Can I copyright a name?

To be honest - no. But hang on! It doesn’t mean that you can’t protect the name. Keep on reading and you will learn how you can do this.

Why can’t I copyright a name?

Copyright is for images, books, songs, music, computer programs, etc. It doesn’t cover names as they are too short to qualify for copyright protection. The shorter the text, the more difficult is to copyright it. This sentence can’t be protected. But the entire article can.

How do I protect the name?

You should get a trademark registration. Trademarks are for protecting brand names and names of products. Unlike copyright, you can trademark almost any word or even letter. That’s different from copyrights as the longer the text, the more difficult it to protect it by a trademark. Patents are for protecting inventions.

How do I trademark the name?

You need to apply for your trademark at the Trademark Office of the country of your interest. Copyright is international, but trademarks are territorial. You can learn about the process on our website.

What is the cost?

The cost depends on the country of protection and products you wish to cover as all the mark are registered for some products. Coca-Cola is for beverages, for instance. The price starts at US$300 for some countries. Contact us to learn more.

What if someone promises to copyright a name for me?

Run from him. There is no way to copyright it, as the names are not copyrightable. They are protected by registering trademarks.

What’s the price for filing a copyright?

It’s free in most of the countries. You own it from the moment of creating your book or music, or other creation. However, in the USA you can file the copyright for 350 USD.

For how long will my copyright be protected?

For your entire life + 70 years. A trademark is registered for 10 years.

Copyright and Trademark Registration

• Copyright provides more general protection, covering your logo for a limited period after which it can't be renewed. Moreover, not every logo can be protected by copyright, only a fraction of all logos enjoy this protection.
• The problem is that copyright was not meant to protect logos, it should be used to cover more significant works like paintings, books, and songs.
• A regular logo might not be distinctive enough to entitle copyright protection in some countries. The next problem is the enforcement as if someone uses your copyrighted logo as his trademark, you will have to hire an attorney to sue the infringer, which entails additional expenses.

Because of this, the copyright protection is not an ideal solution when you plan to use your logo in commerce.