# Why these lookups

Why Name check runs each of its lookups, and what a result there means.

## Domains

Is the address taken?

No match found is not a promise the domain is free: only a registrar can confirm it.

### Main

- **.com**: The address people type when they guess a brand, and the one email senders assume. Whoever holds it gets your stray visitors and misdirected mail.
- **.app**: .app is a Google registry that only works over HTTPS, and people guess it for a product that is an app.
- **.dev**: .dev is HTTPS-only like .app and reads as a developer tool; developers guess it for docs and tooling.
- **.net**: .net is the oldest fallback after .com; a holder there can still catch typed traffic and look like you.
- **.org**: .org reads as a non-profit or open-source project; someone holding it can speak in your name with authority.
- **.io**: .io is the habitual tech start-up ending; investors and developers guess it for a software product.
- **.co**: .co is one typo away from .com and popular with start-ups; mistyped .com traffic lands there.
- **.ai**: .ai is the habitual ending for AI products; people building or buying AI tools guess it first.

### Countries

- **.pl**: .pl is the address Polish customers trust and type first, ahead of .com.
- **.uk**: .uk (and .co.uk) is the address UK customers trust and type first.
- **.fr**: .fr is the address French customers trust and type first.
- **.com.pl**: .com.pl is a common business address in Poland; a holder there looks like a Polish company of your name.
- **.eu**: .eu signals a European business; only EU and EEA citizens, residents and companies can register it.
- **.de**: .de is the address German customers trust and type first; it is the largest country ending in Europe.
- **.es**: .es is the address Spanish customers trust and type first.
- **.it**: .it is the address Italian customers trust and type first.

### Look-alikes

- **.site**: .site is a cheap generic ending, often used for landing pages; a holder there can pass as your site.
- **.xyz**: .xyz is a cheap generic ending, used by some tech and crypto projects and by look-alike sites.
- **.online**: .online is a cheap generic ending, often a fallback when .com is taken.

### Niche

- **.family**: .family suits products for parents and households; a holder there sits right in that niche.
- **.life**: .life is used by lifestyle, health and personal brands.
- **.fun**: .fun is used by games, events and entertainment.
- **.page**: .page is a Google registry, HTTPS-only, used for single-page sites and portfolios.
- **.me**: .me is used for personal apps, profiles and link pages.
- **.tech**: .tech reads as a technology company; start-ups use it when .com is taken.
- **.store**: .store is used by online shops; a holder there looks like your shop.
- **.shop**: .shop is used by online shops; a holder there looks like your shop.
- **.studio**: .studio is used by design, music and creative studios.
- **.cloud**: .cloud is used by hosted services and SaaS products.
- **.design**: .design is used by designers, design tools and agencies.

## Legal

Can I own it?

Trademarks decide who may use a name. A company name in your field is a reason to look closer, not a trademark conflict.

### International

- **GLEIF**: Legal entities that trade in financial markets hold an LEI; one under this name is an established company.
- **TMview**: One search across the Polish, EU and 70+ other trademark offices. A registered mark in your field can force a rename.
- **WIPO**: International registrations under the Madrid system extend one mark to many countries; this finds marks headed your way.
- **OpenCorporates**: Companies from registers worldwide in one search, including countries the other registers don't cover.

### EU

- **EUIPO**: An EU trademark covers all member states at once; a conflict here can force a rename across Europe.
- **EU business registers**: One search across the EU's national business registers finds companies in markets you may enter.

### Poland

- **UPRP (Poland)**: Poland's own register: marks that protect a name only in Poland, which an EU search can miss.
- **KRS**: Polish companies are registered in the KRS; an earlier company name can be grounds to object to yours.
- **CEIDG**: Polish sole traders register their business names in CEIDG; a local trader may already use yours.

### Germany

- **DPMA**: Germany's national register: marks that protect a name only in Germany.
- **Handelsregister**: German companies are registered in the Handelsregister; an earlier company name can have rights in Germany.

### UK

- **UKIPO**: Since Brexit, UK marks are separate from EU ones; an earlier UK mark can block you there.
- **Companies House**: UK companies are registered at Companies House, which rejects a name the same as an existing one.

### France

- **INPI**: France's national register: marks that protect a name only in France.

### US

- **USPTO**: The US register; a US mark in your field can block a US launch and app-store listings there.
- **SEC EDGAR**: US companies and funds that file with the SEC; one under this name is usually large and well advised.

