Congratulations! You’ve finally nailed your business idea.
Launching a business comes with hundreds of tiny decisions. But choosing the name of your business feels the THE moment!
It’s exciting and feels official, like your brand is taking its first breath.
But hold up for a minute there. There is something that you must keep in mind. The wrong business name can derail your launch faster than a bad review.
And yep, it can even drag you into the kind of legal mess that will become your venting topic to your friends.
This is where a simple name trademark search saves the day long before you ever hit “publish” on your website.
When A Name Becomes A Problem: The LV vs. LV Dak Saga
Looking for a real-life example of how badly a poorly chosen name can play out? Well, how about the incident between Louis Vitton vs. Louis Vuiton Dak?
On one side: Louis Vuitton, the iconic luxury fashion brand. On the other side, Louis Vuiton Dak, a fried chicken restaurant, based in South Korea.
Two completely different industries, right? One fashion and the other fried chicken, so you’d think, what could go wrong?
Well, think again. Because everything that could go wrong, did go wrong.
The courts ruled that Louis Vuiton Dak’s name and logo were simply too similar to LV’s, even though they weren’t competitors. The infringement was clear.
And it didn’t stop there. After being ordered to change its name, the restaurant tried again. This time rebranding as “LOUISVUI TONDAK.”
The courts still weren’t convinced and ordered the business to pay $14.5 million for noncompliance.
Moral of the story? Even innocent similarities can land you in a courtroom, and a name trademark search could have prevented every bit of this.
Your Business Name Matters More Than You Think
Your business name isn’t just a label. It becomes your identity everywhere. Online, offline, on packaging, on invoices, on your storefront, and across social platforms.
Once you commit and start using it everywhere, changing your name isn’t just a hassle. It is expensive, confusing for customers, and sometimes embarrassing.
Brainstorming Names Without The Headaches
Now, grab a notepad and start brainstorming 10-15 names that you genuinely love. Keep them:
- Easy to say and spell
- Unique enough to stand out
- Not too close to major brands (unless you want a letter from their lawyers)
- Able to grow with your business
Once you have your list, run a name trademark search on every single option. You need to trust the process, because even a small “harmless” similarity can become a legal trap.
Remember: Google Search Is NOT a Trademark Search
A name may not appear anywhere online, but could still be protected by a registered trademark.
That means you cannot rely on Google alone.
You need to check federal databases, industry categories, similar spellings, lookalike logos, and more. This is where business owners get burned.
If someone already owns the name or anything close enough, you’ll need to know BEFORE you spend money on domains, branding, or signage.
Consistency Check: Your Name Should Work Everywhere
Once a name passes the trademark check, make sure that it is available in other places as well, like:
- Website domain
- social media handles
- State business registry
- Local business directories
The goal is to own your name across platforms. You don’t want to be @XYZ_Official22 because someone else already grabbed your handle.
Protect Before You Promote
After you’ve confirmed that the path to your desired name is clear, take the final step to make it fully yours. File your trademark.
This is how you lock in:
- Exclusive nationwide rights
- Protection from copycats
- Confidence to scale your identity.
It’s a “fence” around your identity.
And remember: Louis Vuitton didn’t win its case because consumers were confused. They won because famous marks have a right to protect their distinctiveness. A proper trademark search helps you avoid stepping into the shadows of brands that fight hard to defend their space.
Final Thoughts
Naming your business should feel exciting. Not risky. Search for trademark on the name you want, skip any and all legal drama, and focus on building a brand that’s solid, protected, and unmistakably yours.
Check early. Choose wisely. Launch confidently.
Your name deserves that level of protection.
