You probably already have ideas about the name you’d like for your new business. But you need to consider legal issues before you start ordering signs and business cards. Every state has rules about the names that new business entities can use, and in general, you can’t choose a name that another business is already using. Also, it’s risky to choose a name that might infringe on another business’s registered trademark. And if you think you’ll want to trademark a business name, you’ll want to choose a name that meets trademark protection criteria. A lawyer can explain the rules and help you research your options.