How to Name Your Business

To name your business, shortlist three to five names that are easy to say, spell and remember, then check every one before you fall for it: search the USPTO's trademark database, your state's business name records and the domain you want. Drop any name that clashes with a business offering similar goods or services. Only then register the kinds of name you need and order signs, cards or a website.

This page is about choosing and checking the name. For the look and voice that go with it, read branding tips for small business. The filings come next: registration is explained in how to register a business, while how to choose a business structure helps you pick an entity type. To put the name online, read how to build a business website.

Shortlist names that work out loud

Assume people will often hear your name before they see it, from a friend, on the phone or in a voice search. Test each candidate:

• Say it: can someone who hears it once spell it well enough to search for it?
• Room to grow: will it still fit if you add a service or move to the next town?
• Meaning: does it hint at what you do, or will you always need to explain it?
• Length: does it fit on a van, a card and an invoice header without shrinking?

Ask five people who might be customers to repeat and spell each name. Drop the ones they get wrong.

Know the four kinds of business name

In the US, the SBA's guide to launching a business (checked October 31, 2026) lists four ways to register a business name:

• "Entity name protects you at a state level"
• "Trademark protects you at a federal level"
• "Doing business as (DBA) doesn’t give legal protection, but it might be legally required"
• "Domain name protects your business website address"

It adds: "Each of these name registrations are legally independent." and "Most small businesses try to use the same name for each kind of registration, but you’re not normally required to."

Check trademarks before you commit

In the US, the SBA's guide (checked October 31, 2026) says: "Businesses in every state are subject to trademark infringement lawsuits, which can prove costly." Search the USPTO's trademark database for each name on your shortlist, including close spellings.

The USPTO's database doesn't show everything. In the US, the USPTO's page on why to register a trademark (last updated May 17, 2024) says: "Results in the USPTO’s search database are limited to federal trademark applications and registrations and do not include the trademarks of other parties who may have trademark rights but no federal registration." It continues: "Therefore, we encourage you to search the Internet, state trademark databases, and business name databases for references to similar trademarks that are related to your goods or services."

Whether a name is too close to someone else's is a legal question. If a search turns up anything similar in your line of work, ask a trademark lawyer before you go further.

Check the state and the domain

For an entity name, the SBA's guide (In the US, checked October 31, 2026) says: "Most states don’t allow you to register a name that’s already been registered by someone else, and some states require your entity name to reflect the kind of business it represents." Search your state's business name records for each candidate.

For a website, the same guide (In the US, checked October 31, 2026) says: "Your domain name doesn’t actually need to be the same as your legal business name, trademark, or DBA." If the exact name is taken, a clear variation, such as adding your town or trade, can still work.

Decide whether you need a DBA

In the US, the SBA's guide (checked October 31, 2026) says: "Registering your DBA name doesn’t provide legal protection by itself, but most states require you to register your DBA if you use one." It also notes: "Multiple businesses can go by the same DBA in one state, so you’re less restricted in what you can choose." Ask your state, county or city which filing applies to you.

Brand and trademark aren't the same thing

In the US, the USPTO's page comparing trademarks, patents and copyrights (last updated February 3, 2025) says: "A brand is a marketing concept that encompasses how people feel about your product or service." It adds: "It is your choice whether to protect your brand under trademark law." On registration, the USPTO's page on why to register (In the US, last updated May 17, 2024) says: "You are not required to register your trademark, but where or whether you decide to register your trademark can determine the scope of your rights."

Worked example: narrowing a shortlist

Sample results, for illustration only. A new bookkeeping practice starts with 5 names and runs 4 checks on each (spoken test, trademark search, state records, domain), so 5 × 4 = 20 checks.

• 2 names fail the spoken test: people spell them wrong.
• 1 name turns up a similar federal trademark for accounting services.
• 1 name is already registered as an entity in the state.

That leaves 5 − 2 − 1 − 1 = 1 name, which the owner registers in each form needed before ordering anything printed. Use your own shortlist; these are only an illustration.

Where Billed fits

Your name appears on every invoice and estimate you send. Billed's invoice software page says: "Choose an invoice template, add your logo and business details, and save the products and services you sell so you can pull them into an invoice instead of retyping them." If you trade under more than one name, Billed's expenses page says: "If you run more than one business from one Billed account, each business has its own expenses, invoices, clients and financial reports, and you can switch between businesses as you work."

Mistakes to avoid

• Ordering a logo, signs or cards before the trademark, state and domain checks.
• Searching only for the exact spelling, not close variations.
• Treating a registered domain or DBA as if it settled every question about the name.
• Choosing a name tied to one service or one town you may outgrow.
• Using a name that customers can't spell after hearing it once.

When this guide isn't for you

If a name you want is close to an existing trademark, or you plan to sell nationally or abroad, get advice from a trademark lawyer. If you're renaming an established business, plan the change of contracts, bank details and invoices with your accountant.

Related Articles

• Branding Tips for Small Business
• How to Register a Business
• How to Choose a Business Structure
• How to Get a Business License

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I tell whether someone already uses the name I want?

Search the USPTO's trademark database, your state's business name records and the domain you want. In the US, the USPTO's page on why to register a trademark (last updated May 17, 2024) also encourages you "to search the Internet, state trademark databases, and business name databases for references to similar trademarks that are related to your goods or services."

Do I need a DBA?

It depends on how you trade and where. In the US, the SBA's guide (checked October 31, 2026) says: "Registering your DBA name doesn’t provide legal protection by itself, but most states require you to register your DBA if you use one."

Does my domain have to match my business name?

In the US, the SBA's guide (checked October 31, 2026) says: "Your domain name doesn’t actually need to be the same as your legal business name, trademark, or DBA."

Is trademark registration required?

In the US, the USPTO's page on why to register a trademark (last updated May 17, 2024) says: "You are not required to register your trademark, but where or whether you decide to register your trademark can determine the scope of your rights." A trademark lawyer can tell you whether registering is worth it for your name.