March 2, 2009

Here’s the easy way to pick a new name for your bank or credit union…and run into some serious trademark problems while you’re at it.

All you have to do is pick something from
Column A and pair it with Column B.

• First Choice Credit Union
• NewView Bank

You can also switch it up and pick something
from Column B first.

• Service Secure Credit Union
• Horizon First Bank

You can even pick just one word from either
column and just go with that!

• Sun Bank
• Advantage Credit Union

Throw in a few terms of your own (how about
“Green?”), and you can easily yield a name list
with a thousand names. “Green Horizon.”
“Greencrest.” “Greenview.”

Reality Check: Just because there isn’t already a financial institution in your area — even your entire state — bearing a name you like, doesn’t mean you can use it, nor does it prevent a trademark lawsuit.

Bottom Line: Pick a name using words like these and you run the very real risk of getting sued and having to start over. Someone, somewhere is using something similar.

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Previous related stories from The Financial Brand:

• Most common words in credit union names
• HomeFederal becomes ‘Indiana Bank & Trust’
• 75 interesting credit union name changes in 2009
• Ohio bank learns hard lesson about trademark law

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