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How To Trademark a Name?
We Guide You Through Step By Step

How to Trademark Something?

If you have a name, logo, slogan that you’d like to protect it from your competitors or anyone in general the best way is to register a trademark. Filing a trademark is a complicated process, the 3 blog articles below will help to answer some of your questions and help you understand more about how to trademark.

The How To/How Do's Trademark Search Questions Answered

A trademark search is the first step you need to take before diving into the trademarking process, a process that can often be long and frustrating. What a trademark search accomplishes is the discovery of prior registrations and/or filings that are similar to your own proposed trademark. Why does this matter? Well, it will let you know the strength of your trademark availability.

How to Avoid Pitfalls When Filing a Trademark

You’re here because you’re a small business owner who wants to file a trademark to protect your brand. Great idea! You might be wondering where to start. A quick search on Google will give you a lot of information, and a lot of potential services! With these services in mind, you might start thinking: is filing a trademark really that easy? It looks like anyone can do it! Our answer: Absolutely not! Filing a trademark the right way can be a challenging and time-consuming task – especially if it’s your first time.

How to Provide A Good Specimen (Proof of Use)

For a trademark application to be officially registered and assigned an official registration number, the trademark must actually be used in interstate commerce in the United States by the trademark applicant. In the United States, the trademark applicant must provide a specimen (and sometimes multiple specimens)) for every class of goods and services for which the trademark application is filed.

How to register your trademark in Canada?

In Canada, registration of a trademark consists of having the trademark entered on the Trademarks Register of the Trademarks Office of the Canadian Intellectual Property Office of Industry Canada ("CIPO"). The entire process takes approximately twelve (12) to eighteen (18) months, unless there are opposition proceedings, in which case the process can be much longer.

How to check if a trademark is registered at the USPTO?

USPTO stands for United States Patent and Trademark Office which is responsible for reviewing trademark applications for federal registration and determining if an applicant meets the registration requirements. To check a filed US trademark, go to USPTO website, and click Search trademark database. You will see several options to conduct a search. Depending on the type of marks you are interested, choose the appropriate search option. Once you arrive at the Trademark Electronic Search System page, type in your Search Term to conduct a search, and the system will show you results of the marks that contain the search term you entered. From there, you would know if a trademark you want is already registered or not.

What is required to trademark a name?


In order to successfully trademark a name, your mark needs to be either inherently distinctive or has acquired distinctiveness overtime through the owner’s usage. A mark that is descriptive in the beginning could acquire secondary meaning in the process. For example, if the public later associates your trademark that was originally descriptive with a particular source, manufacturer or producer, then it has acquired distinctiveness and can be submitted to the Trademark Office. Refer to our blog article on how to pick a good name to trademark.

Four reasons to trademark your brand

Expand Your Market
Registered trademarks are mandatory for entering major sales channels in most countries.
Increase Company Assets
Trademarks are valuable assets, appreciating as your business reputation grows. They're also transferrable.
Improve International Awareness
Trademarks help customers find you worldwide, and help differentiate your products from your competitors.
Protect Intellectual Property
Trademarks protect your brand from imitation and misuse, while building loyalty with customers.