### Canada

- **CIPO**: Canada's register; a Canadian mark in your field can block a launch there.

### Australia

- **IP Australia**: Australia's register; an Australian mark in your field can block a launch there.

### Japan

- **J-PlatPat**: Japan's register; marks there are often also filed in katakana, so search the sound too.

## In use

Is someone already using it?

The same name in your field is a conflict. Similar products are competition, not name conflicts.

### Web search

- **Web search**: What your customers will see when they search the name. If the first page belongs to someone else, the name won't feel like yours.
- **Web search: software**: Narrows the search to software. A same-name product here is the conflict most likely to confuse your users.
- **Web search: family**: Narrows the search to family products and services, where a same-name brand would share your audience.
- **Web search: kids**: Narrows the search to children's products. Brands there are often trademarked in toy and education classes.
- **Web search: startup**: Finds new companies too recent for directories or trademark registers, which may file soon.
- **Web search: company**: Finds businesses already trading under the name. An earlier trader can have rights without a registered trademark.
- **Web search: trademark**: Finds pages that claim the name as a mark (™ or ®), including unregistered ones that carry rights in some countries.
- **Web search: exclude dictionaries**: Hides dictionary pages, so real uses of a name that is also a word stand out.
- **Web search: exclude music**: Hides songs and bands, so product and company uses stand out.
- **Web search: exclude people**: Hides people who share the name, so product and company uses stand out.
- **Bing search**: Bing has its own index and ranks results differently, so it can surface uses Google pushes down.
- **DuckDuckGo search**: DuckDuckGo mixes its own crawl with other sources and doesn't personalise results, so you see what a stranger sees.
- **Brave search**: Brave runs its own index, independent of Google and Bing, so it finds pages both miss.
- **News**: Press coverage under this name shows what the public already links it with — a company, a scandal, an event.
- **Reddit**: Users discussing the problem name the tools they use and what they miss.
- **Google category search**: A plain category search finds competitors that no directory lists.

### Mobile app stores

- **App Store**: App names on the App Store must be unique, so an iPhone or iPad app with this name blocks yours there and shares your search.
- **Google Play**: An Android app with this name sits in the same store search, and Google Play's policies bar names that impersonate other apps.

### Desktop and Linux stores

- **Mac App Store**: A Mac app with this name sits in the same store search; Mac app names must be unique too.
- **Microsoft Store**: A Windows app with this name sits in the same store search.
- **Steam**: A game or app on Steam with this name sits in the same store search, and gamers search by exact title.
- **Flathub**: A Linux app on Flathub with this name sits in the same store search on most Linux desktops.
- **Snap Store**: A snap with this name takes the install name on Ubuntu, where snap names are unique.

### Browser extensions

- **Firefox Add-ons**: A Firefox extension with this name sits in the same store search.
- **Chrome Web Store**: A Chrome extension with this name sits in the same store search and can be mistaken for yours.
- **Edge Add-ons**: An Edge extension with this name sits in the same store search.

### Platform plugins

- **WordPress plugins**: A WordPress plugin with this name takes its slug — the address and install name — for good.
- **Atlassian Marketplace**: A Jira or Confluence app with this name sits in the same marketplace search.
- **Shopify App Store**: A Shopify app with this name sits in the same search merchants use to install apps.
- **Slack Marketplace**: A Slack app with this name sits in the same directory teams install from.
- **Zapier apps**: An app in Zapier's directory with this name is what people pick when they connect their tools.
- **Figma Community**: A Figma plugin or file with this name sits in the same community search designers use.

### Software directories

- **AlternativeTo**: Software listed under this name is what people find when they compare tools, and its alternatives are the products yours will be compared with.
- **SaaSHub**: Lists software by what it does, whatever it's called, so you see who solves the same problem.
- **G2**: Reviews by category show the established players and how buyers compare them.
- **Capterra**: A large business-software directory with different coverage from G2.
- **SourceForge**: Business and open-source software with reviews, including older tools other directories miss.

