How to Check If a Business Name Is Taken (Step-by-Step)

Before you commit to a business name, you need to check four things: the domain, federal trademarks, state business registrations, and social media handles. Missing any one of these can cause problems later — from losing a domain to getting a cease-and-desist letter.

Here's how to check each one, in order.

Step 1: Check .com Domain Availability

The .com domain is the most important check. Even if you plan to operate locally, customers will type your name into a browser and add .com automatically.

How to check:

Go to any domain registrar (Namecheap, GoDaddy, Google Domains) and search for yourname.com. The result will be instant.

What to do if it's taken:

• Check if the domain is actively used or just parked. A parked domain may be available to purchase directly from the owner.
• Consider get[name].com, use[name].com, or [name]app.com as alternatives.
• Avoid hyphens (your-name.com) — they're hard to say out loud and easy to mistype.

If the .com is taken and the variations don't feel right, the name probably isn't worth pursuing. A name without a clean .com path will cause friction forever.

Faster option: Naming Cube checks .com and .net availability for every generated name in real time, so you can scan 20 candidates at once instead of checking one at a time.

Check domain availability with Naming Cube →

Step 2: Search Federal Trademarks (USPTO)

A name can have an available .com and still be legally risky if it's too similar to a registered trademark in your business category.

How to check:

1. Go to the USPTO Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS) at tmsearch.uspto.gov
2. Select "Basic Word Mark Search"
3. Enter your business name
4. Filter by "Live" marks only
5. Look for marks in the same or related categories (called "International Classes")

What counts as "too similar":

Trademark law looks at likelihood of confusion. A name that's phonetically similar, visually similar, or used in the same industry can trigger a conflict even if it's spelled differently.

If you find a close match in the same category, treat it as a hard stop and pick a different name. The cost of a trademark dispute is orders of magnitude higher than the cost of starting over.

Faster option: Naming Cube screens generated names against 2,000+ known trademark records automatically. Names with potential conflicts are flagged with a warning so you can skip them early.

Step 3: Check State Business Name Registrations

Even if a name clears the USPTO, someone in your state may have already registered it as a business name. State databases are separate from federal trademark records.

How to check:

Search your state's Secretary of State business entity database. Most states have a free online search. Examples:

• California: bizfile.sos.ca.gov
• New York: apps.dos.ny.gov/publicInquiry
• Texas: mycpa.cpa.state.tx.us/coa
• Search "[your state] secretary of state business name search" for your state's specific tool

What to look for:

An exact match or very close variation registered in the same business category in your state. If you find one, consult a business attorney before proceeding — the rules vary by state and business structure.

Note: If you're operating nationally or internationally, this step matters less than domain and federal trademark checks. But if you're registering a local LLC, it's required.

Step 4: Check Social Media Handles

You don't need every platform, but you do need the ones your audience uses.

Priority platforms:

• Twitter/X (twitter.com/yourname)
• Instagram (instagram.com/yourname)
• LinkedIn company page
• YouTube (if video is part of your plan)

How to check: Visit each platform directly, or use a tool like Namechk or KnowEm to check multiple platforms simultaneously.

What to do if a handle is taken:

Common workarounds:

• @yourname_co or @yourname_app
• @useYourname
• @getYourname

Try to stay consistent across platforms. If Instagram is @yourname_app and Twitter is @getYourname, you'll spend years correcting people.

Note: Naming Cube results include direct links to check Twitter/X and Instagram for each generated name.

Step 5: Do a General Google Search

After the formal checks, do a plain Google search for your name. Look for:

• Companies in your industry with the same or similar name
• News articles, Reddit threads, or forums associating the name with something negative
• Products or services in your space that haven't registered a trademark but have existing brand recognition

A clean trademark record doesn't mean you're the only one using the name. Common law trademark rights can exist without federal registration.

Full Checklist

□ .com domain — available (no hyphens)
□ Federal trademark — no conflicting live marks in your category
□ State business registration — no conflicts in your state
□ Twitter/X handle — available or acceptable variation
□ Instagram handle — available or acceptable variation
□ Google search — no established brands with the same name in your space

The Fastest Way to Run These Checks

Doing each check manually works, but it takes 10 to 15 minutes per name. If you're evaluating 20 candidates, that's hours.

Naming Cube automates the domain and trademark steps. Generate 20 names, get .com availability and trademark flags instantly, then spend your time only on the names that clear both filters.

Start checking business names for free →