™? ®? ℠? ©? Ever wonder what all those brand name symbols mean? Here is the simple lowdown.
The ® indicates that a trademark is registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). It should only be used after you have received confirmation from the USPTO that your mark has been registered.
The ™ and ℠ symbols can be used when a trademark is not registered (whether or not an application for registration is pending). These symbols are a way for a trademark owner to claim proprietary rights in a mark even though the mark is not registered. The difference between the two is that ℠ stands for “service mark” and indicates that the trademark identifies a service, as opposed to a good, whereas the ™ symbol, which stands for “trademark”, is commonly used for both goods or services.
The © symbol is for copyrights, not trademarks.
