<p>In machine learning, it is common to give algorithms quirky names. What happens if you think you've found a name that's actually quite fitting for an algorithm (catchy, descriptive, etc) -- but turns out there's registered company with that name (doing something completely unrelated)? Is there any way they can pursue legal action (with any reasonable chance of success) for using their name in an academic paper -- even if a full disclaimer of the two being completely unrelated is made?</p>

<p>[If the question is inappropriate for this forum, I'd be grateful to the moderators for migrating it to the right one!]</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-11-24T19:06:49.350Z
First, company names are protected by trademarks, not by copyright. Second, trademark protection only applies to names of companies or products that compete on the same market as the trademark holder. It is does not apply companies that are in unrelated business, and all the more it does not apply to an academic paper on unrelated topic.
Emil Jeřábek
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-11-24T19:08:55.767Z
Thanks! If you turn this into an answer I'll be happy to accept. I think this information may be relevant to the people in the forum.
Aryeh
<soft-question>
Naming an algorithm after a copyrighted object
Aryeh
# Naming an algorithm after a copyrighted object

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-11-24)

In machine learning, it is common to give algorithms quirky names. What happens if you think you've found a name that's actually quite fitting for an algorithm (catchy, descriptive, etc) -- but turns out there's registered company with that name (doing something completely unrelated)? Is there any way they can pursue legal action (with any reasonable chance of success) for using their name in an academic paper -- even if a full disclaimer of the two being completely unrelated is made?

[If the question is inappropriate for this forum, I'd be grateful to the moderators for migrating it to the right one!]

**Tags:** soft-question

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: First, company names are protected by trademarks, not by copyright. Second, trademark protection only applies to names of companies or products that compete on the same market as the trademark holder. It is does not apply companies that are in unrelated business, and all the more it does not apply to an academic paper on unrelated topic.  
> **username_0**: Thanks! If you turn this into an answer I'll be happy to accept. I think this information may be relevant to the people in the forum.  

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## 0 answers

