The 2026 Startup Naming Checklist: 15 Steps Before You Commit

You've brainstormed. You've debated. You've finally landed on a name that feels right. Before you register the LLC, order business cards, or tell your mom — run through this checklist. A name that feels perfect can have hidden problems that cost you thousands of dollars and months of headaches to fix later.

This checklist is specifically updated for 2026, accounting for new TLDs, AI-generated content challenges, social platform changes, and the current trademark landscape.

Legal Clearance

1. Search the USPTO Trademark Database

Go to USPTO TESS and search your proposed name. Look for:

• Exact matches in your industry class
• Phonetically similar names (sound-alikes)
• Names with similar spelling in related industries

A trademark conflict doesn't just mean someone has your exact name. If your name sounds like or looks like an established trademark in a related field, you could face a cease-and-desist before you even launch.

2. Check State Business Registrations

Search your state's Secretary of State database for existing business registrations. Even if a name isn't trademarked federally, a state-registered business using the same name in your industry and geography can create legal complications.

In California, check the Secretary of State business search. Also check neighboring states if you plan to expand.

3. Search Common Law Usage

Not every business registers a trademark. Google the name thoroughly. Check industry directories, LinkedIn, Crunchbase, and trade publications. A business using your proposed name without a trademark can still claim prior use rights in their geographic area.

4. Consider International Implications

If there's any chance you'll operate internationally, check the name's meaning in other languages. Also search trademark databases in key markets (EU, UK, Canada, Australia). Expanding into a market where your name is already taken — or means something unfortunate — is expensive to fix.

Domain Availability

5. Check .com Availability First

The .com is still the default expectation. If "yourname.com" is taken, find out what it's being used for:

• Active business in your space → pick a different name
• Parked/for sale → consider buying it (budget $500-$10,000 for most startup-relevant domains)
• Abandoned/inactive → you might be able to acquire it cheaply

6. Explore Alternative Extensions Strategically

If .com isn't available or is too expensive, consider:

• .co — clean, professional, widely recognized
• .io — still popular for tech startups despite the territorial dispute
• .app — great for software products (like AuditMySite.app, which uses .app for its SEO audit tool)
• .net — the original .com alternative, still credible
• Industry-specific TLDs (.restaurant, .construction, .design) — can work if your audience expects them

Avoid stacking words or hyphens to force a .com (like "get-yourname.com" or "yournamehq.com"). These look desperate and are hard to communicate verbally.

7. Secure Defensive Domains

Once you pick your primary domain, also register common misspellings and the main alternative extensions. Redirect them all to your primary domain. This prevents competitors or squatters from capitalizing on your brand.

Social Media Availability

8. Check All Relevant Platforms

Your handle needs to be available (or acquirable) on:

• Instagram
• X (Twitter)
• LinkedIn (company page)
• TikTok
• Facebook (page name)
• YouTube
• Bluesky
• Threads

Use BrandScout to check availability across platforms in one search. Consistent handles across platforms create a unified brand presence.

9. Secure Handles Immediately

Even if you won't use every platform at launch, claim your handle everywhere. Social media squatting is real. If you wait three months to set up your TikTok, someone else might have taken your name by then.

Practical Tests

10. The Phone Test

Say the name out loud. Now imagine telling someone the name over the phone. Can they spell it? If you have to say "that's with a K, not a C, and there's no E at the end," the name creates friction. Every interaction where someone mishears or misspells your name is a missed connection.

11. The Search Test

Google your proposed name. What comes up? If the first page of results is dominated by an existing entity (a celebrity, a major product, a common word), you'll struggle to rank. Distinctive names create instant search equity.

Also search the name on the platforms your customers use. For local businesses, check Google Maps. For B2B, check LinkedIn. For consumer products, check Amazon and social media.

12. The Truck Test

Imagine your name on a sign, a product, or the side of a truck. Does it work visually at different sizes? Is it too long? Does it need explanation? For service businesses especially — contractors, restaurants, agencies — the name needs to work as physical signage. The SacValley Contractors directory is full of businesses whose names work great on truck wraps and storefronts, and others where you can see the struggle.

13. The Crowd Test

Share your top 3 name options with 10-20 people outside your inner circle. Not friends and family (they'll be too nice) — ideally people in your target market. Ask them:

• What does this company do? (Does the name communicate?)
• How would you spell it? (Is it intuitive?)
• Which name do you remember tomorrow? (Is it sticky?)

14. The AI Test (New for 2026)

Ask ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini about your proposed name. AI assistants are increasingly how people discover and research businesses. If you ask an AI "tell me about [your name]" and it returns information about something else entirely, you have an associative problem that will only grow as AI-driven search becomes more prevalent.

Also check whether your name triggers any AI content filters or produces awkward completions. This is new territory, but it matters.

15. The Growth Test

Will the name still work if you:

• Expand to new geographic markets?
• Add new product lines or services?
• Pivot your business model?
• Get acquired?

A name that's too specific ("Sacramento Plumber") locks you in. A name that's too broad ("Solutions Inc.") says nothing. Find the middle ground that gives you room to grow while still communicating what you do today.

After You Clear the Checklist

Once your name passes all 15 checks:

1. Register the domain immediately. Don't wait even a day.
2. Claim social media handles on every relevant platform.
3. File your business registration with your state.
4. Consider a trademark application if you're serious about protecting the name long-term ($250-$350 per class filing with USPTO).
5. Set up brand monitoring using Google Alerts and social listening tools to catch any future conflicts early.

The whole process might take a few days of research, but it's infinitely cheaper than rebranding after launch. Your name is the foundation everything else is built on. Make sure it's solid before you build.