Each search answers a different question
State entity records concern business registrations. Trademark searches concern rights connected to goods and services. A domain search concerns a web address. Keep those questions separate when you compare your shortlist; passing one check doesn't finish the others. (USPTO: the trademark process)
| Check | What to look for |
|---|---|
| State business records | The filing office’s naming rules and existing entity names |
| Trademark records and wider search | Similar names used for related goods or services, including unregistered use |
| Domains and social accounts | A clear address and handles customers can find |
| Real-world search | Businesses customers might reasonably confuse with yours |
Look beyond an exact spelling
USPTO recommends searching for confusingly similar trademarks used with the same or related goods and services, including federal applications and registrations and common-law use. That means an exact-match search alone is incomplete. Similar sounds and spellings deserve attention too. (USPTO: search for similar trademarks)
Keep notes on potentially close results and the goods or services involved. If a conflict looks possible, have a trademark attorney interpret it before committing to the name. The search is information for that decision, not a clearance opinion from a search box. (USPTO: search for similar trademarks)
Make it easy to pass along
Say a candidate name over the phone and ask someone to write it down. Try it in an ordinary sentence: 'Call this business; they fixed our gate.' If you spend the next minute explaining the missing vowel, consider whether the joke is doing you any favors.
A trade or place word may help people understand the offer, but it isn't a rule that every name needs both. Think about the customers you want now and whether the name will still fit if the work expands. Choose deliberately, rather than packing every service into a name nobody can finish saying.
Choose a web address people can use
Check the domain and relevant social handles after the earlier searches. A short, clear address is useful; owning the exact .com is not a legal requirement. If the obvious address belongs to a similar business, think through whether a different name would be clearer than a small spelling change.
Write the public name consistently on your website, estimates and listings. Where paperwork needs the full legal entity name, use that name correctly. Keep both in your business records so the bank form and the sign painter aren't working from memory.
Understand what a DBA does
A DBA, trade name or assumed name lets a business operate under another name, subject to local rules. It doesn't create an LLC or provide liability protection on its own. Check whether your state or local authority requires a filing for the name you intend to use. (SBA: launching and registering a business)
Once you've chosen the name and checked the relevant requirements, move on. You are allowed to enjoy this part without spending six weeks naming a business that hasn't spoken to a customer yet.
Your checklist
Checks stay in this page only and reset on reload. Checking an item does not submit a filing or update an account.
Sources
USPTO: search for similar trademarksOfficial explanation of federal, state and common-law searches. Unregistered use can matter; a database search is not a legal clearance opinion. Reviewed 15 September 2026.
USPTO: the trademark processOfficial distinction between a domain, a business name and trademark use. Reviewed 15 September 2026.
SBA: launching and registering a businessOfficial overview of structures, names, registration, permits and banking. Specific requirements depend on jurisdiction and activity. Reviewed 15 September 2026.
Business examples from 2025 U.S. Census application dataPreviously approved shared audience FAQ source; exact FAQ preserved.
Questions & answers
Is a business name available if the domain is free?
A free domain only answers the web-address question. Check the state records and trademark issues separately before building a brand around it.
What is the difference between a DBA and an LLC?
A DBA is a name used by a business. An LLC is a legal entity formed under state law. Registering a DBA doesn't create that entity.
Do I have to use a .com?
No. Choose an address your customers can find and spell, and think about possible confusion with another business. The web address and the right to use the name are separate matters.
Can an unregistered name still matter?
Yes. Trademark rights can arise from use, so USPTO recommends looking beyond its federal database. Get legal advice if a similar name is already being used for related work.
Who is this for?
Are you a builder, a baker, a candlestick maker? Got a pulse and a small-business dream? Pull up a chair.
A few businesses that can use BizzyBot:
- Shop owners
- Consultants and designers
- Builders and tradespeople
- Repair shops and salons
- Cleaning and landscaping businesses
Starting out or already juggling customers, jobs and a calendar that won't sit still? Keep the details together so your head doesn't have to hold every last one.
What's the difference between owners, teammates and light users?
Owner: $12/month. The person who runs the business workspace, manages billing and decides who gets access.
Teammates: $6 per person, per month. They create or change projects, tasks, schedules and events, and use the calendars. Their permissions decide what they can change.
Light users: $0 per person, per month. They can view schedules and the jobs they're assigned to in the owner's workspace. People who edit that work need a teammate seat.