{"id":4960,"date":"2016-04-04T10:47:49","date_gmt":"2016-04-04T15:47:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/smallbusiness\/intellectual-property\/domain-names-and-trademark-law.html"},"modified":"2024-05-22T02:33:59","modified_gmt":"2024-05-22T07:33:59","slug":"domain-names-and-trademark-law","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/smallbusiness\/intellectual-property\/domain-names-and-trademark-law.html","title":{"rendered":"Domain Names and Trademark Law"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Domain Names and Trademark Law<\/h1>\n
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Created by FindLaw’s team<\/a> of legal writers and editors<\/i><\/p>\n\n | Last reviewed\n

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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n

In theory, choosing a domain name<\/a> is simple. If it is memorable, pronounceable, short, clever, easily spelled, and suggests the nature of the commerce on your website, you’ve got yourself a winner. But even if your choice is brilliant from a marketing standpoint, it may be worse than foolish from a legal perspective. <\/p>\n

Your name is at risk if it legally conflicts with any one of the millions of commercial names that already exist. It’s a big risk. If you put money and sweat into your website under one domain name and then are forced to give the name up, your web-based business is likely to suffer a damaging, if not fatal, blow.<\/p>\n

Conflicts Under Trademark Law<\/h2>\n

The rules for understanding whether a legal conflict exists comes from trademark law<\/a>. Here are the basics you need to understand:<\/p>\n