Domain Names and Trademarks: A Business Naming Guide

Securing Your Business Name Online and Legally

A great business name means nothing if someone else already owns the domain or has it trademarked. Here's a practical guide to navigating domain availability and trademark protection — the two steps most founders skip until it's too late.

Domain Names: The Basics

Your domain name is your digital storefront. In 2025, it still matters more than most people think:

• .com is still king: Despite hundreds of new TLDs, .com remains the default assumption. If someone hears your brand name, they'll type "yourname.com" first.
• Exact match is ideal: yourcompany.com is always better than get-yourcompany.com or yourcompanyapp.com.
• Short beats descriptive: stripe.com beats online-payment-processing.com. Brandability wins over keyword stuffing.

What If Your .com Is Taken?

Don't panic — you have options:

• Alternative TLDs that work: .co, .io (tech), .shop (e-commerce), .studio (creative), .health (wellness). These have gained legitimacy.
• Add a word: tryhello.com, gethello.com, hellohq.com — adding a common prefix/suffix to get the .com.
• Buy the domain: Many parked domains can be purchased for $500-5,000. For your primary brand, it's often worth the investment.
• Change the name: If your ideal .com is owned by an active business, seriously consider whether this name is worth fighting for.

Avoid hyphens, numbers, and unusual spellings in domains. Every added character is a chance for someone to mistype your address.

Checking Domain Availability

Before committing to any name, check domains through multiple channels:

1. WHOIS lookup: Check who owns a domain and when it expires.
2. Domain registrars: Namecheap, Google Domains, or Cloudflare for pricing and availability.
3. Expired domain tools: Sites like ExpiredDomains.net show domains that are about to become available.
4. Aftermarket: Sedo, GoDaddy Auctions, and Dan.com for purchasing taken domains.

Social Handle Strategy

Secure consistent handles across platforms immediately after choosing your name:

• Priority platforms: Instagram, TikTok, X (Twitter), LinkedIn, YouTube.
• Consistency is key: @yourcompany everywhere is vastly better than @yourcompany on one platform and @yourcompany_official on another.
• Claim them now: Even if you won't use a platform immediately, claim the handle. They're free to register and impossible to get back later.

Trademark Basics

A trademark protects your brand name from being used by competitors in your industry. Here's what you need to know:

• Common law rights: In the US, you get basic trademark rights just by using a name in commerce. But registration gives much stronger protection.
• Registration: File with the USPTO (US), EUIPO (Europe), or your national trademark office. Cost is typically $250-$500 per class.
• Classes matter: Trademarks are registered by class of goods/services. "Apple" is trademarked in both computers and music, but those are separate registrations.
• Geographic scope: Trademarks are territorial. A US trademark doesn't automatically protect you in Europe or Asia.

Trademark Search Process

Before investing in a name, do a thorough trademark search:

1. Free search: Use the USPTO's TESS database (US) or TMview (Europe) to check existing registrations.
2. Google search: Look for any businesses using the name, even without a formal trademark.
3. Industry-specific search: Check trade publications, industry directories, and app stores in your sector.
4. Professional search: For high-stakes names, hire a trademark attorney to conduct a comprehensive search. It costs $500-1,500 but can save you from expensive rebranding later.

Common Trademark Mistakes

• Assuming no registration means no rights: Unregistered names can still have common law trademark rights through use.
• Only checking exact matches: Trademarks protect against "confusingly similar" names too. "Appel" for computers would still infringe on Apple.
• Ignoring international markets: If you plan to expand globally, check trademarks in your target markets early.
• Waiting too long: The longer you operate under a name, the more painful a forced change becomes. Search early, search thoroughly.

The Launch Checklist

Before publicly announcing your business name:

1. Domain secured — registered and pointing to at least a coming-soon page.
2. Social handles claimed — on all platforms you might use.
3. Trademark search completed — no conflicts found in your class and territory.
4. Trademark application filed — or at minimum, planned with a timeline.
5. Business entity registered — LLC, corporation, or equivalent with your state/country.
6. Google Alerts set — monitor for anyone else starting to use your name.