Finding Your Company Name with AI, Then the Checks AI Can't Do for You
By Anis Hammouche·November 5, 2026
AI can find a name in a few minutes, but it cannot tell you whether that name is free. It doesn't search the French trademark register, it doesn't check whether a domain is available, and it doesn't see social handles unless you give it the results. Its job is to produce ideas. The checking is still yours, and it should be done with official sources.
Why AI cannot check for you
An AI answers from what it learned and from what you show it. If you ask "is this name free in France?", it may answer yes with confidence, without ever having consulted the register. That is a hallucination, and it is especially risky here, because the mistake only shows up when a lawyer or a competitor points it out.
For a reliable check, you have to query the source itself. The same logic applies to domain names and handles.
Step 1: generate with a precise brief
The more precise your brief, the fewer empty names you get. Give the AI what it cannot guess: your activity, your audience, the tone you want, the languages you target, and the words to avoid.
Suggest 10 names for a [activity] business aimed at [audience].
Constraints:
- 2 to 3 syllables, easy to say on the phone
- obvious spelling when written
- no generic word on its own (e.g. "Conseil", "Digital")
- nothing that means something negative in [target languages]
- no acronym without an explanation
For each name, give the idea behind it in one sentence, and do not
claim to have checked its availability.
The last line matters. It stops the AI from answering "available" on your behalf.
Step 2: cut before you check
Out of ten names, keep three. The criteria that eliminate names fastest are:
- the name is too descriptive (it describes the activity, so it is hard to protect);
- it resembles a known brand, even loosely;
- it is hard to spell out loud;
- it doesn't work in a language you are targeting.
The first criterion is the most expensive to ignore. A descriptive name can be refused by the INPI, and you will have paid fees for nothing.
Step 3: check on official sources
The trademark at the INPI. A trademark gives you an exclusive right to the name for the products and services you declare. It is a separate protection from registering your company: a name entered in the trade register does not protect you against an earlier trademark filing. Start with a search in the INPI trademark database, on inpi.fr, using your spelling variants.
The official fees, from the schedule of procedures in force since 2 July 2026, are:
| Procedure | Amount |
|---|---|
| Trademark filing, one class | €190 |
| Additional class, beyond the first | €40 per class |
| Renewal, one class | €290 |
Source: INPI schedule of procedures, applicable from 2 July 2026. These amounts come from the INPI schedule. Check them again before you pay.
A class is a category of products or services. Choosing the right classes is the technical part of the filing, and it has consequences: a class you forget can leave your activity unprotected. A trademark attorney can help, especially if you target several activities.
The domain name. For a .fr domain, AFNIC runs the registry and offers a Whois tool to look up a name. You then buy the domain from a registrar of your choice. Also check the extensions you will actually use, not only the one you like.
Social handles. Search your name on each platform where you want to be present, including case and punctuation variants. A handle guarantees you nothing legally. But if the handle is taken on the platform your customers use, you end up with an awkward name, or with a detour to explain.
A name already in use. A simple search in the trade and companies register, and in company directories, shows whether a player in your sector already uses the name. It is a risk-of-confusion signal, not a legal decision.
The most common mistakes
These mistakes come up often, and they are avoidable:
- Confusing the company name with the trademark. They are two different protections.
- Filing the name without checking the classes, then discovering that the real activity is not covered.
- Buying the domain before the trademark. A filing can be refused, and you will be left with a domain and no protected name behind it.
- Assuming French protection is enough abroad. It only applies in the territory concerned. For other markets, you need a separate procedure, to be looked into with the INPI or an adviser.
Frequently asked questions
Does a trademark filed at the INPI protect my name everywhere? No. A French trademark protects your name in France, for the classes you declared. A foreign market requires a separate step.
Can I ask the AI to run the trademark search for me? You can ask it to help you organize the search or list the spelling variants. The results must come from the INPI database, consulted by you.
Should I file the trademark before launching? You are not required to in order to trade. Filing before you communicate widely does reduce the risk of having to change your name after investing in your visibility.
If a name is free on every social network, is it necessarily free as a trademark? No. A free handle tells you nothing about whether a trademark exists. The three checks are independent.
You can start right now with the prompt from step 1, copied into a file.
