Trademark the name when you want protection for the wording consumers use to identify your business, product, or service. Trademark a phrase or slogan when the phrase itself functions as a separate source identifier. Trademark the logo when you want protection for a particular visual design or stylization. Many businesses file separate registrations for both their name and logo—and sometimes for a slogan as well.
A name, slogan, and logo can all function as trademarks, but they are not interchangeable. The best filing strategy depends on what consumers recognize as the brand and what, specifically, you want the trademark registration to cover.
September 2026
By Michael E. Kondoudis, Trademark Attorney with 25+ years of Experience
USPTO-Registered·1,000+ Trademarks Searched and Filed·Bar: U.S. Supreme Court
TL;DR + Brief Summary
A name, phrase, and logo can each function as a trademark, but they protect different aspects of a brand.
- Trademark the name when customers primarily identify your business, product, or service by its wording. A standard-character registration protects the wording without limiting it to a particular font, style, size, or color.
- Trademark a phrase or slogan when consumers recognize the phrase itself as a source identifier rather than merely advertising, decoration, information, or a message.
- Trademark the logo when the visual design or stylization has independent branding significance. Logos are generally filed as special-form marks, also called stylized or design marks.
- Consider more than one application when the name, logo, and slogan independently function as trademarks. A registration for a logo containing a name is not the same as a separate standard-character registration for the wording alone.
- If you can file only one application, prioritize the brand element most important to how consumers identify the source of your goods or services. For many businesses with a distinctive name, that means evaluating the standard-character name mark first.
Related Guides
- Names: For a full explanation of trademarking business, company, brand, and product names, see our comprehensive guide: How to Trademark a Name.
- Phrases: For a full explanation of trademarking slogans and phrases, see our comprehensive guide: How to Trademark a Phrase.
- Logos: For a full explanation of trademarking logos and designs, see our comprehensive guide: How to Trademark a Logo.
What Is the Difference Between Trademarking a Name, Phrase, and Logo?
The principal difference is what trademark matter you are asking the USPTO to register. Names and phrases are commonly filed as standard-character marks, while logos and stylized wording are generally filed as special-form marks.
| What you want to protect | Typical USPTO filing | What the registration primarily covers | Best choice when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Standard-character mark | The wording itself, without limiting the registration to a particular font, style, size, or color | Customers identify the business, product, or service primarily by its name |
| Phrase or slogan | Usually a standard-character mark | The wording of the phrase when it functions as a source identifier for the identified goods or services | Consumers recognize the phrase as branding rather than merely a message, advertising, or decoration |
| Logo | Special-form drawing, also called a stylized or design mark | The particular design or stylization shown in the application | The visual appearance of the mark has independent branding significance |
A business may need more than one registration. The USPTO distinguishes between standard-character and special-form drawings and notes that companies may separately register a business name, slogan, and logo. For example, a standard-character registration for a business name and a separate special-form registration for its logo protect different aspects of the brand.
Should You Trademark Your Name?
Trademark the name when the wording itself is the primary way consumers identify your business, product, or service.
For most businesses, the name is the logical first trademark to evaluate because customers are likely to:
- say the name;
- type the name into a search engine;
- look for the name on a website or marketplace;
- recommend the name to someone else; and
- encounter the name in different fonts, colors, and layouts.
According to the USPTO, standard-character applications generally provide greater flexibility for word-based marks because the registration is not limited to one particular visual presentation. See TMEP § 807.03(a)(Requirements for Standard Character Drawings).
A name application is especially worth considering first when the name is settled but the logo may change.
For a full explanation of trademarking business, company, brand, and product names, see How to Trademark a Name: Complete USPTO Guide.
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Should You Trademark a Phrase or Slogan?
Trademark a phrase or slogan when consumers encounter the phrase as a trademark—not merely as advertising, decoration, information, or a message.
A catchy phrase is not automatically a trademark. The important question is whether consumers would understand the phrase as identifying the source of particular goods or services.
A phrase may justify a separate application when:
- it is used consistently as part of the brand;
- consumers recognize it independently from the primary brand name;
- it appears in trademark-style use rather than merely promotional copy; and
- it is sufficiently distinctive for the relevant goods or services.
For example, putting a phrase prominently across the front of a T-shirt may be perceived as ornamental rather than as trademark use. The way the phrase is used matters.
Phrases: For a full explanation of trademarking slogans and phrases, see How to Trademark a Phrase: Complete USPTO Guide.
Should You Trademark Your Logo?
Trademark the logo when the visual design or stylization itself is an important part of the brand.
A logo is generally filed with the USPTO as a special-form drawing, also called a stylized or design mark.
A logo application may be particularly valuable when:
- consumers recognize the symbol or design independently of the wording;
- the business consistently uses the same visual identity;
- the logo contains distinctive graphic elements; or
- protection for the particular combination of words and design is commercially important.
A special-form registration covers the particular mark shown in the application. It does not provide the same scope as a separate standard-character registration for the wording alone.
