What does it mean to “trademark” a business or product name or logo?
Generally speaking, when someone uses the term “trademark” they intend to register the name or logo with the U.S. Patent and trademark Office. Federal registration is important to providing important benefits regarding trademark ownership, however, trademark ownership is normally determined by who uses the mark first in a commercial setting. Therefore, by using a name, logo or symbol to identify goods or services in the marketplace, a trademark has been established.
