Naming a Theater on Ice group (and Showcase Ensemble)

[zenghetti]

I have a very good idea on what to name a group for theater on ice (and a showcase ensemble), but I wanted to know if there were any official way of researching whether or not it is in use or if it is an acceptable name?

It is not X-rated by any means, nor political, nor anything else - it's not a name that would enrage anyone.

I just didn't know if you had to get approval from anyone in regards of this.

 

[Diana Delafield]

I have a very good idea on what to name a group for theater on ice (and a showcase ensemble), but I wanted to know if there were any official way of researching whether or not it is in use or if it is an acceptable name?

It is not X-rated by any means, nor political, nor anything else - it's not a name that would enrage anyone.

I just didn't know if you had to get approval from anyone in regards of this.

Your nearest reference librarian can tell you how to find a list of registered names for any kind of company or group and, more importantly, if the name has been copyrighted by anyone. You don't want to get into legal trouble over this. (If you haven't ready any of my library-related posts, that's what I used to be, mainly at the Library of Parliament in Ottawa where we fielded a lot of questions on that subject area.)

 

[Query]

I don't know about other countries, but in the U.S., names of organizations (or performers) can be trademarked, which is quite separate from copyright. Both in a given state, and separately, at a national level. And sometimes trademarks are specific to specific domains of application. I'm not sure you can copyright a performance group - though you can copyright choreography.

Problem is, sometimes names that are close to other names are claimed by someone suing you to be too close. They don't have to be an exact match.

National level: tmsearch.uspto.gov/search/search-information
State level: search at Google for

trademark search

 

[Diana Delafield]

I don't know about other countries, but in the U.S., names of organizations (or performers) can be trademarked, which is quite separate from copyright. Both in a given state, and separately, at a national level. And sometimes trademarks are specific to specific domains of application. I'm not sure you can copyright a performance group - though you can copyright choreography.

Problem is, sometimes names that are close to other names are claimed by someone suing you to be too close. They don't have to be an exact match.

National level: tmsearch.uspto.gov/search/search-information
State level: search at Google for

trademark search

Thanks for adding the American perspective. Basically, the point the OP needs to know is that it's not just a matter of inventing a name people won't object to and haven't used themselves. There are serious legal ramifications that can be very expensive if the OP chooses a name already used or even something close to that. If there's going to be any advertising or publishing of the group's name, even if just quietly local, it would be wise to employ a lawyer from the start.

 

[Query]

BTW, trademarks exist in many - perhaps most - countries. I think they may be more significant for this particular question than copyrights.
Sometimes a group of people start using a name (e.g., for a music or dance group), and other people unconnected to them sneakily trademark that name. E.g., many of the famous music groups have had this done - and the new group of people then get people to hire them thinking that they are a continuation of the same group. And the original group no longer have legal use of that name. You wouldn't want that to happen to your performance group, after you started using it, and established your reputation!

Music and choreography are subject to copyrights and licenses in many - perhaps most? - countries. But that is a separate issue. I think.

If your show has a name, it can maybe protected too - but I'm not sure whether that would be a trademark or copyright.

I did once trademark a company name in one U.S. state, for a business I tried to start. But I haven't tried to research the rules of other countries.

If you have a home ice rink or home skating club, perhaps you can get their permission to use their name to eliminate the costs of obtaining trademarks and hiring a lawyer - e.g., for rink XYZ you could be the "XYZ Ice Theater"?