How Can I Protect My Business Name?

**Hooman** · 01-19-2008 01:53 AM

My business name is "Word Of Media" LLC. I've found that from doing a search on Google, this phrase has been used by others. I thought I was the first person to come up with it. I would like to protect the actual name somehow from being copied.

Any ideas/suggestions?

**veikoh** · 01-19-2008 08:33 AM

Apply for the trademark to it.

**BusinessAdviser** · 01-19-2008 11:06 AM

Originally Posted by veikoh

Apply for the trademark to it.

It's not as simple as that. For several reasons.

I would have to advise you to speak with an attorney. But first, do some reading on trademark law.

**BusinessAdviser** · 01-19-2008 11:48 AM

For starters, poke around at United States Patent and Trademark Office Home Page.

**paul2145r** · 01-19-2008 01:01 PM

As long as you have it registered in your state, you should be alright. You will run into Trademark infringement issues if, for example, you are wanting to use the name of the business as a brand name, for example. In that case, it would behoove you to register a Trademark.

**BusinessAdviser** · 01-19-2008 01:21 PM

Originally Posted by paul2145r

As long as you have it registered in your state, you should be alright. You will run into Trademark infringement issues if, for example, you are wanting to use the name of the business as a brand name, for example. In that case, it would behoove you to register a Trademark.

I still think that it's a bit more complicated than this. At the most basic level, trademark law has to do with preventing confusion of businesses.

Therefore, you can still run into problems even if you are not using the name of your business as a brand name. For example, if you name your company "Wal-Mart Stores LLC" but use the brandname "WMS Limited," do you really think that you won't run into trademark infringement issues?

Food for thought.