How to choose a distinctive brand name
A strong name helps customers recognise your business rather than merely describing a product. Before ordering packaging, check two separate things: whether the sign can distinguish your goods or services and whether it conflicts with someone else’s rights.
Why a clear name may not be registrable
According to the Ukrainian IP Office’s explanation of grounds for refusal, signs without distinctive character, commonly used signs and purely descriptive signs can be problematic. Assessment depends on the particular goods and services. For some signs, the law allows proof that distinctiveness was acquired through use before filing.
For illustration, “Daily vegetable delivery” tells customers what a service offers. An invented word may work better as a brand name. However, being invented does not itself confirm registrability: the word may resemble an earlier trademark.
How to assess name options
- Write down the goods and services customers will associate with the name.
- Explain its meaning without advertising adjectives. Is it simply a description of the product?
- Check what the words mean in the languages of future markets.
- Compare several options by sound, spelling and possible associations.
- Separately search for earlier trademark applications and registrations.
Do not judge a name only by friends’ reactions. Unusual spelling may look original to the team while customers read it as an ordinary product name. Ask someone whether they see a brand or a product characteristic, without suggesting the answer you want.
Will visual design help?
Assess a logo as a specific combination of elements. Do not assume a decorative typeface will automatically solve a descriptive-word problem or provide exclusive rights to that word separately. Before choosing the application format, decide which element customers should recognise after a redesign.
The next step
Prepare a shortlist of names, a description of your activities and examples of use. If the brand is already operating, collect dated advertising and sales materials for professional assessment. They can help explain the facts but do not replace an analysis of registration requirements.
For a convenient first check of a name, use ProfitMark trademark search. Specify the name, target market and goods or services. This is an initial check: matches and potential conflicts still need a specialist’s assessment.
Checked against official sources: 22 October 2026.