There is a great deal of confusion about the different types of business names. This happens because people have different interpretations of what they mean. We look at the most common definitions and confusions below.
Types of Business-Related Names
Trade Name:
A trade name is the name under which you carry on your business. It can be the legal name of your corporation, your partnership or your sole proprietorship. A trademark is a word, symbol, design or combination of these that is used to distinguish your wares or services from those of others in the marketplace. A trade name can be registered as a trademark, but only if it is being used as a trademark. And contrary to common perception, registration of a trade name does not protect the name. Only registration as a trademark can effectively do so.
Business Name:
The name under which the business is carried on, whether the business is incorporated or unincorporated. If it is a sole proprietorship or a partnership in Ontario, the name of the business must be registered, and that usually becomes the business name, i.e., the name under which the business is carried on.
Trademark:
A distinctive mark (for example a word, phrase, symbol or design, or some combination thereof) that is affixed to or accompanies an article or service which is intended for sale. Its purpose is to indicate that it is manufactured, selected or sold by a particular person or firm.
Domain Name:
This is your “address” on the Internet.