The Domain Name Wire has published an interesting article dedicated to the mistakes of domain investors when choosing words for registered or acquired names. Registrants very often use words that they think are dictionary and common, but in reality, are protected trademarks. The publication lists 7 such words, which are especially common in domain names.
In the first place is the word Realtor. Almost all over the world it has long denoted the profession of a specialist in real estate transactions. But in the U.S., it’s a trademark of the National Association of Realtors. It cannot be said that she strictly monitors and mercilessly punishes every use of this word. But there are many examples of domain disputes (for example, with the AustinRealtors.com or MillionDollarRealtors.com domains), and even litigation in which the Association found it necessary to protect its rights – and did so.
Two other examples are Frisbee and Rollerblade. Both words have long become household names in American English, the first means "flying saucer" for children's games (however, no less popular among adults), the second - roller skates. But both of them are also trademarks: the first is owned by the well-known toy manufacturer Mattel, the second by the Rollerblade company itself.
The following two examples should be recognized as specifically American. And few people know that this is a trademark of Johnson & Johnson. And the word Taser means a kind of electric shocker, popular in the United States as a means of self-defense. So popular that most people don't even remember that Taser is a trademark of Axon.
But the other two examples are quite international. Jacuzzi is not any hot tub, as many believe, but a bathtub manufactured by the Jacuzzi company, which owns the rights to the trademark. And it is quite surprising to find that the word Ping-Pong (a synonym for table tennis not only in the US, but throughout the world) is also not at all a dictionary word. Trademark rights are owned by Escalade Sports. Surely this information will be useful to many domain investors and save them from reckless purchases or registrations.
