What to avoid.
THE MAIN RISK
Registering a name matching someone else's trademark or established business name.
WHAT THAT CAN PRODUCE
A dispute Loss of the domain Costs In some cases, damages
WHAT MAKES IT WORSE
Evidence you registered it to sell to the trademark owner Evidence you registered it to mislead Use of the name to trade on their reputation
WHAT TO CHECK BEFORE REGISTERING OR BUYING
Whether the term is a registered trademark Whether an established business uses it Whether it is a person's name
FOR PERSONAL NAMES
Registering someone's name to sell to them carries risk.
WHAT IS GENERALLY SAFER
Generic and descriptive terms with several potential users.
WHAT TO AVOID ENTIRELY
Deliberate misspellings of known brands Names combining a brand with a descriptive word Anything intended to attract another business's visitors
WHAT TO TAKE ADVICE ON
Any name where a conflict is plausible.
IMPORTANT NOTE
This is general information, not legal advice.
Take proper advice before acquiring anything contentious.
