Set up a charity

Your charity name is central to your brand and influences how the public recognises you.

When you are choosing a name for your charity, you should:

• be creative and choose a unique name that people will remember when they want to make a donation or volunteer
• avoid words that may be misleading or cause offence
• keep it simple - pick a name that is easy to say and easy to spell to ensure that customers can recommend you and find you online
• be aware of intellectual property rights and check that the name you want to use is available – check the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland’s register of charities

For further information and tips see choose the right name for your business.

Working or alternative charity name

Some charities can have more than one name – a main name and a working name. For example, Comic Relief is a working name for Charity Projects.

When you apply to register your charity with the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland, ensure that you include any alternative, abbreviated or working names.

Can the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland instruct a charity to change its name?

Under certain circumstances, the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland can request or direct a charity to change its name. For example, if the name is the same or is too similar to another charity or is likely to mislead the public on the nature of the charity.

The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland provides further information on choosing your charity’s name.