There are rules set out as regards a private company’s name:
- It cannot contain any reference to a government department or any local or public authority;
- It may not include any sensitive words without the approval of the Secretary of State (see attached list).
- It may not be offensive
- It may not include any reference to a regulated profession, unless permission has been granted by that professions’ regulatory body (see attached list). A breach of this requirement could constitute a criminal offence.
A list of prohibited and sensitive words are published by Companies House. This list is constantly updated and can be found at: http://www.companieshouse.gov.uk/about/gbhtml/gp1.shtml
