A trade name is the name your business is commonly known as or the name you use when advertising or doing business. A trade name is also called a DBA (doing business as) name. A good example of this is Walmart.
What is an example of a trade name?
A trade name is generally considered the name a business uses for advertising and sales purposes. A trade name is sometimes referred to as a “fictitious” or “doing business as (DBA)” title. For example, “McDonald’s” may be the trade name, but the legal name is “McDonald’s Corporation.”
What is the difference between trading name and business name?
A ‘trading name’ refers to an unregistered name that businesses could use before the introduction of the National Business Names Register on 28 May 2012. A trading name is not a registered business name. If you wish to continue using a trading name, you need to register it as a business name.
Does my LLC name have to be the same as my business name?
No, your LLC name does not have to BE your business name or MATCH your website name. Your LLC name is your company’s legal entity name while your business name is your brand name to market to your customers.
Can I use a trading name?
When you register a company name at Companies House, it is protected by law so no other business can use it. Trading names do not receive this protection, which means that if someone wanted to register your trading name as a limited company, they could do so, whilst also demanding that you stop using it.
Should I put LLC in my logo?
So, do you need to incorporate “LLC” in your logo? In short, the answer is no. In fact, none of your branding/marketing needs to include “LLC,” “Inc.” or “Ltd.” If it is included, this may look amateur. Logos are an extension of a company’s trade name, so marketing departments don’t need to include legal designation.
What if someone has the same business name as you?
If a business name is already trademarked, you are prohibited from using it even if the company operates in a different state to yours. Trademark issues can be complex. Essentially, if your name is likely to cause consumer confusion because it’s the same or like another business name, then you cannot use that name.
What happens if you have the same business name as someone else?
If a business name is already trademarked, you are prohibited from using it even if the company operates in a different state to yours. Essentially, if your name is likely to cause consumer confusion because it’s the same or like another business name, then you cannot use that name.
What do you do if someone has the same business name?
If someone uses your name, simply showing proof that you’ve trademarked the name could be enough to convince a business to choose something else. Most importantly, if you must go to court, you’ll have legal proof that you registered the name. However, you don’t have to trademark your business name to protect it.
