Picking a brand name? What to have ready

Tellbrief · October 28, 2026

For education only. Not legal advice. Tellbrief is not a law firm.

Before you put a name on packaging, a sign or an app store listing, your lawyer will want to know how you chose it, where you use it and who controls it.

Records to have ready

• The name and any logo, with the date you started using each one.
• Any searches you ran, and any trademark filings or registrations.
• Who registered the domain, social accounts and app store listings, and in whose name.
• Examples of where the name appears: packaging, website, signs, ads.

Send them only if your lawyer asks. For the first call, knowing where each one is is enough.

Write down where you sell

List the places you sell or plan to sell, online and in person, and the kinds of products or services the name covers. Note any similar names you’ve come across.

Check who holds the accounts

Domains and social accounts may be registered by a founder, a designer or an agency. Write down who holds each one today.

Questions worth asking your lawyer

• Is our name clear to use and register where we sell?
• What should move from a founder’s name into the company’s name, and how?
• Should we file for a trademark now, and where?
• What should we do if someone else is using a similar name?

Tellbrief adds questions like these to your brief when your answers point to them.

For education only. This article is general information for founders, not legal advice, and reading it doesn’t make you anyone’s client. Tellbrief is not a law firm. For advice about your situation, talk to a licensed lawyer.