How to Register a Brand Name and Logo

The key question: if you have a brand name and a logo, is that one trademark or two?

Legally, it can be either — and the choice has real consequences. You can register the name alone (a word mark), the logo alone (a device mark), or both together as a combination mark, and each option protects something slightly different.

1. Think of it like registering a name versus a photo of yourself

A word mark protects your name in any font, color, or style — pure text. A logo (device) mark protects the specific visual design — but only that exact design, not the underlying name if used differently. Registering both separately gives you the broadest protection.

Surprise most people miss: registering only a combination mark (name + logo together as one image) doesn’t fully protect the name by itself. If a competitor uses your brand name in a completely different font and design, a combination-only registration gives you weaker grounds to object than if you’d separately registered the word mark.

2. The mistake of designing before checking

Doing this in the wrong order — designing an expensive logo and building brand recognition before checking the name is even registrable — is one of the most common and costly sequencing mistakes founders make.

3. A worked example: the rebrand that didn’t have to happen

A founder spends significant money on a logo design agency and launches marketing around “Vertex Studios” before checking trademark availability. Three months in, a cease-and-desist letter arrives from an existing “Vertex” mark holder in a related design services category.

4. What makes a logo registrable at all

Not every design qualifies. The registrar checks that your logo is sufficiently distinctive — a logo that’s purely decorative or too close to an existing registered design can face objections, similar to how purely descriptive word marks do.

Easy rules to remember

Safe: searching and clearing your brand name before investing in logo design, not after.

Risky: registering only a combination mark and assuming it fully protects your name in every font and context.

Safer still: registering the word mark and the logo mark separately if budget allows — broader protection than either alone.

Where this connects

Before you commit to a name, see how to search for a trademark in India. For the registration process itself, see how to register a trademark in India.

Find a CA who handles brand and trademark registration: browse Trademark Registration providers, or search your city on CA Near Me. In Delhi, Neha Kapoor specializes in brand protection for D2C and creative businesses.