Guides
Brand naming, trademark & company registration guides for India.
Everything we've learned helping founders, agencies and IP attorneys check brand names — turned into long-form playbooks. Free, no signup needed.
Trademark search in India: the complete 2026 guide
How to use the IP India Public Search, why phonetic searches matter, what Nice classes to check, and how to read examination reports — without paying ₹15,000 for an attorney to do it.
How to register a trademark in India (step-by-step, 2026)
Forms, fees, timelines, opposition windows. Everything you need from filing TM-A to receiving your registration certificate — and the most common reasons applications get refused.
Nice classification (NCL 12) for India: all 45 classes with examples
Complete guide to the 45 Nice classes used by IP India. What each class covers, real Indian brand examples, and how to pick the right class for your filing.
MCA company name check: making sure your Pvt Ltd name is available
How MCA's name approval works, the SPICe+ Part A process, what gets your name rejected, and how to check across MCA + state-level company registries before paying the ₹1,000 reservation fee.
How to start a company in India (Pvt Ltd, LLP, OPC step-by-step)
The complete checklist to incorporate a company in India: choose entity type, name approval, DIN, DSC, MOA/AOA, capital, post-incorporation compliance. With state-by-state cost ranges.
DPIIT startup recognition: the ₹4,500 vs ₹9,000 trademark hack
How to get DPIIT recognition under the Startup India initiative — eligibility, application, and benefits including 50% off trademark fees, IT exemptions, and easier compliance.
How to come up with a brand name (12 frameworks + AI)
A founder's playbook: 12 naming frameworks (descriptive, suggestive, abstract, coined, acronym, compound, evocative, foreign…), how to test them, and how AI fits in.
11 brand naming mistakes that get founders sued, refused, or rebranded
The most common — and most expensive — mistakes founders make when naming a brand in India. From phonetic conflicts to descriptive marks, GIs, missed Nice classes.
The best AI brand name generators of 2026 (compared)
We tested 8 AI brand name generators (Namelix, Shopify, Looka, NameSnack, Brandcrowd, BrandAuditor, ChatGPT, Claude) on the same brief. Here's what each gets right and misses.
Best brand naming tools in 2026: AI generators, trademark search, domain check
A working playbook of the brand naming tools we actually use at NOW Media — name generators, trademark search platforms, domain availability checkers, and audit tools.
Looking for tools, forms, or external links?
Visit the resources hub
Curated official sources (IP India, MCA, DPIIT), brand naming tools, and templates — all in one page.
Open resources →FAQ
Brand name & trademark
questions, answered.
Everything you need to know about checking trademarks, company names, domains, and naming a brand in India.
How do I check if a brand name is already trademarked in India?
Use the IP India Public Search at search.ipindia.gov.in — but it's clunky, requires CAPTCHAs, and only checks one Nice class at a time. BrandAuditor automates that: we run wordmark + phonetic search across all 45 Nice classes against the IP India trademark register (5-year journal index + live search), plus a parallel MCA company-name check, in one pass.
Is BrandAuditor's trademark search free?
Yes — the free trial gives you 20 name checks over 7 days (email verification only, no card needed). Each check runs a complete trademark search against IP India, plus domain, social, SEO, and AI brandability scoring. Paid packs from ₹999 (35 names) for higher volume and full features.
How do I check if a company name is available in India (MCA)?
MCA's own portal requires DSC and is friction-heavy. BrandAuditor checks aggregated company-registry data (Zauba Corp, Tofler, The Company Check) to flag whether your proposed name is already registered as a private limited / LLP / OPC anywhere in India — same name check, no separate lookup needed.
Can BrandAuditor generate brand name ideas with AI?
Yes. Enter your category and target market, and our AI suggests names scored on distinctiveness, descriptiveness risk, and confusion risk against existing trademarks. Every suggestion is automatically cross-checked against IP India before being shown — so you're not pitched a name that's already taken.
How long does it take to register a trademark in India?
End-to-end registration takes 18–24 months on average, but you get protective rights from the day of filing. Filing itself takes a day; examination (3–6 months), publication in the Trademark Journal (4 months), opposition window (4 months), and final registration follow. BrandAuditor's job is to make sure your filing has the highest possible chance of clearing — by catching conflicts before you file.
How much does it cost to register a trademark in India?
Government fee is ₹4,500 per class for individuals/startups/MSMEs (₹9,000 per class for others), via Form TM-A. Most brands need 1–3 classes (₹4,500–₹13,500 in government fees). Attorney fees add ₹5,000–₹25,000 depending on the firm. BrandAuditor isn't a filing service — we're the pre-filing name check that helps you avoid wasted ₹4,500 fees on names that won't clear.
Why does my brand name need to clear MCA records too?
Trademark and company registration are separate but interlinked. A name can be trademark-clear but blocked at MCA (or vice versa). If you're forming a Pvt Ltd / LLP / OPC, you need both — that's why BrandAuditor surfaces both signals in one check instead of forcing you to look them up separately.
What's the difference between BrandAuditor and a free domain checker like GoDaddy or Namecheap?
Domain checkers tell you if sundara.com is available. They don't tell you Sundara Foods Pvt Ltd already exists in MCA, that 'SUNDARA' is filed as a trademark in Class 32 by another applicant, that the .in is taken by a squatter, or that the AI gives it a 47/100 confusion risk. BrandAuditor is built for founders/agencies/IP attorneys who need the full picture before naming a brand.
Does BrandAuditor work for international brand searches?
Currently India-first — IP India + MCA are the deepest integrations. We support UAE (GCC TMView) and global mode using WIPO Global Brand Database. International coverage is expanding through 2026.
Can I download a PDF report I can share with my IP attorney?
Yes — paid plans include a clean PDF report covering trademark conflicts, suggested Nice classes, MCA matches, domain status, social handles, and alternates. Share it with your attorney before they file or with a client when pitching brand options.