Surname is Now Registered as Trademark in Saudi Arabia

RIYADH – The Saudi Arabia Authority for Intellectual Property (SAIP) approved the registration of family name as trademark in the Kingdom.

The Authority set certain conditions to accept applications for family name registration as trademarks, to strike a balance between rights holders interested in registering a family name as trademark and whoever bears that surname.

SAIP stressed that the surname should be considered a component of the trademark and not the trademark itself, and it should comply with the conditions and formal registration requirements related to normal trademarks. The surname should be in commercial use for a period that is not less than 10 years.

The Authority stated that the surname should have a distinctive appearance, and the trademark should be registered in the category of goods or services for which it is famous.

The decision excluded the registration of family names that are widespread and common in the field of products or services in which the trademark will be registered, as well as the registration of the names of widespread tribes and clans.

For more information about trademark registration in Saudi Arabia, please contact our office in Riyadh at ksa@agip.com