Legally Naming A Business

Legally Naming A Business

The name you choose for your business is as important as the business itself. Some individuals have dreamed of owning their own business for years. They typically have chosen their business name and just need to make sure that it is available for use. However, many entrepreneurs spend hours brainstorming to come up with a legal name for their business. If you fall into the second category, the following checklist can be helpful as you begin to narrow down the list of possibilities for the company name.

Checklist to Ensure Your Business Name is Available and Desirable

Before you file your corporate forms and begin printing business cards and advertising material, you need to ensure that your business name is available. You also need to make sure that your name is desirable. Some steps you should take when checking your short list of business names include:

• Check the various definitions associated with the words in your business name, including the Urban Dictionary. You might be surprised what the initials of your company could mean in slang terms.
• Google your business name to see if it is mentioned anywhere online. You may also want to check the name through other search engines too.
• Check to make sure that a fictional name (“dba” or “doing business as”) is available to register with the Florida Division of Corporations.
• Check to make sure that your corporate name is available with the Florida Division of Corporations.
• Search the USPTO Trademark database for availability.
• Check to see if your company name is available as a domain name. If possible, you want to purchase the “.net” version of your company name because “.net” is the most used internet extension. However, it is also wise to purchase the other domain extensions to prevent anyone from using those extensions, which could confuse or mislead your customers and clients.
• You need a simple company name. It should be quick to type; easy to spell; not very likely to be shortened and used by other companies; and, make creating a logo easy.
• Test your company name to ensure that people will remember the name. Tell a group of people the name of your company and then ask them a few days later if they remember the name.
• Try to choose a business name that describes your product or your services. Descriptive business names are easier to remember for customers.
• Avoid trendy names. Trends come and go quickly. A trendy name could date your company in a harmful way. Also, avoid cute or playful spellings that may confuse people when they are trying to remember the name of your company to type it into a search engine.

Contact a Business Law Attorney for Help

Starting a company is exciting; however, you need to ensure that you have a strong legal foundation for your company. There are many legal steps you need to take when creating a company, including choosing the name.

A Florida business law attorney can help you organize your business to avoid legal problems in the future.

Attorney Matthew Fornaro provides comprehensive business law services throughout Broward County, including Coral Springs and Parkland. To request a consultation, call 954-324-3651 or contact us online.