Not only does this mean that the corporate name has not been used by another entity, this means that no other party has opposed the use of such name, not because it is the same name they use, but because it may be similar, etc. The term "Negative" comes from the lack of action of other public interests that may have had the right to oppose such name. This comes from the Roman Law concept of "usucapion" which in the Spanish speaking world relates to prescripcion positiva or negativa.