How to name your LLC (the rules nobody tells you)
Your LLC name has to follow three buckets of rules: state-required wording, name uniqueness, and trademark conflicts.
Bucket 1: State-required wording
Every state requires the name to include an LLC designator. Common acceptable forms:
"LLC"
"L.L.C."
"Limited Liability Company"
"Limited Company" (some states)
A few states (notably Florida, Texas) allow abbreviations like "Ltd. Liability Co." Check your state's specific rules.
You cannot use words that imply you're a different type of entity: no "Inc.", "Corp.", "Corporation", "Bank", "Insurance", "Trust", "University" unless you have specific licenses.
Bucket 2: Name availability in your state
Your name must be distinguishable from every other LLC, corporation, and registered business in the state.
What "distinguishable" means in practice: - Adding "Inc.", "LLC", "Co." doesn't count as different. "Acme LLC" and "Acme Inc." are the same name. - Punctuation doesn't count. "Acme, LLC" and "Acme LLC" are the same. - Adding/removing "The" doesn't count. - Singular/plural usually counts as different ("Acme LLC" ≠ "Acmes LLC") but some states are stricter. - Adding generic descriptors like "Services" or "Group" usually doesn't help much ("Acme LLC" vs "Acme Services LLC" — gray area).
We check name availability for you before filing. If your first choice is taken, we'll come back to you within 1 business day with options.
Bucket 3: Trademark conflicts (the one most people miss)
This is the bucket that bites people 2 years later. Just because the state approves your LLC name doesn't mean it's safe to use as a brand.
If "Apple Computer LLC" is available in your state, the state will happily register it. Apple Inc.'s lawyers will then send you a cease-and-desist within months.
Free trademark searches: - USPTO TESS — covers federally registered marks - Google search your proposed name + your industry — looks for unregistered marks (common-law trademarks)
When to invest in a paid trademark search: - Your business is consumer-facing (B2C) - You're investing in branding, logos, advertising - You expect revenue >$100k/year
We don't do trademark searches as part of formation (that's a lawyer's job). We recommend a trademark search if you're investing serious money in the brand.
What if your first choice is taken?
Tips: 1. Add a meaningful word: "Acme Capital LLC" instead of "Acme LLC" 2. Add your initials/location: "Smith Acme LLC", "Acme Tampa LLC" 3. Try a synonym or descriptor of what you do 4. File a DBA ("doing business as") for the public-facing name and use a different legal name for the LLC
What's a DBA?
A DBA lets you operate your LLC under a public-facing name that's different from the legal name on file with the state. Useful when:
The brand name you want is taken
You want to keep your legal name private
You're running multiple brands under one LLC
DBAs are filed at the county or state level, not as part of LLC formation. We don't currently offer DBA filing as a product, but most counties make it easy to do yourself.
Next steps
We check name availability for free during checkout. Just enter your top 1-2 choices in our LLC form.