MY NAME’S “MICROSOFT” BUT YOU CAN CALL ME “MIKE”

First trade marks are simply badges of origin for goods or services. Then they become aspirational lifestyle icons. Finally trade marks achieve the ultimate level of adoration when, just as people used to name their children after much-loved saints or heroes, now they name them after their best-loved brands. News.com.au relates tales of children called Timberland (six American Timberlands were born in 2000), Canon (45 kids), Bentley (9 kids), Jaguar and Xerox. More tasteful names include Bologna (as in sausage) and Gouda (as in cheese). Several boys have been called Camry, after the Toyota car, while Chanel is used for girls. Apparently at least 10,000 different forenames are now in use in the United States, two-thirds of which were largely unknown before World War II.

The IPKat hopes that the brand-naming of children will not be considered an infringing or dilutionary act and that the courts will not order them to be delivered up to trade mark owners for disposal or destruction.

Strange forenames here, here and here
Is it wise to give your baby an unusual name? Find out here and here
American Name Society here
Molecules with names that parents are unlikely to call their children here


MY NAME’S “MICROSOFT” BUT YOU CAN CALL ME “MIKE” MY NAME’S “MICROSOFT” BUT YOU CAN CALL ME “MIKE” Reviewed by Jeremy on Sunday, October 12, 2003 Rating: 5

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