To register your business name you’ll likely register a “Doing Business As” (DBA) or “Fictitious Business Name” (FBN). This process lets your state or local government know the name you are operating your business under. This registration doesn’t provide trademark protection, but it does allow you to create and use the name you want for branding purposes without having to incorporate.

If you don’t register a DBA name, the name of the business will default to the name of the legal owner of your business. For example, if your name is Rachel Smith and you form a consulting company, the legal name of the business will be “Rachel Smith.” However, if you decide to name your company “Money & Business” you’ll need to register this as a DBA name. Specific DBA registration rules vary from state to state.