trademark and names...

[Frigglesworth]

Cook County/Illinois

Hello,

I would like to register a business name with the state. However I am confused with regards to trademarks. If I am granted usage of a business name by the county and state could I be sued for trademark infringement down the road?

For example: I am naming my company "XYZ Technologies", but there is already a "XYZ Research" trademarked. Could that company sue me down the road because the XYZ (XYZ is obviously just an example) is the same?

[FlyingRon]

Certainly they can. While company names can be trademarks, they aren't automatically and just because you have a company name doesn't mean it can't infringe someone's trademark.