BBC News obtained a letter sent from Nokia to the Lowdownapp, giving them until February 10 to remove its prominent 'HERE' button.
The Lowdownapp is a digital personal assistant that lets users inform friends when they have arrived at a location by tapping the 'HERE' button. It has also released a standalone app called HERE for people to use to check in at particular places.
Nokia believes the term could be confused with the Finnish firm's mapping and navigation app called HERE. Its legal team wrote a letter to the start-up, informing Lowdownapp that it has the word trademarked for use on computer software.
"Our client has invested heavily in building and promoting the HERE brand since launch," the letter reads.
"Your use of the HERE sign is likely to deceive members of the relevant public such that they will believe your business is connected with or part of our client's business, when that is not the case.
"This amounts to a misrepresentation that will cause damage to our client's goodwill in the UK and amounts to passing off."
Lowdownapp chief executive David Senior said he will probably have to remove his standalone HERE app, but is seeking legal advice about the future of the 'HERE' button on the Lowdownapp.
"It's ludicrous - people say, 'I'm here', to announce their arrival, which is why we have it as a service," he explained.
"As a small start-up trying to deliver value to users, we don't think a multi-billion dollar company will be affected by this.
"Life is hard enough without Goliaths squashing Davids - maybe they should focus on creating a better mapping service than Google or Apple [rather] than squishing a minuscule business."
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