This Starter Tool allows you to instantly search the more than 8 million records at the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office. It'll show you whether there are any registered, live trademarks or pending trademark applications that are the same or similar to the name(s) you search.

What this search won't do: This search can't tell you if the name(s) you search would be registrable as a trademark, and it can't tell you for certain that your company's name won't violate someone else's trademark.

If trademark protection is very important to your business plan, you'll want to consult with an experienced trademark attorney and undergo what is known as a "trademark clearance search".