Ajay, you are free to advertise practically any name you wish on your store-front in America. This is a part of free speech. Mind that you do not infringe on another business' trade mark and of course don't offend your neighbors & potential customers. Here's a few great tips when considering names.     This comment was edited to remove a link. Please review our Community Best Practices for more information about how best to participate in our online discussions. Thank you.

I'm not sure what type of business you're looking to start; but if it involves an actual shop\location you might want to consider an L.L.C. for the liability protection it has against your personal assets. Also, most counties require the proper name be used for a DBA since you're only allowed to do business under that registered name.

First of all, you should get information from your county or city on what the exact rules for signage are. That being said, it is unlikely because it would be burdensome on business owners to waste expensive and valuable space in placing the exact DBA on signage when they really need to use various trademarks or other information about the product. However, better check up before you waste thousands of dollars on signage you won't use.

You likely can file for another fictious name that you want to use. I have 3 different names I use for one of my corps.

Ajay,     The quick answer is; No, they probably do not have to match.   If you think of most franchises across the county...that McDonald's down the road, for instance; it may be owned by 'The Acme Burger Company, LLC' but it proudly displays the McDonalds trade dress and signage; It should be same with your business.   Depending on the location of your business, your municipality may require you to file a 'DBA Statement' or 'Fictitious Name Statement' with them (mostly for consumer protection reasons) but it's usually a very simple & straight foward process. You pick a unique name, submit it to the city or town and, after it's advertised in a local paper, you're usually give the approval to use it.   Of course, you should always consult with your own legal professionals for advice concerning your specific situation.   I hope that helps and good luck in your new venture,   - Tony