Tag Archives: Surnames

A Distinctive Fourth of July: Fireworks and Historical Figure Trademarks

Fireworks and SousaUnless you are Leonardo Da Vinci or Julius Caesar, you would probably have trouble registering your last name as a trademark.  This is because last names are not generally considered to be inherently distinctive enough to qualify for trademark protection without proof of secondary meaning.  However, there is an exception for historical names that are likely to be recognized by the public as referring not to an ordinary surname,… More