Shark Bait / Sharkbait — Domain & Name Availability Research
Date: July 9, 2026
Project: Research availability of "Shark Bait" / "Sharkbait" as a game name and domain
Method: This is a worked example of the brand-name-availability-research skill
1. USPTO Trademark Search
"SHARK BAIT" — Computer Program (Class 9 — Software)
| Field |
Value |
| Serial Number |
78154729 |
| Registration Number |
2729288 |
| Filed |
Aug 15, 2002 |
| Registered |
Jun 24, 2003 |
| Status |
DEAD — Cancelled (Jan 31, 2010) |
| Reason |
Registrant did not file Section 8 declaration |
| Goods/Services |
Computer program for analyzing real estate related data (NOT games) |
| Link |
https://tsdr.uspto.gov/#caseNumber=78154729 |
Verdict: No conflict. Dead/cancelled, and was never for games/entertainment.
Other "SHARK BAIT" / "SHARKBAIT" Trademarks (non-game)
| Mark |
SN |
Goods |
Status |
| SHARK BAIT |
85098948 |
Clothing (shirts, hats, swimwear, etc.) |
Dead (estimated — no Class 9/41) |
| SHARK BAIT SUPPLY CO. |
87716475 |
Clothing |
Unknown |
| SHARK BAIT |
75511495 |
Decals |
Dead |
No LIVE/ACTIVE trademark for "SHARK BAIT" or "SHARKBAIT" was found in the game-related classes:
- Class 9: Downloadable computer game software, video game software
- Class 41: Entertainment services, providing online games
Trademark Risk Assessment
- Risk: LOW — No active game-related trademark for either name
- A new "SHARK BAIT" trademark for a game could be filed with the USPTO
- Existing dead marks in unrelated classes (clothing, real estate) do not pose a conflict
2. Existing Games Named "Shark Bait" or Similar
2a. "Shark Bait" — Mobile Dating Sim (Dorian app)
| Field |
Value |
| Platform |
Dorian app (iOS & Android on Google Play) |
| Developer |
RoseMagpie (Robin Pendragon) |
| Type |
Visual novel / dating sim with shark gods |
| Release |
2023 |
| IMDb |
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt35046178/ |
| TikTok |
@rosemagpiestudios |
| Similarity |
Exact match — "Shark Bait" |
| Risk |
HIGH — A published game already uses this exact name on iOS/Android |
| Sequel |
"Shark Bait: Riptide" exists (doesn't seem trademarked either) |
2b. "Captain Sharkbait: Voyage for Treasure" — Steam
| Field |
Value |
| Platform |
Steam (App ID 4085510) |
| Developer |
Dylan Gray / Extra Pickle Studios |
| Type |
3D platformer |
| Release |
Nov 4, 2025 |
| Similarity |
Close — includes "Sharkbait" in the full title but is a character name |
| Risk |
MEDIUM — Uses "Sharkbait" as part of the full name, not the standalone game title |
2c. "SharkBait" — VR Game (Meta Quest)
| Field |
Value |
| Platform |
Meta Quest store |
| Developer |
Alt Lab VR |
| Type |
Spearfishing VR |
| Similarity |
Exact match (single word) |
| Risk |
MEDIUM — VR-only, different platform from typical mobile/PC games |
| Link |
https://www.altlabvr.com/sharkbait |
2d. "Shark Bait" — Unit in Clash Mini (Supercell)
| Field |
Value |
| Game |
Clash Mini (mobile) |
| Developer |
Supercell |
| Similarity |
Exact match — a character/unit name, not the game title |
| Risk |
LOW — Character within a larger game, not a standalone game |
2e. "Sharkbait" — Weapon in Borderlands 4
| Field |
Value |
| Game |
Borderlands 4 |
| Developer |
Gearbox / 2K Games |
| Similarity |
Exact match — weapon name, not game title |
| Risk |
LOW — Named item, not a game |
2f. "Shark Bait" — Board Game (Melissa & Doug)
| Field |
Value |
| Type |
