Trademarking your baby’s name may seem like an odd process but when you’re Beyonce and Jay-Z, it’s a necessary step—I guess.
On Jan, 26, the couple filed an application to trademark Blue Ivy’s name and protect it from unintended use, which there was already a possibility of, considering they weren’t the first to file an app. On Jan. 11, fashion designer Joseph Mbeh attempted to trademark “Blue Ivy Carter” just four days after the child was born in order to pitch a children’s clothing line to the couple using their daughter’s name and on the 20th, another applicant filed to use “Blue Ivy Carter” and “Glory IV” for a line of fragrances. Both applicants were denied and told the name belongs to a “very famous infant.”
Bey and Jay’s application is still pending, but is expected to be granted any day now, which has some giving the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office the side eye. The office gets thousands of applications per year, receiving 398,667 in 2011, and the process is supposed to be first come, first serve, with it typically taking anywhere from three to four months to get approval. But because of all the noise surrounding Blue Ivy’s birth, Cynthia Lynch, an administrator for trademark policy and procedure, said the office was on alert that several applications might pop up for that name and they were ready to shut down imposters—and apparently approve the rightful owners.
A clothing boutique in Wisconsin does already own a trademark for “Blue Ivy.” Their app was filed in January 2011 before Beyonce was pregnant and granted in August, so the Carter’s will have to accept the store’s right to use the name on their building, website, and more, unless they want to purchase it from them, which I could actually see happening.
What do you think about this trademark business? Necessary or just a rich people “problem?”
Brande Victorian is a blogger and culture writer in New York City. Follower her on Twitter at @be_vic.
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