Updated September 2026: A good Singapore company name needs to do two things at once. It should be memorable enough to work as a brand, and it must satisfy ACRA's current naming and availability rules before you can reserve it.
The practical approach is to shortlist a few names, check them against ACRA's records, trade marks, domains and social handles, then reserve the strongest available option through Bizfile. Do not commit to a logo, website or marketing materials before the ACRA name is approved.
Start with a shortlist, not one company name
It is easier to choose a strong name when you compare several options rather than trying to make one idea work at all costs. Start with three to five serious candidates.
For each name, ask:
- Is it easy to say, spell and remember?
- Does it sound credible for the customers you want to serve?
- Will it still make sense if the business expands into new products, services or markets?
- Is it distinctive enough to stand apart from existing businesses?
- Can you secure a suitable domain name and social media handles?
- Could it conflict with an existing trade mark?
A name does not need to describe every product you sell. In fact, a name that is too narrow can become awkward later. If you call a company after one specific product, location or service, ask whether that wording will still fit the business in five years.
What makes a good company name?
Make it easy to remember and search
Shorter is not automatically better, but clarity helps. A customer should be able to hear the name once and have a reasonable chance of spelling it correctly later. Complicated punctuation, unusual spellings and strings of generic words can make the name harder to remember and harder to search for.
Choose something distinctive
A name that is too close to another business creates two problems. First, ACRA may not accept it. Second, even if the names are not legally identical, customers may still confuse the businesses.
Distinctive wording also helps with online search, domain availability and branding. Adding a generic word such as "Group" or "Singapore" is usually a weak way to create distinction and, under ACRA's comparison rules, some of these words may be disregarded entirely.
Leave room for the business to grow
If you are certain the company will remain tightly specialised, a descriptive name can work well. If the business may expand, avoid a name that boxes you into one product, one neighbourhood or one customer segment without a good reason.
Check how the name works in practice
Say it aloud. Type it into a search engine. Put it in an email address. Imagine it on an invoice, quotation and website header. This usually exposes awkward spellings or confusing wording before you spend money building a brand around it.
ACRA rules that can cause a company name to be rejected
ACRA's current guidance says you should avoid names that are:
- identical to an existing or reserved business name;
- undesirable, including vulgar, obscene or offensive terms; or
- similar to government bodies or otherwise protected by legislation.
Some proposed names or business activities may also need approval from another government agency. ACRA maintains a current list of referral authorities. If your application requires referral or additional review, approval can take longer than a straightforward name application.
Small wording changes may not make a name unique
ACRA expressly disregards certain words and differences when comparing business names. This means you cannot reliably make an existing name unique by simply adding a generic suffix or location.
Examples of words or differences ACRA may disregard include:
- "The" at the beginning of a name;
- geographical terms such as Singapore, Asia, Asia Pacific and Worldwide;
- business descriptors such as Company, Group, Holdings, International and Trading;
- entity-type wording such as Pte, Ltd, LLP, Limited or Private; and
- domain suffixes such as .com or .sg.
For example, adding "Singapore" to a name that already exists may still leave the proposed name effectively identical for ACRA's purposes. ACRA's current business-name guidance gives examples of these disregarded words.
How to check whether a company name is available
Do more than one check. ACRA availability, trade mark availability and online brand availability are separate questions.
- Check existing business names. ACRA recommends using the e-Adviser for Starting a Business to search your proposed name.
- Check reserved names. In Bizfile, use the Reserved name search under business information.
- Search close variants. Look for similar spellings and wording, not only an exact match.
- Check trade marks. Search the IPOS trade mark records if the name will be important to your brand.
- Check domains and social handles. ACRA registration does not reserve a matching website address or social username.
- Search the wider web. This can reveal overseas businesses, established brands or confusing uses that may not appear in ACRA's Singapore records.
If you need help navigating the current portal, our ACRA Bizfile guide explains the present interface and common filing workflows.
A company name is not the same as a trade mark
Registering a company or business name with ACRA does not give you exclusive intellectual-property rights to that name.
ACRA's current reservation guidance makes this distinction explicitly. IPOS also states that registering a business name with ACRA is not the same as registering a trade mark. If the name will function as a brand for your goods or services and trade mark protection matters to you, consider the trade mark position separately.
You can read IPOS's introduction to trade marks for the current distinction between business-name registration and trade mark rights.
How to reserve a company name with ACRA
Once you have selected an available name, the reservation is made through Bizfile. ACRA currently asks for information including:
- your preferred business name, without legal suffixes such as Pte Ltd;
- the intended business structure;
- the primary business activity and relevant SSIC code;
- a secondary business activity, if applicable;
- a valid email address for updates; and
- supporting documents where ACRA requires them for a particular name.
The current ACRA application fee for a new business entity name is S$15. The fee is non-refundable if the name is unavailable or if you withdraw the application.
Most straightforward name applications are approved soon after payment. Where ACRA needs to review the proposed name, or where another agency must consider it, processing can take longer.
How long is an approved company name reserved?
An approved business entity name is currently reserved for 120 days. Save the transaction number from the approved name application because you will use it when registering the company or other business entity.
If you do not complete the relevant registration within 120 days, the name is released and may become available to someone else.
For a private limited company, reserving the name is only the first step. If you are ready to proceed, our Singapore company registration and incorporation guide explains the wider setup requirements and process.
What if your preferred company name is unavailable?
Do not keep adding generic words until the application happens to pass. Go back to the shortlist and make the name genuinely more distinctive.
ACRA recommends either choosing a different name or adding clear, meaningful words that set the proposed name apart. If ACRA says the name is unavailable and you have a genuine reason why it should be accepted, its current Bizfile process also provides for a name review request.
Remember that the S$15 name application fee is non-refundable, so it is worth doing the availability checks before submitting.
Monitor similar names after your company is registered
Name checking should not stop once your company is incorporated. ACRA currently advises business owners to check for identical or similar names every year because complaints about a name that is too similar generally need to be filed within 12 months of that other name's registration.
We cover that process separately in our guide on checking and monitoring similar business names in Singapore.
Company name checklist
- Create a shortlist of three to five names.
- Remove names that are difficult to spell, too narrow or easily confused with another brand.
- Check existing ACRA business names.
- Check names already reserved in Bizfile.
- Check relevant trade marks, domains and social handles.
- Confirm that generic additions such as "Singapore" or "Group" are not the only thing distinguishing your name.
- Select the correct SSIC activity before applying.
- Pay the S$15 name application fee and save the transaction number after approval.
- Complete the business registration within the 120-day reservation period.
- After registration, check for potentially conflicting names at least annually.
