Business Name Availability Search
Type a proposed business name and get an AI-researched preliminary report for Ontario and Canada: who already uses it, similar names, trademark flags, competitors and whether the domains are taken — before you order a NUANS report.
Your report appears here
Takes about half a minute. Each report checks:
- Corporations, registered business names and trademarks already using the name
- Confusingly similar names a registry examiner would compare it to
- Competitors in your line of business and who owns the search results
- Whether the .ca and .com domains are registered
- Restricted words and the distinctive / descriptive / legal structure examiners want
Legal Guide
How business name searches work in Ontario and Canada
What a NUANS report is, what examiners look for, and why a corporate name is not a trademark.
What a NUANS report is
NUANS is the Canada-wide database of corporate names, business names and trademarks that registries and search houses use. A NUANS report lists the names that resemble yours. Ontario requires one for a named Ontario corporation, and Corporations Canada requires one for a named federal corporation. A report is valid for 90 days.
What this tool checks, and what it cannot
This scan uses AI web research of public sources, Canadian trademark listings that are indexed online, and a live DNS probe of the .ca and .com domains. It cannot see records that exist only inside the Ontario Business Registry or the NUANS database. Treat it as the step before a NUANS report, not a replacement for one.
Distinctive, descriptive, legal
Examiners look for three parts: a distinctive element that identifies you (a coined word, a surname, an unexpected pairing), a descriptive element that says what you do, and a legal element such as Inc., Ltd. or Corporation. A name made only of descriptive words is often refused as too general.
Ontario name review versus federal
An Ontario corporate name is checked against Ontario names. Corporations Canada reviews a federal name against names across the country and applies stricter confusion rules, which is why some names clear in Ontario and fail federally. The incorporation calculator on this site walks through that choice.
A corporate name is not a trademark
Approval of a corporate name does not stop someone else from using the same words as a brand, and it does not protect you against a trademark owner whose rights came first. If the name is the brand, run a trademark search and consider an application alongside the incorporation.
Operating names and numbered companies
A numbered company needs no name search at all and can register a separate operating name under the Business Names Act. That registration is a public notice, not an exclusive right, so the same checks apply to an operating name you plan to build a brand on.
Is this a NUANS report?
No. A NUANS report is produced from the official name database and is what Ontario and Corporations Canada accept with an incorporation filing. This tool runs AI research across public web sources, indexed trademark listings and domain records to flag likely problems before you pay for a NUANS report and before you commit to a brand.
How do I check if a business name is taken in Ontario?
Start with a free scan like this one, then search the Ontario Business Registry and the Canadian Trademarks Database, and order a NUANS report for the name you intend to file. For a federal corporation, order a Canada-biased NUANS report through Corporations Canada or a search house. A lawyer can interpret the report and advise whether the name is likely to be accepted.
Does incorporating protect my business name across Canada?
Only partly. An Ontario corporation's name is protected against confusingly similar Ontario corporate names. A federal corporation's name is reviewed against names across Canada, which is broader. Neither gives trademark rights, and neither stops a sole proprietor from registering a similar operating name. Trademark registration is the tool for brand protection.
What makes a corporate name acceptable?
It must not be confusing with an existing corporate name, business name or trademark, must not be misleading or imply a government connection, must avoid restricted words such as bank, trust, insurance or cooperative without the required consent, and must end with a legal element such as Inc., Ltd. or Corp. A distinctive element plus a descriptive element is the structure examiners expect.
What happens if my name is rejected after I file?
The registry refuses the filing or asks for a different name, and you lose time. For a federal filing, Corporations Canada can also issue a decision after incorporation requiring a change if a complaint is upheld. Clearing the name properly first, with a NUANS report read by someone who knows the rules, is cheaper than a later name change by articles of amendment.
Should I check the domain before I pick a name?
Yes. The .ca and .com are usually the first thing a customer types, and an established business holding the matching domain is a strong sign the name is already taken in practice even if a registry would accept it. This tool probes both; confirm availability with a registrar, since parked and reserved domains do not always show up in DNS.
Is this legal advice?
No. It is a free educational tool that combines deterministic naming rules, a domain probe and AI web research. The research can miss records, misread a listing or surface a business that is not really a conflict. Confirm your name with a NUANS report and a lawyer before incorporating or spending on branding.