How to Choose a Name for Your Trade Business

You will say your business name thousands of times, paint it on a van and have it printed on every invoice. It is worth an hour of thought before you commit. Here is how to get it right.

What makes a good name

• Easy to say and spell. If you have to spell it out over the phone every time, pick something else.
• Clear about what you do. "Harris Electrical" tells people instantly. "Harris Solutions" does not.
• Short. Two or three words fits a van, a logo and a web address.
• Room to grow. More on that below.

The main options

Your own name

"J Taylor Plumbing". Simple, personal and trusted. Customers like knowing there is a real person behind it. The downside is that it is harder to sell the business one day, and it can sound like a one-man band if you plan to grow.

Your area

"Stockport Roofing". Clear and local. But it can box you in if you expand to other towns, and plain descriptive names are hard to protect and easy to confuse with competitors.

A made-up or brand name

"Brightspark Electrical". Memorable and easier to protect, but it should still say what you do somewhere in the name.

Mistakes to avoid

• Starting with "AAA" or "A1" to be first in a directory. Nobody uses printed directories any more, and it looks dated.
• Puns that only you find funny. A good one is memorable. A bad one is on your van for ten years.
• Being too narrow. "Dave's Boiler Repairs" is awkward when you start fitting heat pumps.
• Being too close to a competitor. It causes confusion and can cause legal trouble.
• Stuffing keywords in. "Best Cheap Emergency Plumber Leeds Ltd" looks like spam to customers and to Google.

Checks to do before you commit

• Search it on Google with your area. Is anyone nearby already using it?
• Check Companies House. If you are setting up a limited company, the name cannot be the same as an existing one. Their name checker is free.
• Check for trade marks on the Intellectual Property Office website.
• Check the domain name is available. Here is how to register one.
• Check social media for the same name.

A few rules worth knowing

If you are a sole trader you can trade under a business name, but you cannot use "Limited" or "Ltd" unless you actually are a limited company, and your own name should appear alongside the business name on invoices and letters. Some words need permission to use. The government's guidance on business names sets out the detail, and it is worth ten minutes of reading.

Test it

Say it out loud as if answering the phone. Tell it to three people and ask them to write it down. If they spell it right and can tell you what the business does, you have a good one.

Then use it the same way everywhere

Once you have chosen, write it identically on the van, your Google Business Profile, your website and your paperwork. Consistency helps customers recognise you and helps Google connect the dots.