# Rules of Name Resemblance & Undesirable Names

When a company applies for a name, the ROC checks if it resembles an existing company/LLP name. Resemblance disqualifies the name.

A proposed name is said to resemble an existing name when the only difference is one or more of the following:

## (a) Singular / Plural Form

Different only by 's' or singular/plural

Green Technology Ltd. = Greens Technology Ltd. = Greens Technologies Ltd.

## (b) Type, Case, Spacing, or Punctuation of Letters

Different only by formatting

ABC Ltd. = A.B.C. Ltd. = A B C Ltd.

## (c) Different Tenses

Difference is only in verb tense

Ascend Solutions Ltd. = Ascended Solutions Ltd. = Ascending Solutions Ltd.

## (d) Slight Spelling / Grammatical Variation

Disc Solutions Ltd. = Disk Solutions Ltd.
But Disc Solutions Ltd. ≠ Disco Solutions Ltd. (Disco changes meaning)

## (e) Phonetic Spellings / Misspellings

Same sound, different spelling

Bee Kay Ltd. = BK Ltd. = Be Kay Ltd. = B Kay Ltd. = Bee K Ltd. = B.K. Ltd. = Beee Kay Ltd.

## (f) Complete Translation/Transliteration

Full translation (not partial) in Hindi or English

National Electricity Corporation Ltd. = Rashtriya Vidyut Nigam Ltd.

## (g) Use of Host/Domain Names

Adding 'www', '.net', '.org', '.com' or 'dot'

Ultra Solutions Ltd. = Ultrasolutions.com Ltd.
But Supreme Ultra Solutions Ltd. ≠ Ultrasolutions.com Ltd. (different distinctive word added)

## (h) Order of Words

Rearranged words

Ravi Builders and Contractors Ltd. = Ravi Contractors and Builders Ltd.

## (i) Use of Definite / Indefinite Article (a, an, the)

Adding 'a' or 'the'

Congenial Tours Ltd. = A Congenial Tours Ltd. = The Congenial Tours Ltd.
But Isha Industries Ltd. ≠ Anisha Industries Ltd. ('An' merges into 'Anisha' to form a different word)

## (j) Addition of Place Name to an Existing Name (where the existing name has NO place name)

Adding a place to a name that has no place

Salvage Technologies Ltd. = Salvage Technologies Delhi Ltd.
But Retro Pharmaceuticals Ranchi Ltd. ≠ Retro Pharmaceuticals Chennai Ltd. (because both have place names already — different places allowed)

## (k) Addition / Deletion / Modification of Numerals

Adding numbers (unless the numeral represents a brand)

Thunder Services Ltd. = Thunder 11 Services Ltd. = One Thunder Services Ltd.

## Undesirable Names

Apart from resemblance, Rule 8A of the Companies (Incorporation) Rules, 2014 specifies 23 instances of names that amount to "undesirable names" (e.g., names suggesting government patronage without authority, names that violate any law, names with obscene words, names identical to a registered trademark, etc.).

Students should refer to Rule 8A for the complete list.

Worked example

### Example 1

Example 1:

Is 'Green Tech Ltd.' allowed if 'Greens Tech Ltd.' already exists?

No. The only difference is plural form (Rule a) — names resemble.

### Example 2

Example 2:

'Disc Solutions Ltd.' exists. Can 'Disk Solutions Ltd.' be registered?

No. Slight variation in spelling (Rule d) — resemble.

### Example 3

Example 3:

'Disc Solutions Ltd.' exists. Can 'Disco Solutions Ltd.' be registered?

Yes. 'Disco' is a different word with different meaning, not just a variant spelling.

### Example 4

Example 4:

'Salvage Technologies Ltd.' exists. Can 'Salvage Technologies Mumbai Ltd.' be registered?

No. Adding a place name to a name without a place (Rule j) — resemble.

### Example 5

Example 5:

'Retro Pharmaceuticals Ranchi Ltd.' exists. Can 'Retro Pharmaceuticals Chennai Ltd.' be registered?

Yes. Both already have a place name; different places are allowed.

### Example 6

Example 6:

'Isha Industries Ltd.' exists. Can 'Anisha Industries Ltd.' be registered?

Yes. 'An' + 'Isha' merges into a different word 'Anisha' — not merely the indefinite article.

⚠️ Common exam mistakes

Thinking any minor spelling change makes a name acceptable — 'Disc' vs 'Disk' is still resemblance.
Believing adding '.com' or 'www' makes a name distinct — it does NOT.
Forgetting that adding a place name only causes resemblance if the existing name had NO place name.
Missing that rearranging words still constitutes resemblance.
Confusing phonetic spelling tests (Bee Kay vs BK = same) with valid distinctions (Disco vs Disc = different).
Overlooking the brand exception in numerals — if the numeral is a brand, it can be distinctive.

Bare-Act text Rule 8 and Rule 8A · Companies (Incorporation) Rules, 2014 · click to expand

Rule 8 and Rule 8A of the Companies (Incorporation) Rules, 2014 set out the rules for names that resemble existing names and undesirable names.

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Rules of Name Resemblance and Undesirable Names

Worked example

⚠️ Common exam mistakes