .com is free. If it is taken, do not pick a slightly different spelling of a bigger business. People will land on the wrong site.

Step 5: Look at the trade marks register

Trade marks in India are kept by the Trade Marks Registry. Their public search is on the official IP India website: tmrsearch.ipindia.gov.in (the main site is ipindia.gov.in). You log in with an OTP on your email or mobile. Search for your name and for close spellings and sounds. The tool and its steps can change, so follow the instructions on the official site. IP India has also warned the public about websites that offer guaranteed trademark registration. Be careful with those.

Step 6: Say it to five people

Tell five people the name and ask them to write it down. If they spell it five ways, or it sounds like something else, choose again.

A clear search does not mean a name is free to use. If you plan to register a company or LLP, the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (mca.gov.in) also checks the name when you apply. Nobody can promise that from a search alone. If a name matters a lot to your business, ask a registered trade mark agent or lawyer. FirmGenie does not file trademarks and does not give legal advice.

Questions people ask

Is a free domain enough to use a name?

No. A free domain only means nobody bought that web address. Someone else may still use the name in their business or hold a trade mark for it.

Do I need to register a trademark before I start?

That is a legal question, so ask a registered trade mark agent or lawyer. What you can do yourself, for free, is search first using the steps above.

Does FirmGenie file trademarks?

No. We do not offer trademark search or filing either. That is done by a registered trade mark agent or lawyer.

What to do next

This is one step in a longer path. See Start a business: what to do next for all seven steps, from testing your idea to your first customers.

Next: put your business on Google Free business tools All 7 steps

This guide is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Prices are + 18% GST. FirmGenie does not file trademarks or register companies.