I HAVE A COMPANY HERE IN TECATE,MX. AND THERE IS A COMPANY IN SAN DEIGO WITH A SIMILAR NAME . THEY ARE GIVING ME PROBLEMS, SAYING THAT I CAN'T USE MY NAME ANYMORE BECAUSE IT IS TO CLOSE TO THEIRS. SO HOW DO I GET MY COMPANY NAME REGISITERED OR TRADEMARKED TO KEEP OTHERS FROM USING IT?
Nosy Posey
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Please go here to find more information:
http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/tac/doc/basic/index.html
Heywood Jablome
Go here to search if a name such as yours is already being used somewhere in the US
http://www.uspto.gov/main/trademarks.htm
If your name has similarities to another business no matter where it is in the US and you are selling the SAME kind of products or services than you will in fact get rejected. If your name is literal like the brand SoftSoap you will very likely get rejected. They were lucky along with a few others.
If you get rejected you can put your name on the supplemental register and if you have been using it for 5 or 6 years on the register you go back again. At this point it would probably take a lawyer to prove a few key points that are important to the patent and trademark office. Too long to go into here.
You can inexpensively get help from a place like LegalZoom.com for your initial registration forms.