Search UK trademarks — ranked by conflict risk
Enter a brand name and Avanti Notum searches the UK IPO register, then scores every result for how closely it matches yours. See the conflicts a free register search can't, in seconds.
Early access — UK trademark search, scored in seconds. Join early access and we will be in touch.
'Is my brand name taken?' — the honest answer
It is the question every founder asks before they register a name, and it does not have a simple yes-or-no answer. A trademark is not 'taken' or 'free' in the way a domain name is. What matters is whether a similar mark already exists in a class that overlaps with your business — close enough that it could cause confusion. A free register search will tell you whether an identical name is registered. It will not tell you about the near-matches: the name that sounds the same, the spelling that is one letter off, the different word that means the same thing. Those are the conflicts that block applications — and they are exactly what Avanti Notum is built to surface. Avanti Notum gives you a clear, scored answer: not 'taken' or 'free', but a ranked list of every similar mark and a high, medium or low conflict-risk rating for each.
What 'similar' actually means
Phonetic — sounds alike
Names that sound the same when spoken, even with different spellings.
Visual — looks similar
Spelling one letter off; near-identical or lookalike marks.
Conceptual — means the same
Different words that carry the same idea or meaning.
A raw list, made readable
Search a trademark register directly and you get exactly what is there: rows of data. Avanti Notum takes the same data and does the work of interpreting it.
A free register search gives you
- A list of marks matching your text.
- No sense of which results are a genuine conflict.
- No similar-but-not-identical matches.
- No indication of how a conflict is actually assessed.
An Avanti Notum search gives you
- Matching and similar marks from the UK register, in one query.
- A phonetic, visual and conceptual score for every result.
- A clear high/amber/low conflict-risk rating.
- The list ranked so the marks that matter are at the top.
- Plain-English explanation of why each result is flagged.
The UK register, searched properly
Since Brexit, an EU trademark no longer protects you in the UK, and a UK trademark no longer protects you in the EU. If your business trades or files in the UK, the UK register is what matters.
Avanti Notum searches the UK IPO register in a single query, merging every close match into one ranked list — so you see the complete picture without interpreting a raw register dump yourself.
UK IPO register
UK trademark database
High conflict risk
How alike do the names sound when spoken? 'Kwik' and 'Quick' are a phonetic match a text search would miss.
Scored by sound, spelling and meaning
A trademark conflict turns on similarity — and similarity has three dimensions: sound, spelling and meaning. Every result is scored on all three, and the scores combine, with the degree of class overlap, into a single conflict-risk rating. You always see the individual scores too — so a trademark attorney, or a careful founder, can look past the headline.
A note on the score: It is a measure of how close two marks are. It is not a prediction of whether your application will succeed, and it is not legal advice.
Don't know your Nice classes? Use your SIC code
Trademark searches are organised by Nice Classification class. Most founders have never heard of Nice classes — but they do know their SIC code from registering at Companies House. Avanti Notum translates one into the other: enter your SIC code, or just describe your business, and it suggests the right classes to search. It is the difference between a search that looks in the right place and one that quietly misses a conflict.
How it works
- Enter your SIC code, or describe your business in plain English.
- Avanti Notum maps it to the correct Nice Classification classes.
- Run your search knowing you are looking in the right place.
Used by founders, accountants and IP professionals
- Founders and small businesses check a name before spending £170 on an application.
- Accountancy firms screen client brand names as part of company formation advisory.
- Brand agencies clear shortlists of candidate names before client presentations.
- Trademark attorneys run a fast first-pass filter before detailed clearance.
Whoever you are, the search is the same: enter a name, get a scored answer.
Quick answers on trademark search
Yes. Every account includes three free searches a month, with no time limit and no card required. Paid plans add more searches, conceptual scoring, reports and monitoring.
The UK IPO register — the UK national register. Every plan, including Free, searches it in a single query.
Avanti Notum draws on a continuously refreshed copy of the registers and checks the live register where the latest position is needed. Every result carries a 'data as of' timestamp.
A clear search is a good sign, but it is not a guarantee. Avanti Notum is a search and monitoring tool, not a legal service. For the name you decide to file, we recommend full clearance from a qualified trademark attorney.
Avanti Notum focuses on word-mark search — the names themselves, where the great majority of conflicts are decided. Logo and image comparison is a different discipline, and we would rather do one thing properly.
Check your brand name now
Enter a name and get a scored answer in seconds. Join early access and we will set you up.
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