Trading as a sole proprietor

If you trade as a sole proprietor, your business name will be your name and surname.

You can however decide to trade with another name. It might, for example, be Frankie Figs t/a The Corner Shop.

The Companies Act of 2008 now makes it a requirement to register a “trading as” name.

This means that should you decide not to use your own name and rather use another name, you will have to register this name with the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC).

Trading as a company

If you decide to incorporate a company you will have to choose a company name.

This company name needs to be reserved with CIPC to be used as your company name upon incorporation.

You should try to have at least three options for a name as CIPC may not approve your first choice due to a similar name already in existence.

SOURCES :

Cronje & Cronje
Business Partners