Business Names

When starting a business, you will undoubtedly want to choose business names. How to Start a Business includes how to choose business names. There is more to deciding on business names than just coming up with something that sounds good and you happen to like. Thought must be given to state and local requirements and making sure you don't infringe on the rights of someone else's business name.

Legal Requirements and Implications of business names

Picking a business name for your business requires more than just creativity and a working knowledge of your target market. First you'll need to decide which business ownership structure you will use, since each structure has its own peculiarities.

For example, many states require a sole proprietor to use their own name for the business unless they formally file another name as a trade name, or fictitious name.

Similarly, you will need to determine whether your trade name will be the same as the full legal name of your business. Of equal importance, is finding out whether your business name or a very similar name is being used by another business, and if so, what rights they mayor may not have to use the name in the area where you do business.

Keep in mind that some businesses only file trademarks within their locality, so it's possible that the same name can be used somewhere else. 

Search and Registration of business names

Trade names can be registered through the Secretary of State office and for wider market place protection, through the United State Patent and Trademark Office. Businesses should first use the USTPO's online system to search all state and federal trademark registers to see if their proposed name is being used.

Domain Names for business names

For many businesses that operate on the Internet, trade names are synonymous with domain names such as Amazon.com and Monster.com. Domain names are not registered through state or local government; rather they can be obtained through numerous online businesses, most of which will allow you to conduct a name search prior to purchase to make sure your chosen name is not taken.