Personal Name Trademarks in 2026 : Celebrity, Founder, and Public-figure Disputes

Introduction : A name is arguably the most intimate possession of an individual, yet the law increasingly views it as a mere commodity - a brand, a licensable domain, a source of tortious dispute. Indian courts have grappled with the question of when a celebrity name ceases to be a personal appellation and becomes a commercial asset subject to trademark-style protection. The implications of this distinction touch all manner of speech and commerce, from memes to merchandise and from satire to...