How to Copyright a Business Name (You Actually Trademark It)

You can't actually copyright a business name — names aren't covered by copyright. What you want is a trademark. Here's how to really protect a name and brand, and how to keep dated proof of first use.

Names can't be copyrighted

Copyright protects creative works, not short phrases or names. So "copyrighting" a business name isn't a thing. The tools that actually protect a name are:

• Trademark — protects a name/brand used in commerce. Register with the USPTO at uspto.gov. U.S. trademark rights are based heavily on first use in commerce, so the date you started using a name matters.
• DBA / business registration — registering the name with your state lets you operate under it, but it is not the same as trademark protection.

Where copyright does apply to your brand

While the name isn't copyrightable, your logo, tagline artwork, website copy, and marketing materials often are. Those creative assets are protected by copyright automatically.

Timestamp your branding for proof of first use

Because trademark rights hinge on first use, dated evidence is valuable. Timestamp your branding package — logo files, brand guide, first landing page, launch announcement — with BlockchainSign. The files are hashed in your browser, recorded on Ethereum, and you receive a lifetime certificate showing your brand assets existed on a specific date. That supports a first-use argument and protects the copyrightable parts of your brand.