Frequently asked questions
What NameStake checks, what the scores mean, and how far to trust them.
What is NameStake?
It checks an Australian business name against the ASIC business-names register, ABR, trademarks and domains, then scores how brandable the name is — so you can judge a name before you commit to it.
What do the three scores mean?
Overallis how the name nets out. It's driven by two parts: Brand quality— how good the name is linguistically (pronounceability, length, distinctiveness, how "ownable" it is) — and Availability — whether the domains and the AU register appear clear.
Does a high score mean the name is free to use?
No. A strong brand-quality score says the name reads well; it does not mean the name is legally available. Always check the exact and similar register matches, trademarks, and confirm with ASIC and IP Australia before you rely on a result.
What does "appears available" mean?
It means our automated checks found no registration — a signal, not a guarantee. Premium, reserved, or recently-registered names can still look free. Treat every result as a starting point, not legal advice.
Where does the business-name data come from?
From ASIC's published Business Names dataset, refreshed weekly. Each result shows the data's "as of" date. Similar names are matched with trigram fuzzy search, so typos and near-duplicates surface too.
How is the brandability score calculated?
A blend of linguistic heuristics — syllables, length, distinctive letters, pronounceability, and how much it works as a coined "empty vessel" name — plus an AI vibe check on connotation, verb-ability and ownability. Each dimension is weighted; hover the ⓘ next to any line in the breakdown to see what it measures and its share.
Why do I need to enter my email?
The free check shows a summary; entering your email unlocks the full report — the similar registered names, every domain, trademarks and the full score breakdown. We only email you naming tips if you opt in. See our privacy policy.
Do you check domains?
Yes — common TLDs including .com and .com.au, via RDAP with a DNS fallback. As with everything here, a domain is reported as "appears available", never guaranteed.
Who built it?
NameStake is developed by Promptive Group.
Automated availability signals only — not legal advice. Confirm with ASIC, IP Australia & a qualified professional before relying on any result.