Can A Rose By Any Other Name Still Be A Rose?

You’ve likely heard the saying “a rose by any other name is still a rose”. Well in a way that can be true in the business world as well. Especially if you are considering giving your business a “fictitious” name.

Before establishing your winery, wine or hospitality based business, you will want to consider what name to use when forming your new Corporation or Limited Liability Company. While many business owners choose to operate their business under the name they put in their state filed Articles of Incorporation, you may choose for marketing purposes to operate your corporate entity under a name that’s different from the formal name listed in your Articles of Incorporation. Perhaps you have a catchy name in mind for marketing purposes. Or your own name is too long or not savvy enough for purposes of building your brand. If so, consider a “fictitious business name”.

For example, your may be planning to operate a wine event planning business under the name “John Rose Wine Events, LLC and subsequently plan to do business under that name. Alternatively, some business owners like to operate their corporations under a name that’s different from their individual name or formal legal entity name identified in their Articles of Incorporation. This is what is known as a “fictitious business name” or “dba” doing business as name.

For marketing purposes you may prefer to identify your business as “My Wine Sommelier”. Thus, you might alternatively establish your business name as “John Rose Wine Events, LLC, dba My Wine Sommelier.” You could then market your business as “My Wine Sommelier”.

In order to do so, most states require your corporate entity to file a “fictitious” or “assumed” business name and pay a fee. This legal filing allows creditors, customers, and vendors to know that your business operates under a “fictitious name” yet they are still able to identify you as the business owner. In order to protect your chosen name and establish exclusivity, you may consider registering your chosen name as a trademark.

So now, can a rose by any other name still be a rose? Well yes it can. Consider a “fictitious business” or “dba” name and you too could be the next “My Wine Sommelier”.