Name Development

Ah, so it goes! Who are you in name presented to the world as a blogger, influencer, personality or business? Titles count.

Developing a name, as I see it, is a mix of your vibe vision and practicality. What feels good to you that the world out there will also be attracted to. 

Based in my name development process:

• Begin with words that you feel connected to, like ocean, woods, canoe, cabin, nature. The words are starting points for brain storming, not necessarily to be used in a name. Use a thesaurus.  
• List several to search online if the name is already being used or means something that does not express your vision. Add keywords like blog, website. book, podcast.
• Search the US Trademark register and your state business register
• Search domain name availability on a trusted domain host website. Add the, s, a and such in your searches. 
• Sketch possible logos
• Rest the name for a few days or longer. Do Not Share it online, in an email or text. 
• Once you are sure you like the name/title, know it is not in use already or too similar to a name in use, then buy the domain name adding the privacy feature. 
• Set up your blog, your website unpublished. 
• Adding-Buy the US trademark. 
• Ducks in a row, go for it. 

I highly stress to do thorough research to make sure your name is unique and not in use. And now that I’ve been sent into shock, 

Buy the US Trademark! 

Summer Photographs: Fields & Shade

 Each week, a select photograph that depicts the season of Summer will be posted here on Mondays. The image can be any subject from an arranged still life to one simple scene that speaks Summer. 

Here is a favorite from Summer 2024.

Route 17 Addison Vermont

There is something about hot sun, farm fields and the shade of a large tree that brings me to thoughts of a perfect summer day. I can almost hear the loud buzzing of June bugs.

Fairness For Blogs?

Advocating searching in various forms, your name and blog name as well as buying the domain names for both has been posted on this blog for years. *

In 2012, (there about) when this blog’s name became Salty Pumpkin Studio, Internet search top pages’ results didn’t show use of the name, Salty Pumpkin, aside from food recipes.

That has changed as now there are people using and/or plan to use Salty Pumpkin as their business name.

https://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/faq-protect.html

In other words, all the years You put into building your blog name means nothing unless maybe you can register it as a trademark. I state maybe because I don’t know US Trademark rules.

Is it fair for bloggers to not have legal protection for their blog name? 

I believe it is not fair. 

I want to see copyright laws keep up with the times by adding a rule that protects blogs from people who try to capitalize on that blog’s years of publishing. 

If an active blog with a unique name has been publishing weekly with the same title for 5 years or more, has an active comment feature, and posts images, then that blog’s title should be protected by copyright. 

I believe using a blog’s unique name is a form of impersonation. 

*This post has been edited to make it shorter

Also, Internet search results for salty pumpkin are not the same as hours ago. Now the results show this blog on top (as it use to).