Availability · one pass, five checks
“Available” at the registry doesn’t mean the name is yours.
A business name can pass your state’s entity search and still be taken where it counts — as a US trademark, a domain, or a handle. Check all five at once, and get a signed verdict you can keep.
Short answer
To know if a business name is really taken, check five things, not one: US trademarks, domain availability, social and developer handles, existing web use, and cultural flags. A state entity search only tells you no one has registered that company — it says nothing about a conflicting trademark, which is the one that can actually stop you.
candidate mark
Pentonym
US · class 42 · availability & clearance
PROCEED
Clear to adopt. Four things to handle before you commit.
01
Trademarkgating · can bar
US + EU registers✓ CLEAR
Nearest US marks reviewed against your class (SaaS, 42) — none is a conflict. This is the only check that can stop you.
the four material axes — they inform, they never bar
02
Domainsthe TLDs founders weigh● .COM TAKEN
.com.io.ai.co.xyz.net.org.me.sh
Open: .co, .xyz, .net, .org, .me, .sh. A taken .com is a workaround — never a reason to drop the name.
03
Handlessocial & package registries✓ OPTIONS OPEN
githubxnpmpypiyoutubetiktok
Open: github, npm, pypi, youtube, tiktok. Taken: x.
04
Already in use?web / common-law presence✓ NOT IN USE
searched the web · examined 9 results across 7 domains
The exact name appears only in unrelated places — never a company or product trading as Pentonym.
05
Culturaloffensive-term screen · 20 markets✓ CLEAR
No offensive-term match across the 20-market panel.
The five checks
Why one search is never enough
Each check answers a different question, and only one of them can actually stop you:
- US trademarks — the only check that can bar the name. A conflicting mark in your field is the real risk. How clearance works →
- Domains — whether you can get an address worth having. A taken .com is a workaround, not a verdict.
- Handles — GitHub, X, npm, PyPI, YouTube and more, checked at once.
- Web use — whether someone already trades under the name without registering it.
- Cultural — whether the name reads as an offensive term in the markets you’ll sell in.
FAQ
How to tell if a business name is taken
How do I tell if a business name is already taken?
Check four registers at once: your state’s business-entity search (for the company), the USPTO for a trademark, a domain lookup, and the handles you’ll use. Pentonym runs the trademark, domain, handle and web-use checks in a single pass and hands back a signed verdict.
My state says the name is available — am I safe to use it?
Not necessarily. A state entity search only confirms no one has registered that company in your state. A federal trademark in your field can still bar the name nationwide, and a state search won’t show it.
Is a taken domain a dealbreaker?
No. Pentonym treats domains as material, never barring — plenty of strong brands launch on a .co or .io. Only a genuine trademark conflict is a reason to abandon a name.
How much does the check cost?
The check is free and returns a signed, verifiable verdict. See the cost calculator for what filing later would cost if the name clears.