Omotola trademarks name

Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, Nigerian actress, says she has trademarked her first name.

A trademark is a piece of intellectual property consisting of a recognizable sign, design, or expression which distinguishes your company or its products from others.

It allows you to brand something to prevent anyone else from copying or using it.

The 43-year-old movie star took to her Twitter page on Tuesday to break the news to her numerous fans.

“Omotola is now trademarked,” she simply wrote.

“OMOTOLA” is now Trademarked. 🎯 pic.twitter.com/9ERHbpmXmT

— Dr Omotola .j. Ekeinde , MFR (@Realomosexy) February 16, 2021

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The implication of her latest move is that all her projects including movies, reality TV shows, and even photos are now protected legally.

She now has the legal rights to use the name alone, and prevent others from using it.

Since her foray into the movie industry, she has been able to carve a niche for herself,  maintaining her position as one of the most influential and celebrated actresses in Nigeria.

Can you trademark a name?

The answer is Yes. But you can only trademark a name if you use it in your business and you are able to prove that people can associate the name with your brand.

Examples of people who have their names trademarked are: U.S. President Donald Trump, Melania Trump, Beyonce, Taylor Swift, Rihanna, Victoria Beckham, Justin Bieber, Bruce Springsteen, Katy Perry, Kylie Jenner, among others.

If you only use your name for personal purposes, you can’t register it as a trademark.

Why Trademark your name?

Trademarking your name gives you an additional brand and keeps others from using your name.

The benefits of registering your name include providing you with added protection against cybersquatters (those who buy up domain names that use the names of existing businesses with the intent to sell the names for a profit to those businesses.)