To check if an artist name is taken, type it into the Artist name check and press Enter. It looks for artists with exactly that name on Spotify, Apple Music and Deezer, searches the EU trademark register for it, and checks whether the name's handle is free on TikTok, YouTube, X, SoundCloud, Twitch, Mixcloud and Linktree, with Instagram one click away. The answer comes first: looks free, free with some handles taken, taken in music, or trademarked for music. It is free, runs in your browser and needs no account.

Why check a name before you release?

A name is hard to change once songs are out under it. Three things can get in the way:

• Another artist already uses it. Fans search for you and find someone else, and a shared name makes it easier for a release to land on the wrong profile.
• Someone holds a trademark for it. A mark that covers recorded music or performances can lead to a claim against your releases.
• The handles are gone. Fans look for the same name on every network. If each one has a different spelling, they lose you.

Five minutes of checking now saves a rename later.

How do I check an artist name?

1. Open the Artist name check at tools.aden.space/name.
2. Type the name in the Artist name field. Names are 2 to 60 characters.
3. Press Enter, or the arrow at the end of the field (Check name).
4. Read the answer at the top. It names the most serious finding and what to do next.
5. Read the rows under it. The first group covers music: Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer and EU trademarks. Handles shows the handle the name makes and its status on each network.
6. Share the check. The address keeps the name (/name?name=…), so you can send the link to your band or your manager.

What does each answer mean?

The answer is the most serious thing the check found, in this order:

"Looks free" means nothing turned up in the places the check reads. It is not a legal clearance.

How does it check Spotify, Apple Music and Deezer?

Each store is searched for artists, and only exact matches count. Case, accents, spaces and punctuation don't count, so "Daft Punk" and "DAFT-PUNK" are one name. A match shows how many artists release under the name and links to the first one, so you can hear who they are. A store that doesn't answer shows Search Spotify (or Apple Music, Deezer) instead, which opens that store's own search.

Two limits to keep in mind. The check reads the first page of each store's results. And it matches the name exactly, so a near spelling ("Daft Punks") isn't counted. Check the spellings fans are likely to type as well.

How do I check if an artist name is trademarked?

The EU trademarks row searches the EU register (EUIPO) for live marks whose word is your name.

• For music: marks in class 9 (recordings) or class 41 (performing). These are the ones that matter for an artist, and they turn the answer to "Trademarked for music". The row links to the register.
• Outside music: marks in other classes, like clothing or software. They show, but don't change the answer.
• None: no live mark with that word.

Only the EU register is searched. National registers and the US are not, so if you release mainly in one country, search its register too. For a short, common word, a matching mark can sit past the results the check reads. When a name matters to you and a mark is close, talk to a trademark lawyer before you commit.

How do I check if my handle is free?

The check turns the name into a handle: lowercase letters and digits, accents folded, no spaces or punctuation. "Mira Lindqvist" becomes @miralindqvist. A name with no Latin letters or digits makes no handle, and the row says so.

Each network then gets a row:

• Taken links to the profile that has it.
• Free means no public profile has it today. A network can still hold names of deleted or banned accounts, so claim it to be sure.
• Check yourself opens the profile address when a network didn't let the check read it. Instagram always shows this, because it only shows profiles to people who are signed in. Twitch never shows free: it shows taken or check yourself.
• Over 15 characters (or another limit) means that network doesn't take a handle that long. X takes up to 15, TikTok up to 24, YouTube 3 to 30, SoundCloud 3 to 25 and Twitch 4 to 25.

Threads, Facebook and Bandcamp aren't checked, for the same reason as Instagram.

What makes a good artist name?

The check tells you whether a name is available. These tell you whether it is a good one:

• Searchable. A common word alone ("Echo", "Home") gets buried under everything else with that word. Add a second word or an unusual spelling.
• One spelling. Say it out loud to a friend and ask them to type it. If they spell it two ways, fans will too.
• A handle that fits everywhere. 4 to 15 letters and digits fits every network the check reads.
• The same handle on every network. If one is taken, change the name for all of them rather than adding a different suffix on each.

Common mistakes:

• Checking only Instagram and missing an artist with the same name on Spotify.
• Ignoring trademarks because "it's just a band name".
• Releasing first and claiming handles later, when someone may have taken them.
• Renaming after a few releases, which splits your catalogue and your listeners.

A 10-minute routine

1. Write down five names you would be happy with.
2. Check each one. Cross out anything trademarked for music or taken in music.
3. For the rest, open the Instagram row and look at the profile.
4. Say the survivors out loud to someone, and ask them to spell them back.
5. Claim every free handle for your pick the same day.

The Artist name check is one of the free tools included with Aden. Once the name is settled, Aden keeps the songs you release under it in one place, with their versions and feedback. Next steps: how to get an ISRC for your first release, and how to send a demo to a record label.

FAQ

Is the Artist name check free?

Yes. It runs in your browser and needs no account.

Can two artists have the same name on Spotify?

Yes, and many do. That is why the check counts the artists with your exact name on each store and links to the first one, so you can hear who you would share it with.

Why does Instagram say Check yourself?

Instagram only shows a profile to people who are signed in, so no tool can check it for you. The link opens the profile, so you can see it in one click.

Can a trademark stop me from using a name?

A registered mark in class 9 or 41 covers recorded music and performances, so releasing under that name can draw a claim. Talk to a trademark lawyer before you commit to it.

Does it check US trademarks?

No. It searches the EU register only. Search the US register and your own country's register as well if you release there.