If your logo contains an important brand name, you may therefore want both:
Name → standard-character registration
and
Logo → special-form/design registration
For the complete filing process, see How to Trademark a Logo.
Should You Trademark the Name or the Logo First?
If the wording is distinctive and important to the brand, the name is often the better first filing because the wording can remain valuable even when the logo changes.
Consider filing the name first when:
- consumers primarily identify the brand by its words;
- the logo is still being redesigned;
- you expect to use the name in multiple visual formats; or
- your immediate priority is protection for the wording itself.
Consider filing the logo first or at the same time when the graphic design has substantial independent branding significance.
There is no universal rule requiring one to be filed before the other. The appropriate order depends on the strength of the marks, their use, clearance results, budget, and business priorities.
Should You Trademark Both the Name and the Logo?
Many businesses benefit from separate registrations for the name and the logo because the two applications protect different presentations of the brand.
Suppose a business uses:
ACME
and also uses:
[ACME + distinctive graphic design]
A standard-character application for ACME seeks registration of the wording without limitation to a particular presentation.
A separate special-form application seeks registration of the specific design or stylization shown in that application.
One registration does not automatically substitute for the other.
Should You Trademark a Slogan Separately From the Name?
A slogan should usually be filed separately only when it independently functions as a trademark.
A business does not need to register every marketing phrase it uses.
Consider a separate phrase application when consumers are likely to recognize the slogan itself as identifying the source of the goods or services.
If the phrase merely describes the product, communicates information, expresses a common sentiment, or functions only as advertising copy, a separate federal registration may not be appropriate.
Our comprehensive guide How to Trademark a Phrase explains the distinction between trademark use and informational or ornamental use.
What If Your Logo Contains Your Business Name?
A logo containing a business name can be registered as a combined word-and-design mark, but that registration is different from registering the wording alone in standard characters.
This distinction is important.
If you file NAME + DESIGN as a special-form mark, the USPTO evaluates the mark as shown in the drawing.
If the words themselves are important to your brand, you may also want a separate standard-character application for NAME.
Protect the words as words → standard-character mark.
Protect the particular visual presentation → special-form/design mark.
Do You Need More Than One Trademark Application?
You may need multiple applications when multiple brand elements independently function as trademarks.
Common combinations include:
- Name + logo. The business wants protection for both the wording and a particular design.
- Name + slogan. The primary name and a separate slogan both function as source identifiers.
- Name + logo + slogan. All three independently identify the source and have sufficient commercial importance to justify separate filings.
But more applications are not automatically better. Each additional application should protect a commercially meaningful trademark asset.
The USPTO permits one trademark per application; separate variations may require separate applications
Name vs. Phrase vs. Logo: Quick Decision Guide
Ask these questions in order to identify which trademark asset or assets should be evaluated for registration.
What will customers call the brand?
If the answer is a word or name, evaluate a name trademark.
Is there a slogan consumers recognize separately from the name?
If yes, evaluate a phrase trademark.
Would consumers recognize the visual symbol without seeing the name?
If yes, evaluate a logo trademark.
Is the logo likely to change soon?
If yes, consider prioritizing the name and waiting until the logo is stable before filing a special-form application.
Would the name, phrase, and logo each function as a brand if the other elements disappeared?
If yes, more than one application may be appropriate.
Has each proposed mark been searched and cleared?
The filing decision should be made only after evaluating whether the proposed mark creates unacceptable conflict risks with earlier trademarks.
Which Trademark Guide Should You Read Next?
Choose the guide that matches the specific trademark asset or question you are evaluating.
| What You Want to Protect | Guide |
|---|---|
| Protect the wording of a business/product/service name | How to Trademark a Name |
| Protect a slogan/tagline/catchphrase | How to Trademark a Phrase |
| Protect a design/stylization/logo | How to Trademark a Logo |
About the Author and Why You Can Trust This Guide
Michael E. Kondoudis is the founder and principal of The Law Office of Michael E. Kondoudis, a Washington, DC-based intellectual property law firm focused on federal USPTO trademark matters. From our Washington, DC headquarters near the USPTO, we provide flat-fee trademark registration services to clients from all 50 states.
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Do not send confidential trademark concepts or brand names through comments, forms, or email on this site — unsolicited information is not privileged. Trademark rights depend on specific facts and jurisdiction. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Consult a licensed trademark attorney for advice on your situation.
Remember: I am an experienced trademark attorney. However, I am not your attorney.
For more than twenty years, Michael Kondoudis has been the go-to trademarking expert for businesses of all shapes and sizes. Michael is a USPTO-licensed trademark and patent attorney, educator, speaker, and author of the Amazon best-seller: Going From Business Owner to Brand Owner. He is also an authority trusted by national news media on major trademark stories.
Fun Facts: Michael is a member of the Bar of the U.S. Supreme Court and an actual rocket scientist (B.S. Astronomy and Astrophysics, Indiana University 1994).