[kc6789]

So I want to have "blah blah blah" Printing as my business name.

But someone else already has that one key word "name." They do paper printing and business marketing printing. NOT screen printing like me. Can I still have that name?


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[kimura-mma]

If they are registered in your state, then I don't believe you will be able to register the same name. If they are in a different state, then I believe you can.

But there are practical reasons why you should want a unique name, if possible.

One reason is the domain name. Do they already have "blahblahblahprinting.com?" If so, you may have to settle for a variation. So if you need a different domain, you may as well use the domain name as the company name.

If their business is already established, they may have good SEO. So if anyone is searching for your company, they may find them instead. They may do different printing, but if a potential customer finds them instead of you, they may choose to find another print shop and you may lose out on a sale.

Another reason is trademarking. See if they have the name registered with the USPTO. If so, you may want to steer clear otherwise you could be infringing on their mark. If not, you could be ok. But since you are not the first to use the name, you may not be able to register it if you ever wish to.

So it may be a good idea to be as unique as possible. It could be something simple as "Blah Blah Blah Screen Printing."

 

[kc6789]

Nevermind. Problem solved. Chose a different name


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[gt04pony_13]

sorry to hijack the thread but what if theres a company like "101 clothing company" spelled out "one zero one clothing company" that runs through similar things like.......lets say golf...and tennis...... but i go for a company like "101 dribles clothing company" or just plain "101 dribles" thats more specificly towards basketball..but we will both be using 101... is that ok?

 

[Solmu]

sorry to hijack the thread but what if theres a company like "101 clothing company" spelled out "one zero one clothing company" that runs through similar things like.......lets say golf...and tennis...... but i go for a company like "101 dribles clothing company" or just plain "101 dribles" thats more specificly towards basketball..but we will both be using 101... is that ok?

We can't give you a definitive answer, but there's a chance that would be seen as confusingly similar.

101 vs one oh one might as well be the same name, and golf vs. basketball is still sport... so all in all that's very close together. On the other hand numbers, especially common numbers like 101, are pretty generic. 101 vs. one oh one is definitely out, but the example above... don't know. You'd need to ask for advice from a lawyer, but even they may not be able to accurately predict what the USPTO in all their great wisdom () will decide.