以上术语均用作指商业、商品或服务的名称，但它们并非同义（尽管有些人把它们都当作“商标”）。差异在于brand (“品牌”）主要指已经树立的，经常是著名的且用于广告的商品名称，其不是正式的法律术语，一般不具备法律上的排他权[1]。brand mark或brand name为“商品商标”，常指同一企业生产或销售的一系列产品或提供的服务的名称，如“长虹”便是 the brand name of a line of household appliances。与 brand 相比较，trademark (商标）为典型的法律术语，表示经登记注册之商标，具有排他权，未经同意使用则构成侵权，其可以是词语、符号等，为制造商或商人所采用以将自己的商品与他人的商品加以区别[2]。tradename (商号）是指用于区分业务或职业的名字或标记，有时也可当作商标使用，与trademark—样，其也受到法律的保护，其多用于表示经营某种业务的公司、企业、团体等实体的名称的区分等[3]。
        
[1]“A word, mark, symbol，design，term, or a combination of these, both visual and oral, used for the purpose of identification of some product or service." Cf. The Publisher's Editorial Staff, Black's Law Dictionary, abridged 6th edition, at p. 130，West Publishing Co. (1991).

[2]“A word, phrase, logo, or other graphic symbol used by a manufacturer or seller to distinguish its product or products from those of others. ”Cf. Bryan A. Gamer, Black's Law Dictionary, 7 th edition, at p. 1500，West Group (1999).

[3]“A name or mark that is used by a person (as an individual proprietor or a corporation) to identify that person's business or vocation and that may also be used as trademark or service mark. Like a trademark or service mark, a trade name is protected by law against infringement. ”Cf. Linda Picard Wood, J. D.，Merriam Webster's Dictionary of Law, at p. 499, Merriam-Webster, Incorporated (1996 ).