### Start-up and launch communities

- **Hacker News / Show HN**: Show HN launches and technical discussions show who is already building something similar.
- **Product Hunt**: A launch under this name already has early users, upvotes and search results; recent launches with a similar idea show how crowded the space is.
- **BetaList**: Early-stage start-ups with a similar concept, before they appear anywhere else.
- **Indie Hackers**: Independent founders working on the same problem, often too small for directories.
- **Crunchbase**: Funded companies in the same space, often before their products are widely known.
- **Y Combinator**: YC companies solving the same problem tend to grow fast and file trademarks early.
- **Wellfound**: Start-ups hiring for the same problem, listed before they launch elsewhere.

### AI directories

- **AI tool directories**: AI tool directories list new AI products within days, faster than general directories.

## Accounts

Can I get the name?

Account and package names. A name in use here is a reason to look closer, not a trademark conflict.

### Social

- **Bluesky**: A Bluesky handle with this name is what people try first there; someone holding it can pass as you.
- **Mastodon (mastodon.social)**: mastodon.social is the largest Mastodon server; a handle there is the one people guess first.
- **X**: An X account with this name is what people try first; someone holding it can pass as you.
- **Instagram**: An Instagram account with this name is what people try first; someone holding it can pass as you.
- **TikTok**: A TikTok account with this name is what people try first; someone holding it can pass as you.
- **Facebook**: A Facebook page with this name is what people find when they look for your business.
- **Reddit**: A Reddit account with this name can speak as you in the communities that discuss your product.
- **Common handle variants**: When the exact handle is taken, you'll need a variant like getname or nameapp; this looks those up too.
- **LinkedIn**: A LinkedIn company page with this name is what candidates and buyers find when they look you up.
- **Threads**: A Threads profile with this name is what people try first there.
- **Telegram**: A Telegram username is unique across the app; someone holding it can run a channel as you.
- **Snapchat**: A Snapchat username with this name is what people try first there.

### Creative

- **Pinterest**: A Pinterest profile with this name is what people find when they save ideas in your category.
- **Dribbble**: A Dribbble profile with this name is where designers look for your work.
- **Behance**: A Behance profile with this name is where designers and clients look for your work.

### Publishing

- **Medium**: A Medium profile with this name is where readers look for your blog.
- **Substack**: A Substack with this name takes name.substack.com for your newsletter.
- **Patreon**: A Patreon page with this name is where supporters look to fund you.

### Video

- **YouTube**: A YouTube @handle with this name is what people type to find your channel.
- **Twitch**: A Twitch channel with this name is what viewers type to find your streams.

### Code hosting

- **GitHub account**: A GitHub user or organisation with this name takes github.com/name, the obvious home for your code.
- **GitHub repositories**: Popular repositories with this name own the search results developers see first.
- **GitLab account**: A GitLab user or group with this name takes gitlab.com/name.
- **Bitbucket workspace**: A Bitbucket workspace with this name takes bitbucket.org/name.

### Packages

- **npm package**: npm package names are unique: if it's taken, your JavaScript package needs another name or a scope.
- **PyPI**: PyPI names are unique: if it's taken, `pip install name` installs someone else's code.
- **crates.io**: crates.io names are unique and first come, first served: if it's taken, your Rust crate needs another name.
- **NuGet**: NuGet package IDs are unique: if it's taken, your .NET package needs another ID.
- **pub.dev**: pub.dev names are unique: if it's taken, your Dart or Flutter package needs another name.
- **Packagist**: A Packagist vendor with this name takes the obvious `name/package` prefix for PHP.
- **JSR packages**: JSR is the newer JavaScript registry; a package with this name confuses Deno and Node developers.
- **Hex packages**: Hex package names are unique: if it's taken, your Elixir or Erlang package needs another name.
- **npm search**: Similar npm names show how crowded the name is, and npm can refuse names too close to existing ones.
- **RubyGems**: RubyGems names are unique: if it's taken, `gem install name` installs someone else's code.
- **Maven Central**: Maven coordinates are tied to a domain you own, so a clash is rare — but a known library with this name still confuses Java developers.
- **Go packages**: Go modules are named by their repository, so nothing is reserved — but a known module with this name confuses Go developers.
- **CPAN modules**: A CPAN module with this name sits in the Perl namespace developers search.
- **CocoaPods**: CocoaPods names are unique: if it's taken, your iOS or macOS library needs another pod name.
- **Swift packages**: A Swift package with this name is what developers find when they search the index.
- **Anaconda packages**: A conda package with this name confuses data scientists installing tools.

