Choosing a Business Name
The importance of choosing the right name extends beyond legal compliance; it’s also about carving out a unique identity in the marketplace. A well-chosen name helps set the tone of your brand, communicates your business’s values and offerings, and makes you memorable to customers.
To safeguard your business from potential issues, it’s essential to check business name availability thoroughly before making a final decision. This includes looking through state and federal databases to ensure your chosen name is truly available and won’t jeopardize your business’s future success. Keep in mind that a business can acquire trademark protections through the mere public use of a name, even if it hasn’t been formally trademarked.
Also, be aware that a business name can be considered to be infringing on an existing business even if it’s not an exact match. Trademark law in the United States operates on the principle of “likelihood of confusion,” which means that if a new business name is sufficiently similar to a registered trademark in the same or related industry, it could be deemed infringing.
The following infographic from FastFilings will guide you through the process of checking business names.
