Free kit ยท Vynce Breakdown

Is your name
already taken?

Nintendo won 50 million yen from a go-kart shop over a name and some costumes. Before you print a sign, buy a domain or order a logo, run this. It takes about 2 minutes.

Type it once. Every button below uses it. Nothing is sent to us: it stays in your browser.

1Everywhere at once

Two free public databases that cover the US, the EU, the UK, Japan and dozens of other offices. Start here.

WIPO Global Brand DatabaseAbout 77 million marks from 80+ sources, incl. US, UK, JapanOPEN TMview (EUIPO network)Marks that contain your name, EU and 70+ national officesOPEN

2The official office search

These sites don't accept a link with your name in it. Tap: we copy your name and open the search. Paste it in and press Enter.

3The name in real life

Unregistered use can still block you, and a name you can't get online is half a name.

Exact-match web searchWho already trades under it?OPEN Is the .com registered?ICANN lookup (the official whois)OPEN Instagram handleinstagram.com/yournameOPEN TikTok handletiktok.com/@yournameOPEN YouTube handleyoutube.com/@yournameOPEN

What to do if it's taken

STOPSame or near-same name, same kind of business

Don't use it. Pick a new name before you spend on signs, domains or ads. A rebrand later costs far more than one now.

STOPIt's a famous brand, or a nickname for one

Stay away even if your business is different. Famous names get extra protection. "MariCar" sounded like Nintendo's game, and the court treated that as unfair competition.

Same name, a completely different field

Often fine (a plumbing company and a pizza shop can share a word), but check which goods and services the mark covers: those are its "classes". The 45 classes.

The mark is "dead", "expired" or "ended"

It may be free, but look for a newer filing with the same name and for someone still trading under it. In the US and UK, real use can give rights without registration.

Nothing found anywhere

Good sign. Grab the domain and handles today, then think about registering the mark where you sell: USPTO, EUIPO, UK IPO, JPO.

You already use it and got a letter

Don't ignore it and don't argue online. Get a trademark lawyer to read it, and price a rebrand next to the cost of a fight.

Where this comes from. MariCar rented go-karts for Tokyo's public streets and lent riders costumes of characters such as Mario. Nintendo sued in February 2017. On 29 January 2020 Japan's Intellectual Property High Court ruled the "MariCar" name and the costume lending were unfair competition and ordered 50 million yen, the full amount Nintendo claimed. Source: Nintendo's release (Japanese).

This page is a starting point, not legal advice. These databases show filed and registered marks; they don't show every business using a name.