Guide
Choosing a company name in Ireland
What the CRO will and won’t accept, which words need consent, and how to pick a name that gets through first time.
What the CRO checks
The CRO refuses names that are identical or too similar to a registered name, that are offensive, or that suggest State sponsorship. Some words, such as “university”, “society” or “co-operative”, need consent from a named body first, and banking and insurance words need Central Bank approval.
Too similar
The CRO compares names closely, so a different ending, punctuation or word order rarely makes a name different enough. If your name is close to an existing one, add a distinctive word.
Endings
A private company limited by shares ends its name with “Limited” or “Ltd”, or the Irish “Teoranta” or “Teo.”. A DAC ends with “Designated Activity Company” or “DAC”, and a CLG with “Company Limited by Guarantee” or “CLG”.
Check before you commit
Use our name check to search the register before you order. A person here checks the name again before we file.
Start with the name.
Check your company name against the CRO register now, then form your company when you’re ready.