Naming Your App: Trademarks, Domains and App Store Names (2026)
How to choose an app name that people remember, check it against trademarks, find a domain, and fit the App Store and Google Play rules, with a step-by-step checklist.
Key Takeaways
- Check trademarks before you fall in love. The USPTO says the most common reason applications are refused is a likelihood of confusion with an existing mark. Search first, decide second.
- Distinctive beats descriptive. “Best Recipe App” is hard to protect and hard to find. Invented or suggestive names are easier to own.
- You don’t need the exact .com. A clear name with a short modifier (getname, nameapp) or another extension works, as long as people can spell it after hearing it once.
- App stores cap names at 30 characters. Both Apple’s App Store Connect and Google Play limit the app name to 30 characters, so plan the name and a short descriptor together.
- Registration is optional but useful. In the US, using a mark gives limited, local rights; federal registration gives nationwide rights. The base USPTO fee is $350 per class.
Quick-Start Prioritization Framework
| Step | What to check | Where | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Brainstorm | 20–40 candidates in several naming styles | A document | 1 hour |
| 2. Say-and-spell test | Can people spell it after hearing it once? | Three friends | 15 minutes |
| 3. Knockout trademark search | Same or similar names for similar products | USPTO Trademark Search, app stores, web search | 30 minutes per shortlist name |
| 4. Domain | An available domain people can type | Any registrar | 20 minutes |
| 5. App store fit | Name within 30 characters; no clashes in the stores | App Store, Google Play | 15 minutes |
| 6. Decide and secure | Register domain and handles; consider filing | Registrar, social sites, USPTO | 1 hour |
A name is one of the few decisions in a first app that gets more expensive to change every week. Rename after launch and you lose links, search ranking, app store reviews and the word-of-mouth you worked for. Pick a name someone else already uses for a similar product and you may have to rename anyway. This guide walks through choosing a name, checking it against existing trademarks, finding a domain, and fitting the app store rules, in the order that saves the most wasted effort. It is general information, not legal advice; for a name you plan to build a business on, a short consultation with a trademark attorney is worth the cost.
What makes a good app name
A good name does three jobs: people remember it, people can find it, and you can keep it. The third is the one first-time founders forget.
Easy to say, spell and remember
Most early growth is word of mouth: someone tells a friend, who types the name into a search box. If the name has an unusual spelling, a silent letter or a number that could be written as a word, some of those friends never arrive. Short helps, but clarity matters more than length.
Distinctive, not just descriptive
Names fall on a scale. Generic names (“Notes”) can’t be owned. Descriptive names (“Quick Invoice”) are hard to protect and hard to stand out with. Suggestive names hint at the benefit without describing it. Invented words and arbitrary real words (a fruit for a computer company) are the easiest to own. For a small app, a suggestive or invented name usually gives the best balance of meaning and protection.
Room to grow
Avoid tying the name to a feature, city or platform you might outgrow. “Austin Dog Walks” is a problem the day you add Dallas. A name that describes the outcome or feel rather than the current feature set lasts longer.
Brainstorming names that work
Generate many before judging any. Aim for 20 to 40 candidates across several styles, then cut.
| Style | How it works | Example pattern |
|---|---|---|
| Compound | Two real words joined | Shed + share = Shedshare |
| Suggestive | Hints at the benefit or feeling | A word for calm, speed, or getting things done |
| Invented | A new word with a pleasant sound | Short, two syllables, easy vowels |
| Metaphor | A real thing that evokes the job | A tool, place or animal linked to the outcome |
| Altered word | A real word with a twist (prefix, suffix) | get-, -ly, -ify (watch for spelling confusion) |
Prompts that help
Write down what users feel after using the app, the verbs they use for the task, and objects from their world. Combine them. AI chat tools are good brainstorming partners for volume; ask for 50 names in a given style, then do the filtering yourself.
The say-and-spell test
Read your shortlist aloud to three people, once, and ask them to write each name down. Any name that more than one person misspells goes, unless you are prepared to own every common misspelling as a domain.
Trademarks: the check that saves a rename
A trademark is, in the USPTO’s words, any word, phrase, symbol, design, or combination of these that identifies your goods or services and distinguishes them from others. Your app’s name will function as one. The question is whether someone already has rights to something confusingly similar.
How US trademark rights work, briefly
The USPTO says you are not required to register a trademark. You gain some rights by using a mark, but those rights are limited to the geographic area where you provide your goods or services. Federal registration gives broader, nationwide rights. Other countries work differently, and many give priority to whoever files first, so if you plan to operate elsewhere, check there too.
Likelihood of confusion
The USPTO describes likelihood of confusion as customers being likely to think your goods or services come from the same source as another party’s, and lists it as the main reason applications are refused. It is not just exact matches: similar sound, look or meaning, used for related products, can count. A habit-tracking app called “Streakly” is far riskier if there’s already a fitness app called “Streaklee” than if there’s a cleaning company with that name.
Running a knockout search yourself
Before you spend money, run a quick search to knock out obvious conflicts. The USPTO recommends a clearance search before applying and notes that a comprehensive search covers federal records, state records and the internet, since its examining attorneys only check the federal register.
- Search the name, and close spellings, in the USPTO’s Trademark Search system (tmsearch.uspto.gov).
- Search the App Store and Google Play for apps with the same or similar names.
