business name, how do i know if it is available and trademarked or not?

It's in this article.

Here are some links where you can do some preliminary checking. However, please be aware that this is merely scratching the surface of what's out there.

http://tess2.uspto.gov/bin/gate.exe?f=tess&state=t... -- USPTO – Preliminary Search of Federal trademarks

http://www.statelocalgov.net/50states-secretary-st... --Go to your state's Secretary of State page to see if they have a searchable database of business names

http://www.hoovers.com/free/

http://www.thomasnet.com/ – Must register (free) to search their database

Only comprehensive research will tell you if the name is truly available. But, these links are free & a great place to start, so I'd try them out first.

Comprehensive research consists of looking at marks that are similar in Sound, Appearance or Meaning in the pending & registered Federal AND State trademark files as well as the US National Common-Law files.

Hope that helps! I wish you much success & happiness in all your ventures!

You need an attorney. Someone in Singapore may have already registered it, how would you know? You can "register" it locally by using the name. That protects some rights, but only an attorney can advise you on legal matters. I'm guessing more like $2500+ because you probably want to do a little bit of research, make a good legal description, then do the rest of the paperwork.

If you want runa business, as per indian rule, first of all you have to go to Registrar of firms or Registrar of Company, they are maintaining records of all the firms/companies, they check their records , if a particular name desired by you is available means no other person have got that name, then it may be given to you otherwise at the time of registration you have to give at least 3-4 names of company for finalisation and most suitable name, thereafter they will intimate you and you will get the correct name for company or firms.

vinod

Delhi

19.3.2009

Check out the Better Business Bureau website. Search for the name. That should narrow it down. You could also google it.

http://tess2.uspto.gov/bin/gate.exe?f=tess&state=4...

you can go here to search

it's thew US government web site for trademarks

main page

http://www.uspto.gov/

You can search here without paying, to see if the world wide web has the name locked up by someone.

http://www.doteasy.com/