Okay, I waver on this subject; from thinking "It's hubris to think your book will do well enough" to "But if it does, did I just dig myself a hole?" which I imagine a few people get. The conundrum - In my novel, I have seven corporations "The Big Seven" I'm fine with all of their names (TKR, Tuanjie, Kosdoby, Vekten, Ramuda-AMG) except one. E-Space. I called it that because my novel is hard scifi, and I want it to come across as analogous to the real world, without it specifically being Space-X. I even pointed out in the novel its full name is Engineering Space, and is reduced to E-Space for short. It has an American owner, but is -nothing- like Elon Musk, isn't named anything hinting at Elon Musk (Jay Barnum), and the company's background is, as the name suggests, space engineering more than satellite and personnel delivery missions. The reason i've tried to make it different is because Mr.Barnum isn't a very nice guy, and employees of his do some pretty bad stuff. I keep telling myself i've done enough to distance it from Space-X, but when you flat-out just look at the name, it being only a one letter difference annoys/worries me. I dont particularly want to change it to something else (Space-Tech had crossed my mind, but bleugh, not half as catchy), so im just wondering if there's any more legally-inclined, knowledgable people out there who might be able to either put my mind more at ease or tell me flat out to change it. (outside of the standard google search of corporate/company defamation no nos of "dont call a company McDonalds and have the manager of it be a rampant murderer) I know I'm in a muddy grey-area, but meh, a second (or third) opinion never hurts.
end of the day if you want legal advice - you need to talk to a lawyer. No one here is qualified to give it. (even those who are lawyers should not be giving it via the medium of the forum)
