New Business and Copyright?

[10can]

If you are starting a new business can you copyright the name so it can not be used by others in the United States?

If so how would you do this?

Is there a web-site that you can go to and see if anyone has that name already?

Thanks

[Coleroo]

A copyright is something that you actually do not have to obtain - you just need proof that you created it before the time in question. Copyrights are used for works of art, literature, writings, digital media, website content, articles, books, etc.

A trademark is what you need.

Intellectual Property

What is a Trademark

[mekish]

copyright applies to anything independently created. you can apply for a trademark, criteria is that its a sign or word, it has to be distinct i.e. you can't trademart the word 'money', 'water' or 'sugar' but if you put the 3 together to form a distict logo (sign) then that's trademark(able)!

[jmjj215]

Yeah, I echo what they said. Copyrights just need to be proven, not filed. Though if you want to litigate based on a copyright you own, it does need to be filed.