One of the first things you think about as a starting entrepreneur is the name of your business. You need it first of all to register with the Chamber of Commerce. How do you choose the right name and ensure you are not infringing on the name of anyone else? If you use the Name checker tool, developed by BOIP and the Chamber of Commerce in the Netherlands, you can quickly and easily search for names that already exist to help you make a good choice.
The Name checker allows you to search using a single search request in the two most important databases: the Chamber of Commerce Business Register and the BOIP Trademarks Register. The tool will show you the most significant results and help you to interpret them.
Are you an entrepreneur in Belgium or Luxemburg? The Name checker is only available in the Netherlands at the moment.
Trade name only? No full protection
The Name checker will not only help you find out whether your name is available; it also gives tips on how to protect it. Perhaps you assume, like many other entrepreneurs, that registering with the Chamber of Commerce means your name is fully protected. Actively using your trade name gives you automatic protection, but only in the region where your business is active. Beyond that region, it is possible for others to go ahead and use your name. If you want an exclusive right to your name, you have to apply to register it as a trademark. In the Benelux you can do this with BOIP.
Simpler and clearer
The Name checker makes searching for available names for businesses simpler and clearer. Entrepreneurs who want to start their business on the right foot may consult the Name checker at the Chamber of Commerce or BOIP.
Take a look at the Name checker at BOIP
You can find the Name checker at the Chamber of Commerce via this link: www.kvk.nl/naamchecker
About the Name checker
The Name checker is a joint initiative of the Chamber of Commerce and BOIP, and is supported by the Dutch Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations.