Legal Definitions - prohibited and reserved trademark

A prohibited and reserved trademark is a type of trademark that cannot be registered or used by anyone. This includes trademarks that are offensive, deceptive, or too similar to existing trademarks. For example, a trademark that uses a racial slur or a trademark that is too similar to a well-known brand like Nike or Coca-Cola would be prohibited and reserved.

These types of trademarks are not protected under the law and cannot be used in commerce. If someone tries to use a prohibited and reserved trademark, they could face legal consequences.

For example, the Washington Redskins football team was forced to change their name in 2020 because it was considered a prohibited and offensive trademark by many people.