### Tool distribution

- **Homebrew**: A Homebrew formula with this name takes `brew install name` on macOS and Linux.
- **Docker Hub**: A Docker Hub organisation or image with this name takes the obvious `docker pull name`.
- **Chocolatey**: A Chocolatey package with this name takes `choco install name` on Windows.
- **Arch User Repository**: An AUR package with this name takes the install name on Arch Linux.
- **Debian packages**: A Debian package with this name takes `apt install name` on Debian and Ubuntu.

### Editor extensions

- **Open VSX**: Open VSX serves VSCodium, Cursor and other VS Code forks; an extension with this name confuses their users.
- **VS Code Marketplace**: An extension with this name sits in the same Marketplace search developers install from.

### AI models

- **Hugging Face**: A Hugging Face user or organisation with this name takes the namespace for models and datasets.

## Language

What does it say?

Meaning, sound and existing interest are context, not proof of a conflict. Ask a native speaker about important names.

### Every language

- **Wiktionary (English edition)**: The English Wiktionary lists words from every language; an entry means the name already means something somewhere.
- **Wikidata**: Shows whether a known company, product, place or person already goes by the name.
- **Wikipedia (English)**: An English Wikipedia article under this name shows what the world already connects with it.
- **Translation: Google Translate**: A quick way to see whether the name is a word in a language you didn't think of. Machine translation misses slang and context.
- **Pronunciation: Forvo**: Native speakers' recordings show how the name is said; a clash with an existing word or a hard sound is easier to hear than to read.
- **Google Trends**: Existing search interest means people already look for something else under this name.
- **Memes: Know Your Meme**: A meme under this name can make it a joke before your product is known.
- **Images**: Pictures show at a glance what people already see when they hear the name.
- **Videos: YouTube**: Videos under this name show which creators, songs or shows already own it.
- **Google Books Ngram**: How often the name appears in books over time shows whether it is an established word.

### English

- **Free Dictionary API (English)**: An English dictionary entry means the name is an ordinary word: harder to own as a mark, easier to confuse.
- **Urban Dictionary**: Urban Dictionary records the slang meanings dictionaries miss; an entry shows what the name means on the street.
- **English: Cambridge**: A second English dictionary, so one gap doesn't hide a meaning.
- **English: Merriam-Webster**: American English meanings, including informal ones, so the name doesn't say something you don't mean in the US.
- **Slang & usage search**: Dictionaries miss slang; a rude or awkward street meaning can sink a name in one market.

### Polish

- **Wiktionary (Polish edition)**: The Polish Wiktionary covers many languages with Polish definitions; it catches words the English edition misses.
- **Wikipedia (Polish)**: A Polish Wikipedia article under this name shows what Polish readers already connect with it.
- **Polish: WSJP PAN**: The academic dictionary of Polish, with usage and connotations beyond the definition.
- **Polish: PWN**: The standard Polish dictionary; an entry tells you what a Polish customer hears.
- **Polish word forms: SJP.pl**: Polish words change form; this catches inflected and colloquial forms that match the name.

### German

- **Wiktionary (German edition)**: The German Wiktionary catches German words and forms the other editions miss.
- **German: Cambridge**: What the name means to German speakers, translated into English.
- **German: Duden**: The standard German dictionary, with usage and register notes.

### French

- **Wiktionary (French edition)**: The French Wiktionary catches French words and forms the other editions miss.
- **French: Larousse**: A standard French dictionary; an entry tells you what a French customer hears.

### Spanish

- **Wiktionary (Spanish edition)**: The Spanish Wiktionary catches Spanish and Latin American words the other editions miss.
- **Spanish: Cambridge**: What the name means to Spanish speakers, translated into English.
- **Spanish: RAE**: The Royal Spanish Academy's dictionary, the reference for Spanish across Spain and Latin America.

### Italian

- **Wiktionary (Italian edition)**: The Italian Wiktionary catches Italian words and forms the other editions miss.
- **Italian: Treccani**: A standard Italian dictionary; an entry tells you what an Italian customer hears.

### Portuguese

- **Wiktionary (Portuguese edition)**: The Portuguese Wiktionary catches Portuguese and Brazilian words the other editions miss.

### Japanese

- **Japanese: Jisho**: Reads the name as romaji and shows the Japanese words it could be.

### Chinese

- **Chinese: MDBG**: Reads the name as pinyin and shows the Chinese words it could be.