- Web search the name with words from your category (“[name] app”, “[name] software”).
- Check your state’s business or trademark records if you operate locally.
- If a similar mark is used for software or a related service, drop the name.
Filing an application
If you decide to register, the USPTO lists a base application fee of $350 per class of goods or services, so two classes cost $700, plus possible additional fees depending on the application. You choose the classes that cover what you offer; software and online services commonly fall in classes 9 (downloadable software) and 42 (online, non-downloadable software services), but the right description depends on your product. You can file before launch on an intent-to-use basis, which then requires proof of use and a further fee before registration. Because a refused application doesn’t refund the fee, many founders have an attorney run a full clearance search first.
Copyright doesn’t protect names
A common misunderstanding: the US Copyright Office says names, titles and short phrases can’t be copyrighted, even if they are novel or distinctive. Trademark law is what protects an app name.
Finding a domain
Your domain is how people reach your web app and how they judge whether it’s real. It doesn’t have to be perfect.
If the .com is taken
Add a short, natural modifier: get, try, use, join, or app (getshedshare.com, shedshare.app). Or use a different extension. Many people will type “.com” by habit, so if you use another extension, say the full address out loud wherever you share it.
Extensions worth knowing
.com is still the default people assume. .app is run by Google Registry and is on the HSTS preload list, which means browsers only load .app sites over a secure HTTPS connection; most modern hosts handle that for you. .io and .co are common in tech. Country codes can fit a local product.
Before you buy
Avoid hyphens and numbers, which are hard to say. Check that the domain wasn’t previously used for spam by searching it in quotes. Turn on auto-renewal: losing a domain to an expired card is a painful, avoidable mistake.
App store names and subtitles
If you plan a phone app now or later, check the store rules before you settle on a name.
| Store field | Apple App Store | Google Play |
|---|---|---|
| App name | 2–30 characters | Up to 30 characters |
| Short descriptor | Subtitle, up to 30 characters | Short description, up to 80 characters |
| Full description | Separate field | Up to 4,000 characters |
Name plus descriptor
Many apps use the format “Name: what it does” or “Name - what it does” within the 30-character limit, for example “Shedshare: Borrow Tools”. Keep the brand first so it stays visible when stores truncate long names.
Store names must be unique enough
Search both stores for your name. Even if no trademark is registered, an app with the same name in your category confuses users and can lead to complaints. Each store has its own policies on misleading or impersonating names; read the current guidelines when you submit.
Securing the name once you’ve chosen
When a name passes the checks, secure it quickly and in one sitting.
- Register the domain, plus the most likely misspelling if it’s cheap.
- Claim the same handle on the social networks your users actually use.
- Set up an email address on the domain.
- Start using the name publicly and consistently: the same spelling everywhere.
- Decide whether to file a trademark application now or after early traction, ideally with an attorney’s view.
- Keep a dated record of when you first used the name publicly.
Common mistakes
These are the naming errors most likely to cost you a rename.
- Choosing a name before searching for existing apps and trademarks.
- Picking a purely descriptive name that can’t be protected and doesn’t stand out.
- Creative spellings that people can’t type after hearing them.
- Tying the name to a city, feature or platform you’ll outgrow.
- Assuming a business name registration or a domain gives you trademark rights. They don’t, on their own.
- Spending weeks hunting for the perfect .com instead of a clear name with a good-enough domain.
- Forgetting the 30-character app store limit until submission day.
If you’d rather not handle the domain yourself
If you’d rather not set up hosting and DNS yourself, Floot, the AI app builder that publishes this site, lets you attach a custom domain on paid plans, and its Pro plan includes one free domain.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to trademark my app name?
Not legally. The USPTO says registration isn’t required, and using a name gives you limited, local rights. Registration gives nationwide rights and makes it easier to stop copycats. Many founders file once the app shows traction; get legal advice for your situation.
How much does it cost to trademark an app name in the US?
The USPTO’s base application fee is $350 per class of goods or services, with possible extra fees during the process. Attorney fees, if you use one, are separate.
How do I check if an app name is already taken?
Search the USPTO’s Trademark Search system, the App Store and Google Play, and a web search for the name with your category. Look for similar names, not only exact matches, used for related products.
Can two apps have the same name?
Sometimes, if they are in unrelated categories and no one is likely to be confused, but it’s risky. Same or similar names for similar software are where trademark conflicts arise.
What is the character limit for app names?
Apple’s App Store Connect allows 2 to 30 characters for the app name and 30 for the subtitle. Google Play allows 30 characters for the app name and 80 for the short description.
Is it bad if I can’t get the .com domain?
No. Many successful products use a modifier like get or try, or another extension. What matters is that people can spell and find it after hearing it once.
Sources
- USPTO, What is a trademark?, 2026 https://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/basics/what-trademark
- USPTO, Why search for similar trademarks?, 2026 https://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/basics/why-search-similar-trademarks
- USPTO, How much does it cost?, 2026 https://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/basics/how-much-does-it-cost
- US Copyright Office, Circular 33: Works Not Protected by Copyright https://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ33.pdf
- Apple Developer, App Store Connect Help: App information, 2026 https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/reference/app-information/
- Google Play Console Help, Metadata policy, 2026 https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/9859152?hl=en
- Google Registry, .app domain, 2026 https://www.registry.google/domains/app/