How do I find out if a name is trademarked?

Question

I am wanting to name a small business and want to see if a company I saw has a trademark on the name

Answer 1

Frankly? Your best bet is to do web searches for the name you want to use. The trademark registration isn't as important as the usage. If someone has been using  the mark, they can assert trademark rights even if they don't have a federal registration. And then there are state registrations. If you think you are pretty clear on these criteria, then you need to do a "real" trademark search thorugh a law firm .  

Answer 2

You can also check the federal governments website: http://tess2.uspto.gov/bin/gate.exe?f=te...

Remember that this is for US trademarks.