A good name must be available, distinctive and usable by customers. Prepare three to five genuinely different alternatives before applying. OMPIC says the negative certificate confirms availability and grants 90 days to complete commercial registration.
The method
- Define activity and audience.
- Remove misleading names.
- Search similar names.
- Check domains and social accounts without treating them as rights.
- Prepare different roots.
- Apply officially.
- Read refusals.
- Register inside 90 days.
1. Build a strong list
Test pronunciation in the languages customers use.
| Test | Question |
|---|---|
| Distinctive | confusable? |
| Honest | suggests an authority/activity not held? |
| Practical | easy to dictate? |
| Durable | survives a new range? |
2. Search
Cover visual and phonetic similarity.
- Search OMPIC bases.
- Try spelling variants.
- Observe local signs.
- Check similar marks.
- Document domains/accounts.
- Rank alternatives.
A free domain proves neither commercial-name nor trademark availability.
3. Handle result
DirectEntreprise can reserve the name before creation.
| Result | Action |
|---|---|
| Accepted | check spelling and beneficiary |
| Refused | read reason and vary |
| Correction | change requested point |
| Expired | search and reapply |
Do not print volume packaging before approval and trademark review.
The certificate does not protect products
OMPIC says a name/sign does not itself protect goods and services as a trademark.
4. Keep identity consistent
After registration, use the exact legal name in bank, contracts and invoices.
- Legal name: legal person
- Sign: establishment
- Trademark: goods/services
- Domain: web address
A visible sign and trademark have different protection.
Mistakes to avoid
- One proposal.
- Generic description.
- Ignoring sound.
- Confusing domain and right.
- Printing early.
- Letting 90 days expire.
Frequently asked questions
Validity?
OMPIC’s current page states 90 days.
Individual?
Optional where no trading sign is used according to OMPIC.
Refusal?
Follow current response options and deadlines.
Protects a trademark?
No; filing is separate.
In BelloPOS?
Use the validated legal and trading identity on documents.
What to take away
Prepare alternatives, search similarity, apply before brand spend and use the 90-day window to register. Keep each identity in its proper role.
Sources
The figures and rules quoted above come from these pages, read on the date given in the article.
- OMPIC, Commercial name, read 30 August 2026
- DirectEntreprise, official platform, read 30 August 2026
Use the exact name on sales
Centralise legal name, sign and contact data on receipts and invoices.
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