How do I actually check if a name is free to use - in India and internationally - before I fall in love with it?
The short answer
In India, run your shortlisted name through the government's own Trade Marks Public Search portal before you spend a rupee on a logo - it's free and tells you if the wordmark or something confusingly similar is already registered or pending in your product class. Filing itself costs ₹4,500 per class for startups filing online (₹9,000 for larger companies), and an uncontested application typically clears in 6-18 months, so start the filing early, not after launch. If you plan to sell internationally too, also run a quick check on the target country's registry and on domain/social handle availability - a name that's free in India but trademarked in the US will block your export or Amazon Global plans later.
A quick summary to orient you. The real value is below: the resources worth your time, from people who've actually done it, not us.
Here are the resources
Hand-picked from around the web, each with a note on why it earns your time. India-specific ones carry a badge.
Why we picked it
A current, India-specific breakdown of trademark costs and timelines - the ₹4,500-per-class government fee and 6-18 month uncontested timeline every Indian founder should know before naming feels final.
Why we picked it
Explains the fanciful-vs-descriptive naming spectrum and why arbitrary/made-up names are the strongest and most defensible trademark category - the theory behind why 'Kodak' beats 'Delicious Pizza' as a brand name.
Why we picked it
The official, free government trademark search portal - the non-negotiable first check before you commit to a name or spend money on a logo and packaging in India.
