What does trademarking a name mean [Expert-Advice]



Last updated : Aug 10, 2022
Written by : Rick Pahk
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What does trademarking a name mean

Is it better to copyright or trademark a business name?

A trademark can protect your name and logo in case someone else wants to use them for their own purposes. Also, you cannot really copyright a name, since copyright protects artistic works. This is exactly why you need to have a trademark that protects your company's intellectual property, such as your logo.

What happens when you trademark your business name?

The answer is that a registered trademark gives you the exclusive right to use your business name nationwide in connection with the goods and services you've identified in your registration, and allows you to enforce your trademark by filing a lawsuit in federal court.

Is it worth trademarking a business name?

Protect Sales: Registering your business name for a trademark protects your sales by preventing consumer confusion. For example, if another company uses the same or a similar name to yours and sells a similar product, customers might think they're buying from you instead of your competitors.

When should you trademark a name?

In most cases, the best time to file a trademark application for your business name is right after you've filed paperwork to form your LLC or corporation. By doing this before your business officially launches, it protects the name for commercial use once you're up and running.

How long does a trademark last?

A federal trademark lasts 10 years from the date of registration, with 10-year renewal terms. Between the fifth and sixth year after the registration date, the registrant must file an affidavit to state that the mark is still in use.

What can you not trademark?

  • Proper names or likenesses without consent from the person.
  • Generic terms, phrases, or the like.
  • Government symbols or insignia.
  • Vulgar or disparaging words or phrases.
  • The likeness of a U.S. President, former or current.
  • Immoral, deceptive, or scandalous words or symbols.
  • Sounds or short motifs.

How much is a trademark?

No matter how you file, you will pay a minimum of $250 to apply for a Federal trademark. But considering the importance of your trademark, and the potential complexities you face when filing, it's not a bad idea to use a lawyer or filing service.

What happens if I don't trademark my business?

If you do not register your trademark, you will have legal rights only within the geographic areas where you operate. This means you may be able to stop a subsequent user of the mark, even if it is a bigger company, from using the mark in your geographic area only.

What's the difference between LLC and trademark?

Legal Protection LLCs and trademarks are each an integral part of the business world, but both serve different purposes. While LLCs are legal business entities that protect the personal assets of business owners from lawsuits and bankruptcies, trademarks protect the intellectual property of the business.

Why should I trademark my name?

Names hold power in business. So establishing ownership of and rights to a business name is an important step for businesses that want to ensure a name remains one-of-a-kind. Registering a trademark helps protect a name or brand from intellectual property theft or misuse as a business grows.

Why should you trademark?

Trademarking Protects Your Brand Intellectual property laws exist so competitors cannot steal creative ideas, names, or symbols from other businesses. Trademarking is just good business – it's easy and ensures that other businesses aren't piggybacking off of your hard work and brand building.

How do I protect my business name and logo?

A trademark can protect the name of your business, goods, and services at a national level. Trademarks prevent others in the same (or similar) industry in the United States from using your trademarked names.

Can I trademark my personal name?

You can trademark your name if it has business or commercial value. Trademarking your name gives you an additional brand and keeps others from using your name. To trademark your name you must meet specific requirements with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

Can I trademark a name without a business?

You can't register a trademark for non-business purposes. You can only trademark a brand name that you're using in business or that you intend to use in business in the near future. You can't register a generic or descriptive name.

Who should own a trademark?

The party who controls the nature and quality of the goods and services used in connection with the brand should be the trademark owner. This is an important decision and naming the proper owner for purposes of registration is critical to maintaining a valid trademark.

What are the three types of trademarks?

What you'll learn: Arbitrary and Fanciful Trademarks. Suggestive Trademarks. Descriptive Trademarks.

Can you lose a trademark if you don't protect it?

If you don't enforce your trademark, you risk losing reputation, business, sales, customers, and more to the infringer. There's also a concept in trademark law called abandonment. Generally, if you don't use your mark for three years or more, it's considered abandoned.

What can I do with a trademark?

A trademark protects a good or service offered by a company from infringement or damage of reputation by another company. With a trademark, you have legal recourse to sue another company that uses your likeness to further their own business ventures. This includes both registered and unregistered trademarks.

Can you trademark a single word?

A trademark registration with the USPTO is a registered trademark and gets marked with the registered trademark (®) symbol. You don't have to register a word with the USPTO to get trademark status. A word is a trademark if that word identifies a brand, regardless of whether the word itself is registered.

What is example of trademark?

Brand names like Apple, McDonald's, and Dolce & Gabbana. Product names like iPod and Big Mac. Company logos like the golden arches at McDonald's and NBC's peacock logo.


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What does trademarking a name mean


Comment by Sudie Holbrook

so what is a trademark a trademark is a way of legally claiming your name and your logo so they are legally yours and no one else can use them to misappropriate your music now just because you got there first and you have the socials and you have the domain name that doesn't mean that they are legally yours whilst you are still using them this is about ownership and that's where the trademark comes in now this means you can trademark the name if you're an artist or a band but also you can trademark your logo so if you've got an amazing logo or an amazing band name no one else can use it let's say your rage against the machine or the grateful dead or coldplay nobody else can legally claim that name and let's face it that's not the real reason why no one's claiming the name coldplay


Thanks for your comment Sudie Holbrook, have a nice day.
- Rick Pahk, Staff Member


Comment by sugelismoM

people when they have a product get confused as to how trademark works a trademark is simply an identification of the source of goods or services it's not the product itself is the source of a product for example Tide laundry detergent tide is the maker of the laundry detergent it's not the actual detergent itself although often trademarks people come to identify them so closely with the product they may substitute the name of the trademark for the product but it's supposed to be a brand and represent the source you obtain trademark rights from actual use in commerce or by registering your trademark with the United States Patent and Trademark Office you can register your trademark what's called an intent to use or ITU trademark application before you have any sales when you've just thought of your idea for a name for example many times people register their trademarks in advance before they their product is fully developed or before they're ready to do sales in fact people will often check online on the intent to use trademarks because they are publicly available publicly available to see what other companies are doing in fact the Apple stores were known before app will announce them because they had several trademarks on file for intent to use for Apple Store and other names related to the store it's a good way to keep a track of what your competitors are doing the best trademarks that you can make or file for our arbitrary and don't have anything to do with the product itself for example Apple is associated with computers now but it an apple itself has nothing to do with computers kodak associated with film very strongly but kodak was a made-up word that the creator of the trademark felt had a strong name and strong sound and so used that as a trademark a trademark such as microsoft all the world-famous trademark is not the strongest trademark because there are a lot of companies that have micro blank or blank soft in their titles because it's not arbitrary it really is associated with product itself so if you are going to have a trademark for your company you can do it in advance and you should think of a name that is arbitrary and doesn't describe the product so closely


Thanks sugelismoM your participation is very much appreciated
- Rick Pahk


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