Learn How To Name Your Business and Incorporate Online

Oct 12, 2021

Are you thinking about starting a business? Perhaps you already have a plan, but you don’t know what your business name should be.

If you find yourself overthinking the name of your new business, you are not alone. Picking a business name is an essential step in the process.

Keep reading to find out how to name your business and what steps are required when registering that business name.

Choosing Your Business Name

Names are powerful. Choosing your business name is not as simple as most people think.

You want your business name to be distinctive and set you apart from the competition. You also need to ensure no one else out there has the same business name as you.

Your business name should have meaning behind it, and try to avoid a generic name. People should know exactly what your business is when they hear the name. It’ll make it more memorable.

It’s essential to think of your business as a whole when choosing your name. What will your logo look like? Is the web domain for that name available, or will you have to spend a ton of money to get it? Planning of this nature will help you avoid roadblocks down the line.

Brainstorm a few different name options because you’ll have to do some research to ensure the names are not being used for existing businesses.

Steps to Securing Your Business Name

Once you’ve found a name you want for your business, it’s time to start figuring out if the name is available for registration. Fortunately, this process doesn’t have to be complicated.

NUANS Preliminary Search

To find out if a name is available for registration you’ll want to check the NUANS database.

The NUANS database is Canada’s most comprehensive registry database and contains registry data for all business and trademark registrations across Canada. The NUANS database is owned by Industry Canada and each province/territory regularly submits registry data to ensure the database stays up to date.

And, you can search the NUANS database for free using our Free NUANS Preliminary Search. This tool lets you search a business name to see if it is available for registration.

NUANS Name Reservation Report

Once you’ve found a name that is available for registration using our Free NUANS Preliminary Search. The next step is to obtain a NUANS Name Reservation Report.

A NUANS Name Reservation Report is the official name search document required to register a Named Corporation. The report is generated using a number of complex algorithms to find similar and potentially similar names that are currently registered.

The Preliminary Search checks to make sure that the name you want to use is not currently registered, but does not look for similar names. Whereas a NUANS Name Reservation Report provides information on similar and potentially similar names that are currently registered.

Using this report you can make sure that your name is not too similar to existing registrations.

This report provides you with a 9-digit Reservation Number and reserves the name for you to incorporate for 90 days.

Registering Ontario Corporation

Once you find a name that is available for registration, using our Free NUANS Preliminary Search, and have obtained an Ontario NUANS Name Reservation Report for that name you can proceed with registering your Ontario Corporation.

To register your Ontario Corporation, the next step is to file Articles of Incorporation which can be submitted in person, or by mail, directly to the Ontario government along with your Ontario NUANS Name Reservation Report and the government filing fee.

Alternatively, you can register online using a service provider, such as Opstart. Here at Opstart, we strive to make registering your Ontario Corporation as quick and easy as possible. Once we receive the required information to register your Ontario Corporation you’ll receive your Certificate of Incorporation by email within 2 business hours.

Conclusion

Naming your business can be an exhilarating process, and now that you know how to name and incorporate your business, you are that much closer to heading out into the world with your product or service.

A business name should be simple, distinctive, and memorable. It’s the one thing you want your customers to remember and come back to time and again. Pick a name that you and your customers will love.

Get started today finding the right name for your business by using our Free NUANS Preliminary Search.

 


 

Free NUANS Preliminary Search
Free NUANS Preliminary Search
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