Best free AI Business Name Generators to kickstart your next venture

Your company name is the backbone of your business, making it one of the most important steps of launching a new enterprise. From Amazon to Zoopla, the art of finding that perfect title that reflects your USP, sector, and purpose demands a lot of attention.

To get it right, entrepreneurs are increasingly turning to AI business name generators. The allure is obvious. Rather than sweating over an Excel sheet, users simply type in a word or phrase and watch dozens of fully-formed, business name ideas roll in.

But, like any Artificial Intelligence, the consequences of this ease and convenience are not fully known. It’s crucial for entrepreneurs to research the top extensions and platforms carefully to ensure their new idea won’t have an instant black mark alongside it.

Below, we’ll list the top AI company name generators available for free, and explain how to legally register your new business bundle of joy.

Best free AI business name generators

We’ve conducted thorough research of the most popular AI company name generators to arrive at a list of the top options, and where they perform best. Scroll down for the full breakdown:

1. Hostinger by Zyro – Best for ecommerce businesses

The Hostinger AI business name generator by Zyro is a fantastic option for those wanting to start an ecommerce firm, as it also gives users the chance to purchase a website domain name alongside their selected business title.

Simply type a few keywords associated with your idea into the search bar, and Hostinger will come up with a list of catchy phrases to choose from plus the option for you to set up an online store in just a few clicks.

Here’s what search results Hostinger returned for the descriptive terms: “Gen Z, Fashion, and Upcycled”:

Image credit: https://www.hostinger.com/business-name-generator

2. Brandcrowd – best for business logos

Brandcrowd is a business card printer and logo design firm. As a result, its AI business name generator is here to ensure your newborn’s name looks, as well as sounds, good.

Alongside a label for your business, you’ll also get to see what the name looks like displayed in various colours and styles, providing a visual interpretation of your favourite title.

Here’s what search results BrandCrowd returned for the descriptive terms: “Gen Z, Textiles, Fashion, Marketplace, and Upcycled”:

Image credit: https://www.brandcrowd.com/business-name-generator

3. Namelix – best for trending business names

As the only dedicated app for AI company name generation on this list, Namelix provides plenty of customisable elements to help you arrive at a name that emulates the biggest branding trends of today.

On top of a business description, users can also prompt Namelix to offer them a variety of stylistic choices including alternative spellings (like UniTaskr) and compound names (like EasyJet).

Here’s what search results Namelix returned for the descriptive terms: “Gen Z, Fashion, Marketplace, and Upcycled”:

Image credit: https://namelix.com/app

4. Hootsuite – best for customisable element:

Want something a bit different for your new business? How about something spooky for Halloween? Or something that sounds more professional and formal?

Hootsuite’s free AI business name generator has a long list of custom fields to help entrepreneurs decide on a top-tier tag. From ‘playful’ to ‘techy’, Hootsuite gives users a full dressing up box for you to clothe your business name in whatever style you fancy.

Here’s the custom form that allows Hootsuite users to tailor their business name search based on tone, language, category, business description, and audience description:

Image credit: https://www.hootsuite.com/en-gb/social-media-tools/ai-business-name-generator

5. Looka – best for number of results

Sometimes you just need to scroll through endless options to find what you’re really looking for. The Looka platform is the ideal baby name book for indecisive business owners.

It gave us no fewer than 60 options for our search keywords. All of these were also arranged into helpful illustrative categories like ‘dynamic’ and ‘modern’ to help us sift through the list.

Here’s the business names that Looka suggested based on our descriptive terms: “GenZ, Fashion, and Upcycled” and the adjectives “dynamic, innovative, and edgy”:

Image credit: https://looka.com/business-name-generator

How to register your business name

Once you have arrived at a business name, companies should use the government’s Company Name Availability Checker to ensure that their selected label is not already taken.

This is a key step, particularly given the current wave of new businesses that are being registered in the UK.

Digital agency Koozai, analysed the latest records from the Office of National Statistics of businesses registered with Companies House. It found that 202,130 new businesses were set up in the UK in the first 12 weeks of 2023. That’s a year-on-year rise of 6.5%.

Microbusinesses, such as those running a side hustle, might choose to skip this step. That’s because, if you’re a sole trader, registering a business name isn’t actually compulsory – unlike applying for self-assessment with HMRC.

But if you’re launching a private limited company, you are legally required to register a business name on GOV.UK. There are incentives for doing so. Registered companies will find it easier to claim tax relief, and also shield their brand from copyright claims.

AI business name generators: what are the legal risks?

Using a business name generator is a great way to get off the ground with your first entrepreneurial idea. However, there can also be risks associated with using an AI tool to develop key materials for brand identity.

This is particularly true if you are planning to apply for a trademark. Trademarks are a legally-recognised piece of intellectual property that identifies products or services from a particular source and distinguishes the goods of one enterprise from another.

Given that AI name generators tools ‘scrape’ existing content on the internet to come up with their suggestions, there is a risk that you could be sued if you are found to have used trademarked phrases or elements in the name.

If a company owns a trademarked logo or slogan, they have a right to take legal action if someone imitates the design (known as trademark infringement). This can be a costly and time-consuming legal battle, even if you didn’t intentionally copy the trademark.

Even if the AI-generated name is not identical to a trademark, it could still be guilty of trademark dilution, which means it is too similar to a famous mark and may cause confusion among consumers. This could also lead to legal action.

How to navigate the AI trademark minefield

To defend your business from the above risks, it is essential to conduct a thorough trademark search on the GOV.UK before using an AI business name generator.

This will help ensure that your chosen name is not already in use and that it is unlikely to infringe on any existing trademarks. To be extra sure, you may even wish to consult with an attorney to review any AI-generated names and assess the legal risks associated with them.

Here are some additional tips for using AI business name generators safely:

• Use a reputable AI business name generator that has a good reputation for generating unique and legally compliant names
• Write a clear and specific AI prompt for the generator, including relevant keywords, industry-specific terms, and brand attributes
• Use the generator as a jumping off point – remember, you can always tweak any monikers to make them more unique

Once you have arrived at a mind-blowing business name, it’s time to design your business website. Check out our guide to building a website in minutes with AI