Trademark Strength Scorer

Q: Can a descriptive name be trademarked?

Purely descriptive names (e.g. 'Best Quality Shoes') are very difficult to register. However, descriptive marks can sometimes gain protection through 'acquired distinctiveness' - evidence that the public associates the name with your brand through long use and advertising.

How registrable is your brand name? We analyse distinctiveness, descriptiveness risk, and phonetic uniqueness to give you a clear score.

The trademark distinctiveness spectrum

Trademark law ranks names on a spectrum of distinctiveness. The stronger (more distinctive) your mark, the easier it is to register and the broader protection you receive.

Category	Strength	Example	Registrable?
Fanciful	Strongest	Kodak, Xerox	Yes - easiest to register
Arbitrary	Very strong	Apple (computers), Shell (fuel)	Yes - broadly protectable
Suggestive	Strong	Netflix, Airbus	Yes - with some effort
Descriptive	Weak	Quick Print, Best Value	Difficult - needs acquired distinctiveness
Generic	None	Computer, Shoes	No - never registrable

What we analyse

Distinctiveness level - Where your mark falls on the spectrum
Descriptiveness risk - Whether your name describes your products/services
Phonetic uniqueness - How different your mark sounds from existing registrations
Length and memorability - Practical factors that affect brand strength

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes a trademark strong?

Strong trademarks are distinctive and don't describe the product or service. Fanciful marks (invented words like "Kodak") are the strongest. Descriptive names are the weakest and hardest to register.

Can a descriptive name be trademarked?

Purely descriptive names are very difficult to register. However, they can gain protection through "acquired distinctiveness" - evidence that the public associates the name with your brand through long use and advertising.