Children's board game (touch-and-feel with plush shark) |
| Retailer |
Walmart, Amazon |
| Similarity |
Exact match |
| Risk |
MEDIUM — Physical board game, different market from digital games |
2g. "Shark Bait" — Other uses in gaming
| Context |
Game |
Type |
Risk |
| "Shark Bait" |
Raft |
In-game item/tool |
LOW |
| "Shark Bait" |
The Jackbox Party Pack 2 |
Achievement name |
LOW |
| "Shark Bait" |
Gambillion |
Achievement name |
LOW |
| "Shark Bait" |
Snake 3D Adventures |
Achievement name |
LOW |
| "Shark Bait" |
Shark Tale (2004) |
Level/chapter name |
LOW |
| "Shark Bait" |
Persuasive Games Bogost |
Flash advergame (2000s) |
LOW |
3. Domain Availability
Summary Table
| Domain |
Available? |
Status |
Notes |
| sharkbait.com |
NO ❌ |
Taken (GoDaddy) |
Apparel brand site; registered 1996, expires Sep 23, 2027 |
| sharkbaitgame.com |
YES ✅ |
Available |
Best option |
| sharkbattleague.com |
YES ✅ |
Available |
Odd mashup; only if "Shark Bait League" is intended |
| sharkbaits.com |
NO ❌ |
Taken (GoDaddy) |
Registered May 2021, expires May 19, 2027 — likely parked |
| playsharkbait.com |
YES ✅ |
Available |
Good secondary option |
Domain Details
sharkbait.com — TAKEN
- Registrar: GoDaddy.com, LLC
- Created: 1996-09-23
- Expires: 2027-09-23
- Nameservers: NS41.DOMAINCONTROL.COM, NS42.DOMAINCONTROL.COM
- Use: Shark Bait Apparel (clothing brand)
- Acquisition: Would likely require purchase from owner; backorder at expiry possible but unlikely
sharkbaitgame.com — AVAILABLE
- Best option for a game-specific domain
- Clean, descriptive, memorable
- Estimated cost: ~$10-12/year at standard registrars
sharkbattleague.com — AVAILABLE
- Only useful if you want "Shark Bait League" branding
- Similarity to "sharkbattleague" is high, which could be confusing
sharkbaits.com — TAKEN
- Created: 2021-05-19
- Expires: 2027-05-19
- Status: Parked (likely squatted)
- Note: Could attempt to purchase, but the plural form is less desirable
playsharkbait.com — AVAILABLE
- Good secondary/redirect option
- Estimated cost: ~$10-12/year
4. Recommendations
Domain Priority (Grab immediately)
| Priority |
Domain |
Reason |
| 1st |
sharkbaitgame.com |
Available, descriptive, perfect for a game |
| 2nd |
playsharkbait.com |
Available, good action-oriented name |
| 3rd |
sharkbattleague.com |
Only if league/battle branding is relevant |
Estimated Annual Domain Costs
- New registrations: ~$10-12/year each at standard registrars (Namecheap, Cloudflare, Porkbun)
- Cloudflare is recommended for at-cost pricing (~$8-9/year)
- Avoid GoDaddy for new registrations due to high renewal prices
Trademark Recommendations
- No legal obstacles to using "Shark Bait" or "Sharkbait" as a game name
- The existing "Shark Bait" mobile dating sim (RoseMagpie/Dorian) is the primary conflict — it uses the exact name and is actively marketed
- Recommend strongly considering a more distinctive name to avoid confusion with the existing "Shark Bait" mobile dating sim (which has ~2 years of market presence)
- If proceeding, file a US trademark application in Classes 9 and 41 as early as possible
Risk Summary by Name Variant
| Name |
Main Conflict |
Risk Level |
| "Shark Bait" |
Mobile dating sim (RoseMagpie/Dorian, 2023) and Melissa & Doug board game |
HIGH |
| "Sharkbait" |
VR game (Alt Lab VR, Meta Quest); weapon in Borderlands 4 |
MEDIUM |
| "Captain Sharkbait" |
Steam game (2025) |
MEDIUM |
| A more distinctive name |
None |
LOW |
5. Sources
