I need to change the name of my Sign & Graphics company. I want to do something that starts with the letter "A" to give me the best phone book placement as possible. The problem is, I don't want to use the same name as some one else. I'm sure names like American Sign and Allstar Sign are already taken, but I need to research other possible names so that I don't copy some one elses. Is there anyplace online that I can do a national search of business names? Do I need to worry about having the same name as some one on the other side of the country? Any help is appreciated.

Thanks,
Kris

ttt

I know you said "national", but your first hurdle is going to be getting your name (as a corporate entity or fictitious name) set in your state of residence/incorporation.  Go to your state's secretary of state website; most of them have a place where you can search for existing corporation/entity names.  

Quoted: I know you said "national", but your first hurdle is going to be getting your name (as a corporate entity or fictitious name) set in your state of residence/incorporation.  Go to your state's secretary of state website; most of them have a place where you can search for existing corporation/entity names.

Here is Michigan's webpage for searching existing corporation/entity names: www.cis.state.mi.us/bcs_corp/sr_corp.asp


For national searches, you can check business names with the US Patent & Trademark Office:  tess2.uspto.gov/bin/gate.exe?f=tess&state=67526b.1.1


I also would search names against ThomasNet Registry's Company Name Search (which also incudes unregistered trademarks):  www.thomasnet.com/index.html