Can companies use "i" in front of their company names?

[sam bramwell]

Would apple have a problem with this?

 

[Ashley_Price]

Hi, @sam bramwell, welcome to UKBF.

From a very basic check on the internet, it seems Apple doesn't "own" the lower case i - so you can go ahead.

I think unless your name sounds or is spelt similar to an Apple product then you might get in trouble, so no calling yourself "iFone".

However, something to be aware of, is you're going to find people will automatically spell your business name with the i as a capital letter. So, instead of "iCompany" you're going to get "Icompany" and probably even "I Company".

My call answering service was called BananaOffice (exactly as shown, no space between the words and the two capital letters) and people would spell it either as "Bananaoffice" or "Banana Office".

 

[sam bramwell]

Hi, @sam bramwell, welcome to UKBF.

From a very basic check on the internet, it seems Apple doesn't "own" the lower case i - so you can go ahead.

I think unless your name sounds or is spelt similar to an Apple product then you might get in trouble, so no calling yourself "iFone".

However, something to be aware of, is you're going to find people will automatically spell your business name with the i as a capital letter. So, instead of "iCompany" you're going to get "Icompany" and probably even "I Company".

My call answering service was called BananaOffice (exactly as shown, no space between the words and the two capital letters) and people would spell it either as "Bananaoffice" or "Banana Office".

Wonderful! Just the answer I was looking for. The app I had in mind has nothing to do with any sort of product apple sell and iv also found that alot of apps that are made are have the "i" in front of their name and are not affiliated with Apple.

Thanks!

 

[Nochexman]

I'm not going to disagree with Ashley-Price, but I would suggest a word of caution.

Firstly, you should not attempt to pass yourself off as in some way connected with Apple. You might find, for example, that whoever you use for things like payments might be concerned that you are attempting to pass yourself as something you are not, and this could cause you problems (like not being able to get paid).

Secondly, if Apple decide that to litigate against you, which they might, irrespective of whether you are in the right or not, could your business continue if you were stopped - even temporarily - from using the 'i'?

Not trying to put you off, but if you were to achieve any success with your business you are more likely to be put under scrutiny and be subject to an action. You might wish that you had adopted a different brand name. Food for thought.

 

[Scott-Copywriter]

The issue is not whether you are right or wrong in using it, or whether you legally can. The issue is whether Apple would have a problem with it, and that's entirely at the discretion of Apple.

They may let some uses slide, but if it's too close for comfort, they make take action.

Even if you do have a right to use it (I don't have the knowledge to tell you that for sure), it wouldn't stop Apple sending you cease and desist letters and eventually taking you to court.

Just to reach the decision, you would have to spend time and money defending yourself (or just admit defeat and change the name immediately).

So it's less about whether you can or can't, and more about whether you think it's worth the possible hassle.

 

[Ashley_Price]

The issue is not whether you are right or wrong in using it, or whether you legally can. The issue is whether Apple would have a problem with it, and that's entirely at the discretion of Apple.

They may let some uses slide, but if it's too close for comfort, they make take action.

I worked for a firm in Brighton who were training and research company and their logo was a solid red triangle. Unfortunately, that was the same logo as the brewers Bass - and they had it copyrighted.

Bass contacted the company I worked for and asked them to change the logo. Apparently, all that needed to be done was for the triangle to be "broken" with a few white horizontal bars - so it was no longer a solid triangle. Because the company weren't in brewing, that small change was more than enough to appease Bass.

My point being, if you get any flack then you can normally work with the firm to make a change that suits both.

 

[webgeek]

You might find this one of interest, as it directly relates to the topic at hand, and involves the litigious iSueYou folks at applE
http://www.cultofmac.com/33309/court-apple-doesnt-own-the-letter-i/

 

[Scott-Copywriter]

I worked for a firm in Brighton who were training and research company and their logo was a solid red triangle. Unfortunately, that was the same logo as the brewers Bass - and they had it copyrighted.

Bass contacted the company I worked for and asked them to change the logo. Apparently, all that needed to be done was for the triangle to be "broken" with a few white horizontal bars - so it was no longer a solid triangle. Because the company weren't in brewing, that small change was more than enough to appease Bass.

