A company name is the official name an enterprise is registered with in the The Register of Business Enterprises (Foretaksregisteret). A strong name is often the first point of contact customers have with your company. It can evoke associations, build trust—and help you stand out in the market. But how can you secure the rights to the name?
A company name is the legal name under which a company is registered in the Register of Business Enterprises. This is the name that appears in public records and is used on official business documents such as invoices and contracts.
A business name receives a certain level of protection automatically upon registration, but this does not necessarily give you exclusive rights to the name—especially if it is descriptive.
A company name identifies your company as a legal entity, while a trademark identifies the goods or services you offer in the marketplace. Even if your company name and trademark are the same, they offer different types of protection.
It’s important to understand the different elements that make up a business's identity. Domain names, business names, and trademarks are three key components. They serve different purposes and have different legal protections.
Learn more about the differences between domain names, business names, and trademarks.Before choosing a name, you should check whether it is already in use—as a business name, domain name, or trademark.
You can easily do this via navnesok.no—a joint search service developed by the Brønnøysund Register Centre, Norid, and the Norwegian Industrial Property Office (NIPO).
To register your company name, visit Brønnøysund Register Centre.
You can register a name that directly describes your business activities, but you’ll only be protected against identical names. To prevent others from registering similar or confusing names, your name must be distinctive.
In certain cases, a company name can also be registered as a trademark.
A business name without distinctiveness has less value, as it does not prevent others from registering a similar name.
If you register a name that directly describes your business, you will only be protected against identical names. To prevent others from using a similar or confusing name, you must choose a distinctive name.
A distinctive company name means a name that does not describe the industry you are in. Then you can prevent others from registering a business name that can be confused with yours.
A couple of examples of distinctive company names are Freia AS and Ruter AS. The name does not describe the goods or services they provide, it is a fictitious name.
The more distinctive the business name is, the greater protection it will have against other people's business names and trademarks.
Your business name can describe the industry you're in. With a descriptive name, it's easier for you to advertise your goods and services, because customers will more easily see what industry you operate in by looking at your business name.
But you may run into problems with competitors. You cannot prevent others from having similar descriptive names as their business names.
Example: If you have chosen a name such as "Rørleggerservice AS" you cannot prevent others from registering "Rørleggerservice 1-2-3 AS" or "Grünerløkkas Rørleggerservice AS".
Descriptive names can lead to disadvantages such as you getting your competitors' mail or them getting your mail. It can also be difficult to stand out in the market and customers can more easily choose your competitor because the names are so similar.
If you believe a registered company name can be confused with your own business name or trademark, you can file a complaint with the Norwegian Industrial Property Office (NIPO). The same applies if the business name infringes on your rights to a protected personal name.
You can only object to business names that are registered in the Register of Business Enterprises. Business names registered only in the Central Coordinating Register for Legal Entities (Enhetsregisteret) are not covered by this procedure.
A company name that are interchaneable with others may look or sound like your business name or trademark. What matters is whether others—your potential customers—might mistake one for the other.
Don’t sabotage your own rights—follow the correct order to secure protection for patents, designs, names, and domains. Read how Anna went about securing the various rights to her helmet.
Protect your idea in the correct orderWe cannot provide advice on registration with the Brønnøysund Register Centre, but we’re happy to assist you with questions about trademark protection and rights to business names.
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