Company name

[danalec99]

How can we find out if a company name is taken or not? Do you have links to any related database?

Thanks

 

[Dandy-Warhol]

In Holland every company is registered in a big database, so when you start your own business and want to register your name and such they automatically check if the name doesn't already exist and if it does, they check if they do the same kinda work.

If the name is the same, but the one is a courier company and you wanted to start a CD store, then confusion is hardly possible and your allowed to use that name. If you also want to start a courier company than you're not allowed to use the same name, unless you've gotten permission from the company that's already registered with that name.

I'm sure they've got databases like that in every country.

 

[GerryDavid]

In Holland every company is registered in a big database, so when you start your own business and want to register your name and such they automatically check if the name doesn't already exist and if it does, they check if they do the same kinda work.

If the name is the same, but the one is a courier company and you wanted to start a CD store, then confusion is hardly possible and your allowed to use that name. If you also want to start a courier company than you're not allowed to use the same name, unless you've gotten permission from the company that's already registered with that name.

I'm sure they've got databases like that in every country.

Yup, same sort of thing in Canada, go to some government building and check on a database to see if the name was taken or not. And it costs so much per try, Im happy the first one I tried wasnt taken. Then it costs another $100 or something to register the name for a few years. I think mine ran out but im not sure. I dont use it anymore anywase. :0)

Its probably better to go with your name. In canada you can use your anme as a business name and I think you can add something to the end of it, like John Smith Photography. But im not 100% sure on that.

 

[danalec99]

Well, I live in the US.

 

[Dandy-Warhol]

Well, I live in the US.

They must have got some database there too

 

[danalec99]

I got this link from another source:

US Patent and Trademark Office :
http://tess2.uspto.gov/bin/gate.exe?f=tess&state=12o2bc.1.1

Thanks everyone for the inputs

 

[Jeff Canes]

I do not believe that in the US business names need to be national registered. Something in the back of my mine tells me that it by the state or county where the occupation license is issued :scratch:

 

[danalec99]

I do not believe that in the US business names need to be national registered. Something in the back of my mine tells me that it by the state or county where the occupation license is issued :scratch:

You could be right; but what if I start a "Zebra Inc" in Jersey and couple of months down the lane, I find that there is another "Zebra Inc" in Alaska?

 

[oriecat]

Corporations are registered with the state. There can be many companies with the same name. At my work we often get mail for companies in other states with the same name.