Should My LLC Be My Name?

If you’re starting a business and planning to operate it as a Limited Liability Company (LLC), you may be struggling to decide what to name your company. Should you include your personal name, or would it be better to register a more conceptual or catchy name as your LLC’s legal name?

The short answer is: It depends. There is no right or wrong answer. Ultimately, as long as an LLC name complies with the state’s laws and no one else has already claimed it, whether you use your name for your LLC is a matter of preference and what will work best for your situation.

Advantages of including your personal name in your LLC’s name:

• If a vendor or service provider has built a stellar personal reputation, including their name in their LLC’s name can help their company earn prospects’ trust. Name recognition can go a long way toward attracting customers!
• Doing so can be especially beneficial to professional service providers who want to promote their personal brand as well as their company.
• It provides immediate clarity about who owns and operates the business. That transparency can help garner trust and avoid brand confusion.
• If the business owner’s name is relatively uncommon, it is unlikely that another registered business entity is already using it.

Disadvantages of including your personal name in your LLC’s name:

• Some personal names don’t have a memorable or marketable quality to them.
• People might have trouble recalling the business name if the personal name within it is difficult to spell or if it is otherwise unremarkable and difficult to remember.
• Entrepreneurs sacrifice some privacy by putting their personal name in their legal business name.

How to Name an LLC

As a serial entrepreneur, I know firsthand that choosing a business name can be difficult and daunting!

Here are some considerations when naming a Limited Liability Company:

• Who is your target market, and what will they be most receptive to? For some industries, funny, cutesy, clever, or abstract names may intrigue and draw people in, while for others, those naming conventions may be off-putting to potential customers.
• Do you want the words in your name to describe the types of products or services you provide, or would you like to use a more conceptual term paired with a logo that will clarify the nature of your business?
• What vibe do you want your name to convey—e.g., traditional, trendy, fun, professional, etc.?
• Is the name you wish to use easy to say and spell?
• Could the name be misunderstood or misconstrued as something that might offend or drive away customers? For example, a childcare center probably wouldn’t want to use a name like “The Brat Keepers.”
• Will you potentially branch out and offer various lines of products or services under your LLC? Sometimes, business owners will use one name for their LLC and get permission to market their different product or service lines under fictitious names (i.e., filing DBAs). Doing so enables them to use creative names for promotional purposes while keeping entity administration and compliance requirements under their LLC’s name.
• Does another business already use the name in your state? Check if the LLC name is available by doing an LLC name search. Knowing in advance can save time and money. Inputting a name already spoken for on an LLC’s formation paperwork will likely result in the state rejecting the application, and the business owners will have to go back to the drawing board and pay additional filing fees. It’s wise also to do a trademark search to confirm that no entities in other states have claims on the desired name.

Is Your LLC’s Name Protected?

When the state approves an LLC, its legal name (the business name on the entity formation paperwork) becomes protected in that state. Different states have different rules and restrictions, but generally, no other company may form an entity under a similar name, especially if businesses are in the same industry or offer almost identical products and services.

Keep in mind that forming an LLC does not necessarily prevent other businesses in other states from using the name unless the LLC owners file with the USPTO for federal trademark protection.

I encourage entrepreneurs who have thought of the perfect name for their business but aren’t quite ready to form their LLC yet to reserve the name so no one else can jump in and hijack it in the meantime. While states’ rules vary, business owners may typically reserve a name for up to 30 to 90 days, with the opportunity to re-file to extend the reservation if the original application expires before the LLC is officially created.

Other Articles and Resources

• Business Name Restrictions: What to Know Before Registering Your Business
• Ten Tips for Creating a Business Name
• Can Your LLC Have the Same Name as One in a Different State?
• Can You Change an LLC Name?
• Can an S Corporation Use LLC or Inc in Its Business Name?