A trade name refers to the corporate, partnership or other name of a business. A business operating under a trade name may market its goods or services under one or more trademarks or service marks. Trade names usually have only local significance, and therefore are protected primarily by state unfair competition law. A trade name that also functions as a trademark or service mark, however, may be federally registered and protected as such. A trade dress is the totality of elements in which a product or service is packaged.
Trade dress is governed by the same general principles as trademarks.