My point being, if you get any flack then you can normally work with the firm to make a change that suits both.

I agree. But some companies are more "flexible" than others, shall we say.

But even that small change presents difficulties. What if the firm had just printed half a million brochures with their logo on for an upcoming campaign? They'd have to get them re-printed at a cost of thousands.

I understand that many want to stand up for their rights, especially if they are in the right, but sometimes it's better to avoid the hassle.

For example, using the letter 'i' in front of a name has been severely overused now, and is not such a worthwhile gimmick for a start-up to put themselves at risk of being bothered by large corporations.

Each to their own though, I suppose.

 

[Ashley_Price]

For example, using the letter 'i' in front of a name has been severely overused now, and is not such a worthwhile gimmick for a start-up to put themselves at risk of being bothered by large corporations.

Yes, I am in complete agreement with you on this... but that wasn't what the OP was asking, so I didn't mention it. They must have thought of that before deciding on the name.

As I said, when I had BananaOffice, I was very particular about there not being a space between the two words, but it didn't stop people putting the space there. So, I can imagine no matter what the OP does, he'll probably still using a capital I.

 

[Vectis]

But why would you want to use a small i at the beginning of your app name? The only reason I can think of is that you want it to be associated with Apple - and that will obviously create a problem, for instance if people mistakenly assume the app is something to do with Apple or maybe endorsed by them. Would you be hoping to sell the app in Apple's App Store?

Personally, I'd steer well clear.

 

[webgeek]

Perhaps they're looking to coattail on something like: iMation, iSpring, IBM, iGrafx, inMotion, inFocus or other iBrand?

Perhaps they're looking for things that have an internet, ISP or other connected feel to them?

 

[MikeJ]

BBC's iPlayer has nothing to do with Apple. Nobody would suggest that they're trying to associate themselves with Apple either.

 

[SamLH]

But why would you want to use a small i at the beginning of your app name? The only reason I can think of is that you want it to be associated with Apple

Do you even know why they use i? Steve jobs said himself that the i stood for internet. Apple do not own the word internet, they do not own the letter I. If I create any other internet device I can abbreviate it to iWhateverIwant.

 

[webgeek]

As long as you're not planning on 'creating' anything with i in front of it that they've already trademarked like:

iAd WorkBench® software
iBeacon™ location and proximity detection technology
iBeacon Logo™
iBook® computer
iBooks® application program
iCal® application program
iChat® application program
iDVD™ application program
iFrame Logo® video format
iLife® suite of application programs
iMac® computer
ImageWriter™ printer
iMessage® software feature
iMovie® application program
Inkwell® application program
Instruments® developer software
iPad® mobile digital device
iPad Air® mobile digital device
iPad mini™ mobile digital device
iPad Pro® mobile digital device
iPhone® mobile digital device
iPhoto® application program
iPod® mobile digital device
iPod classic® mobile digital device
iPod Hi-Fi™ speakers
iPod nano® mobile digital device
iPod shuffle® mobile digital device
iPod Socks® holder for computer hardware and consumer electronics
iPod touch® mobile digital device
iSight® camera
iTunes® application program
iTunes Logo® application program
iTunes Pass® online store
iTunes U® feature of online store
iWeb™ application program
iWork® suite of application programs

or SM

iAd® mobile advertising platform
iAd Logo®
iBooks Store℠ online store
iCloud® online service
iCloud Drive® online service
iCloud Keychain® online service
iDisk℠ online services
iMix™ feature of online store
Indie Spotlight® feature of online store
The iTunes Download® radio show, podcast
iTunes Extras® online store
iTunes Live® online store, entertainment services
iTunes LP® online store
iTunes Match® online service
iTunes Music Store℠ online music store
iTunes Plus℠ feature of online store
iTunes Radio® streaming music service
iTunes Store® online store

 

[Chris_39]

Sorry to just jump into this discussion. I really do not think that Apple will have anything against someone using the "i" before their business name as long as he is not competing with them. I also would not worry to much about how people are spelling it with a capital letter. From a "searching on the internet" point of view that does not matter.