BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1994 SEP 20 (NB) -- A rose by another name may smell as sweet, but trademark lawyers know that names count. The need for careful name research for businesses has now reached the Internet, and naming consultants Master-McNeil Inc., say they will check domain addresses for fit and availability when helping a company find a name.
The naming firm says making a name Internet-ready is as important as any other part of the name-creation process.
Ken Feinstein, a research analyst with the firm, told Newsbytes a typical name search can start with 700 or more candidate names and be narrowed down to 30-60 names before a client ever sees the list.
"The tradename search is a killer search," he explained. "Use a name already owned by someone else and there can be serious ramifications. A domain search isn't quite as killer because you can modify a domain name later. But we feel the client needs to know what's available, what's out there."
Stated SB Master, the firm's president: "A company's electronic-mail address has become an important part of its corporate identity. It appears on letterhead, business cards, and advertisements, alongside the company's name and logo. It is an increasingly visible part of a company's presence, and needs to be taken seriously."
Master, who calls a company's name "the ultimate sound-bite," says an e-mail address is especially important for technology clients, but adds: "As the Internet becomes the de facto standard for electronic communication, it is of growing importance for our non-technology clients as well."
Feinstein said the need for Internet checking has added a fifth level of searching to the creative process of naming a company. The other four are: state, federal and international trademark registries; databases, including publication in the company's field; directories of company names; and checking the Secretary of State in the state where the company is incorporated.
To check Internet available, Feinstein said the firm now searches the InterNIC registry of domain names.
The privately held Berkeley, California, firm's recent clients include Illustra Information Technologies of Oakland, renamed from Montage Software, and FirePower Systems of Menlo Park, California, renamed from PowerHouse Systems.
