Hi

I'm going to be starting up my own business. To start off it'll just be tanning then introducing other treatments at a later date

I'm trying to think of a business name for the tanning. I'm using fake bake and came up with "Da Broon Coo Tanning". I'm living in Shetland and thats how they'd say it in the local accent. But.... I just remembered when I was doing my training with Fake Bake they had mentioned how they were going to open their new salon "Brown Cow", would it be seen as copyright me wanting to call my place something similar?

Definately call your business something that makes it obvious to prospective clients what you do.
There was a local business in my area that called themselves "Paws and Claws." Well, I'd heard of it, I think I'd even seen some ads in the local paper. And, I had aassumed it was a pet shop or pet grooming business. WRONG, apparently it is a beauty place! SO, yes, make it obvious to people, what your business is about.
Also, (I wish I had of known this before I named my business), make the name of your business something that tells the client, how amazing you are, or how fantastic they are going to look and feel after they have been to you.
Like.....
"Tauranga's Best Little Tan Shop"
"Gorgeous Sexy Tans"
"Body Beautiful Tan's"
"Stunning Beach Bronze Tanning"

All the best,
Donna

I think you may be breaching on copyright. I remember reading about a shop in knutsford cheshire called pimp my pooch. They got sued by MTV who make pimp my ride because they had trademarked the 'pimp my' part of the name of the programn.

You also dont want to get the backs up of fake bake especially if using their products. You could always ask them if they mind you using a name similar to their own, or come up with something else. Fake bake are getting bigger by the day and you dont want to get sued.

I changed my shop name because someone copied it and they had established such a bad reputation that it effected me! It was easier to change my name than sue but I was a small business!

Kate x

I remember a similar thing by me when a local butchers called "Sausages R Us" got threatened with court acytion by Toys R Us if they didn't change their name.
It amazes me how Toys R Us ever found out about this little butchers shop, but they did. It made it onto the local news as well!

How DO you register your company's name anyway, and who has done so?

I remember a case up here where someone had called his d.i.y biz -
B and screw!! I think B&Q took action.

Talking of great names - theres a woman ceramic tiler up here called 'bonnie tiler'

I also heard of a great landscape gardener called 'Plant and Deck' - how clever is that?!!!

contact companies house.....they will give you professional advise about the copyright law, laws on naming your business and tell you how to copyright your name if you want to go down that path.

i think its Companies House .......but not sure, it was a while ago when i talked to them. hope that helps x