A trademark is a symbol, word, or phrase legally registered or established by use as representing a company or product. It protects the intellectual property rights of businesses, ensuring that their brand identity is secure and distinct from competitors. While the process of trademark registration offers numerous advantages, not everyone is eligible to apply for a trademark. Those who lack a legitimate interest, such as applicants registering marks for fraudulent purposes or without intent to use them, cannot apply for a trademark. Marks that are identical to existing ones, offensive, deceptive, generic, or misleading about the product’s origin or quality are also ineligible, as are government symbols or marks violating public order or morality. Let’s explore in detail. General Overview of Trademark Eligibility To understand who cannot apply for trademarks, it’s essential first to recognize who can. In general, any individual or legal entity, such as a corporation or p...