What's in a name?

[Macker]

Can anyone give me the legal position in France on trading under an attractive business name? For example, there's nothing to stop me in the UK from starting a sole trader business and calling myself The Ponderosa Building Company (for example!) so long as I make it clear that I am Joe Bloggs trading as TPBC and it says so on my business communication, bank account etc. All the French artisans seem to be 'Morineau, Eric, Plomberie' or whatever but I'd like to build a corporate identity for my business and my question is how do you go about registering such a name and where? And is it necessary if you are already a registered artisan (which I am) or can you just invent a name and then trade under it as I'm sure many do. Any feedback gratefully received.

[LesFlamands]

When I registered at the Chambre de Metier I also registered my trading name (Enseigne, I think). It does or can cause a bit of confusion amongst the French as they tend to assume that it is a societe (SARL etc.) rather than an 'entreprise individuelle'. Since I've had a signwritten van the name has become better known locally but I think some of the locals think it is a little 'pretentieux'.