Does anyone know where to find this info? I have a few names that I like, but want to make sure they aren't trademarked before I try to use one!

Hhhmmmmm.........not sure. Did you check google? Maybe call a few trademark lawyers' office; they can steer you in the right direction.

http://tess2.uspto.gov/bin/gate.exe?f=searchss&state=b81h5o.1.1


try this

This is what we did (in Canada, probably similar in US also).
We went to city hall to register our business name, paid a fee and they searched for other businessess in our province with the same name. I think it costs a lot more if you do a nationwide search. They found one baby clothing shop, I think, but as long as we put "Bakeshoppe" into our official registered name, we could use that same name. You should have a few other choices, though, in case you absolutely can't use the one you want - sometimes you can use it if you make it more specific - instead of Kerri's, for example, you might have to call yourself Kerri's Gourmet Cakeshop.
The fee in Canada was about $70 cdn for registering the name only, not a business license, etc.
Hope this helps. Good luck.

I did this recently for my private practice. In Maryland, first you ahve to do a search yourself to see if ther are any companies or organizatiosn with that name. My local "authorities" suggested that I look through yellow pages, local related resources, and the internet, etc.

then, if you think that there isn't anything that would interfere, then you can submit it to the trademark/copyright office. There is a fee when you send in the request, and if they do a search and find one too similar then they won't approve it.

good luck!

Well, I searched, and the name I really wanted didn't come up as trademarked or service marked! I guess the next step is getting m license!

I live in Canada too and went to the goverment agent office and paid $35 to have a search done and was accepted on my second choice then paid $40 to register it. Once I did that then I could get my business licience for $100. But I had to find a kitchen and get the health inspector to see it once that was done they sent me my licience.

jen1977, can you send me a Marion's pizza? PLEASE! And I'll take some Mike Sells too! Don't forget to register your domain name, just in case you need or want a website in the future.

bikegal...I live about 3 minutes from a Marion's, but I'm really not too fond of it. I'm not originally from this area, so maybe that's why I don't like it much. I'm not a big fan of Mike Sells chips either...I actually prefer Lay's! Esther Price Candy...nope, I'd rather have Brach's! People around here can't believe I don't like it! The only way I like Mike Sells chips is if they are dipped in Esther Price chocolate, but they are expensive! About $10 for a box. Can you think of anything worse for you than chips dipped in chocolate, LOL. How many bags of Mike Sells do you want me to send you?

I lived in Ohio for 12 yrs. and am moving back soon.......and I've never heard of any of these things LOL!!!! Guess I was in the wrong part of Ohio!

jen1977, I've had the Sells dipped in chocolate. Talk about cardiac arrest! My husband grew up in Dayton so we come back to visit about once a month. We're just a 4 hour drive away. I love Godiva myself but I won't turn away a box of Ester Price. I just can't say no to chocolate.

KHalstead...I'm in the Dayton area, and Marion's is a local piza place that everyone except ME seems to love! It's thin crust, and they cut it in little squares. You have to eat about 20 of them before you're full. Mike Sells is s brand of potato chips that is made here locally, and Esther Price is a brand of chocolates that are made here locally.

Thanks Jackie! The name I want to use is available, and hasn't been used, at least in the state of Ohio!

You're welcome!

Just to help everyone else out I published an article that has links to the Secretary of State websites and company name searches for all 50 states:

http://cakecentral.com/article57-Wanting-to-start-a-Cake-Decorating-Business-but-where-do-I-begin.html

If any of our Canadian members out there have similar info could you please send it to me? I can add another similar article with info for Canadians.

Supplemental info: http://www.uspto.gov [United States Patent and Trademark Office)