Please explain what you mean by "registered DBA?"
Registered with what agency or organization?
Also, please explain why you believe that the names are "too similar?"
Thanks in advance.
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"DBA" - Doing Business As
Registered with my County Tax Assessor's Office and State's Sales Tax Division of our Comptroller's Office.
The names (this time the true names) are similar. Hers is kobrienjewelry. Mine is kobriendesigns. We both are jewelry designers though our products are different in look and style.
I want to keep K. O'Brien Designs (my current business name) and would like to avail myself of the market through ETSY (where hers is and I wish to be). So I thought I might call that ETSY shop by a different name but wondered if there would be a problem in associating it with my K. O'Brien Designs name. Just not sure and am new to this.
Okay, thanks for the added info.
A DBA is only applicable to the county in which it is published. Similar names are not sufficient to prevent registration. Regardless, the internet is a global marketplace. If you want to protect your name inter/nationally, then you must file for trademark protection with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Similarly, you may want to incorporate your business in your State, so as to prevent other legal entities in the state from using your corporate name. Finally, you may wish to purchase the internet domain "kobriendesigns.com."
Ultimately, it is extremely difficult to prevent a person from using their surname in an identifying mark. In my view, there is no impediment to using K. O'Brian Designs.
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