Sound familiar?
- Every name you like is already taken by a company or a website.
- You've found a name but don't know if someone else could stop you using it.
- Your name is hard to spell, so customers can't find you online.
- Your website sounds formal, your social media sounds chatty and your emails sound like neither.
- Different staff write about the business in completely different ways.
Key facts
- Naming and tone of voice work is quoted as a fixed price; design and writing time is £45 an hour + VAT.
- Shortlisted names are checked against the UK IPO trade marks register, Companies House and domain availability.
- Registering a company name at Companies House does not give you trade mark rights.
- UK trade mark applications cost at least £205 online from 1 April 2026, with £60 per additional class (GOV.UK and CITMA).
- GOV.UK says registration usually takes around 3 to 4 months and lasts 10 years before renewal.
- Using the ® symbol on a mark that isn't registered is an offence under the Trade Marks Act 1994.
- Tone of voice guidelines include principles, before-and-after examples and a word list.
What makes a good business name
A good name is easy to say, easy to spell after hearing it once, says something about you or makes people curious, and can be protected. That last point is where most DIY names fail.
Names fall roughly into types: descriptive (says what you do, easy to understand, hard to protect), suggestive (hints at a benefit or feeling), invented (a new word, easiest to protect, needs more explaining) and founder or place names. The more descriptive a name is, the harder it usually is to register as a trade mark, because the law doesn't let one business own ordinary words other traders need to describe their goods or services.
dijitul media works from a short brief: what you do, who buys from you, the competitors you want to stand apart from, and any words you love or hate. We produce a longlist, filter it, and present a shortlist with the reasoning behind each name.
UK trade mark basics for a new name
In the UK, trade marks are registered with the Intellectual Property Office (IPO). Things every business owner should know before settling on a name:
- Companies House is not trade mark protection. Registering a company name stops another company registering an identical name, but it doesn't stop someone trading under a similar name, and it doesn't protect you from an existing trade mark owner.
- Marks are registered in classes. Goods and services are grouped into 45 classes. Your mark is protected for the classes you register.
- Fees. GOV.UK says registering a trade mark costs at least £205. CITMA reports that from 1 April 2026 the online fee rose from £170 to £205, and each additional class from £50 to £60.
- Timescale. GOV.UK says it usually takes around 3 to 4 months from application to registration, and a mark lasts 10 years before it must be renewed.
- ™ and ®. You can use ™ on any mark you claim. Using ® on a mark that isn't registered is a criminal offence under the Trade Marks Act 1994.
We run preliminary searches of the IPO register on shortlisted names, but we're designers, not trade mark attorneys. For a name you're investing heavily in, we recommend advice from a chartered trade mark attorney before you file.
Domains, social handles and Companies House
For each shortlisted name, we check whether the .co.uk and .com domains look available or are in use, whether the main social media handles are free, and whether Companies House already lists a company with the same or a very similar name. Companies House also restricts some 'sensitive' words in company names, such as words implying a public body or regulated profession, which can rule a name out. We note any issues against each option so you choose with the facts in front of you.
Tone of voice: how your brand sounds
Your visual identity controls how you look; tone of voice controls how you sound. It matters wherever words appear: website, emails, quotes, social posts, packaging, even voicemail. A tone of voice guide from dijitul includes:
- Three or four principles, each with a short explanation, for example 'plain, not technical' or 'confident, not pushy'.
- We are / we are not pairs that stop principles being stretched too far.
- Before-and-after examples rewriting your real copy in the new voice.
- A word list: preferred terms, words to avoid, and house style for things like dates, numbers and capitalisation.
It can stand alone or become a section of your brand guidelines.
From name to logo
Once the name is chosen, it goes straight into logo design from £150 + VAT, or a full brand identity pack from £395 + VAT. Designing the logo after the name has been checked avoids paying for artwork you can't use. If you're renaming an existing business, see rebranding for how to plan the changeover. Naming and tone of voice work is quoted; get in touch with your brief.
What you get
- Naming brief and longlist of candidate names
- Shortlist with notes on meaning, spelling and pronunciation
- Preliminary checks against the UK trade marks register, Companies House and domains
- Tagline options where useful
- Tone of voice guidelines: principles, examples, words to use and avoid
- Rewritten sample copy, such as an About paragraph and a social post
How it works and what it costs
Logos from £150, brochures from £295, photography from £295 a half day and CAD at £45 an hour, all + VAT. You get a fixed price before we start.
Tell us the brief
What it is for, who will see it, where it will be used and any examples you like. Rough is fine.
Fixed price
We confirm the price and what you get, in writing, before any work starts.
First designs
We design, shoot or model it and share the first version for your comments.
Refine
We make the changes, check every detail, and prepare the files properly for print, web or manufacture.
Final files
You get the finished files in the formats you need, ready for your printer, website, social channels or manufacturer.
Frequently asked questions
Does registering a company name protect it as a trade mark?
No. Registering a company at Companies House prevents another company registering an identical name, but it gives no trade mark rights. To protect a name for your goods or services in the UK, you apply to the Intellectual Property Office. dijitul checks shortlisted names against both registers.
How much does a UK trade mark cost?
GOV.UK says registering a UK trade mark costs at least £205. According to CITMA, from 1 April 2026 the online fee for one class is £205, and each additional class costs £60. These are IPO fees, separate from dijitul's naming work, which is quoted.
How long does a UK trade mark take to register?
GOV.UK says it usually takes around 3 to 4 months from application for a UK trade mark to be granted, if nobody opposes it. A registered mark lasts 10 years and can be renewed every 10 years.
Can you guarantee a name is safe to use?
No designer can. dijitul runs preliminary checks against the UK trade marks register, Companies House and domains, which rules out obvious conflicts. For a name you are investing heavily in, a chartered trade mark attorney can give formal clearance advice.
What is a tone of voice guide?
A short document setting out how your business writes: a few principles, examples of the voice in use, and a list of words to use and avoid. dijitul writes tone of voice guides so websites, emails and social posts sound like one business, whoever writes them.
How much does business naming cost?
dijitul media quotes naming projects as a fixed price based on the brief, with time charged at £45 an hour + VAT. Trade mark application fees payable to the IPO are separate.
Related
Get a fixed price
Send a rough brief. You'll know exactly what it costs before we start.