Summary
Choosing a strong company name in Germany requires distinctiveness, availability in the commercial register, and a clean trademark search. Check for conflicts at the DPMA and align your name with the required legal suffix (GmbH or UG). The IHK often reviews names for clarity and absence of misleading terms. Secure matching domains and social handles to support your brand. A legally compliant, memorable name builds credibility from day one.
Contents
Samar Fathulla | founder consultant
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Company name for GmbH & UG: Basics
The official company name is the name under which your GmbH or UG appears in the commercial register and official communication. A strong, memorable name helps you stand out, creates a professional first impression and makes it easier for people to remember your company.
Your company name must comply with the legal requirements set out in the German Civil Code (BGB), the German Commercial Code (HGB) and the German Limited Liability Companies Act (GmbHG).
Legal regulations for the company name of an LLC
Mandatory legal form suffix
The company name must always show the legal form of the business.
GmbH
You can add the legal form suffix, for example:
- Müller Consulting GmbH
- Nordwind Technik Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung
You can also integrate the legal form into the name, for example:
- Müller Vertriebsgesellschaft mbH
- Hanseatische Verwaltungsgesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung
UG (limited liability)
A UG must always include UG (haftungsbeschränkt) or Unternehmergesellschaft (haftungsbeschränkt) in the company name:
- Schmidt Consulting UG (haftungsbeschränkt)
- Parker Technik Unternehmergesellschaft (haftungsbeschränkt)
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Identification and distinctiveness
A company name must clearly identify your UG or GmbH and be sufficiently distinctive. This means your name must stand out and cannot consist of generic terms alone. Purely descriptive names such as “Furniture”, “Consulting” or “Textiles” usually do not provide enough distinctiveness.
Names that sound identical are also not allowed. For example, Schmitt GmbH versus Schmidt GmbH. Likewise, a name such as Burger’s Kings UG (haftungsbeschränkt) would be rejected because it is too close to an existing, well-known brand.
Ultimately, your local district court 💬Amtsgericht checks whether your chosen name could be confused with an already registered company in the same district. If there is a risk of confusion, the name will not be accepted. Learn here how to find out if your name suggestion has already been taken.
Misleading information
Company names must not contain misleading elements. In other words, the name must not create false impressions about your company’s size, status, origin or business activity.
Examples of terms that are often considered misleading:
- Foreign personal names
- False indications of origin (e.g. Berlin, Black Forest)
- Terms implying size or capacity (Factory, Global, Group, Holding)
- Industrial or quality claims (Industry, Quality, Manufacture,Biological/Ecological)
- Protected professional titles (Master craftsman, Master business)
- Financial and banking terms (Bank, Finance, Credit, Funds)
- Terms implying public or academic status (State, Federation, Foundation, University, Academy, Institute)
- Words suggesting membership in public institutions (Union, Ring, Association)
In all these areas, generic designations are restricted to prevent customers from being misled. When in doubt, choose a name that is creative but neutral and always verify availability with your local district court before proceeding.
Abbreviations
A company name for a UG or GmbH may not consist solely of letter combinations or number sequences. Examples such as DAU GmbH or GE1337T UG (haftungsbeschränkt) would be rejected.
You also cannot use special characters that are not suitable for communication or official registration. Names like Wintersport_Schröder UG (haftungsbeschränkt) or G@u GmbH”are therefore not permitted.
Who decides whether your UG or GmbH company name is permissible?
The final decision lies with the district judge at your responsible register court. This judge checks whether your proposed company name meets all legal requirements and is clearly distinctive from existing businesses. If the criteria are fulfilled, the name is considered registrable and entered into the commercial register.
Before submitting your documents, you can request a preliminary name check from the IHK. Although not legally binding, the IHK provides a helpful probability assessment of whether the register court is likely to approve your proposed company name.
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Types of UG and GmbH company names
When naming your GmbH or UG, you can choose from four basic types of company names:
- Subject name
- Made-up name
- Name company (personal name)
- Mixed form
Subject name (Sachfirma)
A subject name describes the activity or business purpose, for example: Purchase and Sale of Clothing UG (haftungsbeschränkt). However, if your business expands into new products or services, the name may become misleading. This could require a costly name change later.
Made-up name (Fantasiefirma)
Made-up names give you maximum creative freedom. For example: Crazy Bunny’s Office Supplies UG (haftungsbeschränkt). Just ensure your name is clearly distinct and does not resemble protected trademarks.
Name company (Personenfirma)
You may also name the company after its shareholders. Only actual shareholders may be named. For example, if Mr. Hinz and Ms. Kunz are both shareholders, a permissible name would be: “Hinz & Kunz GmbH”.
Mixed form (Mischfirma)
A mixed name combines several elements — personal names, activities, or made-up terms. Examples include:
“Hinz & Kunz Crazy Bunny Textile Printing UG (haftungsbeschränkt)”.
Company name vs. trade name for the UG & GmbH
What is the difference between an official company name and a trade name 💬Geschäftsbezeichnung? Companies entered in the commercial register such as a UG or GmbH must use their registered company name for all official purposes — including contracts, invoices, legal documents, email signatures and imprints.
In addition to the formal company name, you may also use a separatetrade name, which is usually a shorter or more memorable version without the legal form suffix.This business name is used for branding, websites, marketing and customer communication.
Example:
The retail chain known to customers as “KiK” is officially registered as “KiK Textilien und Non-Food GmbH” in the commercial register.
Company names for shelf companies
Some founders choose to buy a pre-registered corporation, known as a shelf company. These companies exist solely for resale and can have various legal forms. If you purchase such a company, you must update the commercial register entry—including the company name and the business objective. A new company name can be registered at this stage without issue.
Choosing a legally compliant, distinctive company name is a key step in the formation process of both a GmbH and a UG formation in Germany.
Find out here how to protect your company name as a trademark in Germany.
Conclusion
Define naming criteria first: clarity, distinctiveness, and future-proof scope. Run a staged review that includes IHK feedback, trademark clearance, and commercial register checks before design or launch. Avoid generic terms and geographic or industry claims that could be misleading. Lock down your domain strategy early to prevent brand drift. With this workflow, your company name becomes an asset that scales with your business.
