U.S. Trademark Office denies Cardi B's application to trademark catchphrase "Okurr"

Forbes.com: "The United States Patent and Trademark Office has denied Rapper Cardi B’s application to trademark her catchphrase, “Okurr” because it’s too “commonplace.” Ouch. Just kidding. That’s actually just normal trademark denial language. A trademark is intended to indicate the source of goods or services to consumers. The underlying goal is to ensure that the public can trust that a certain product or service is coming from a specific source. A catchphrase, which is a signature saying used so often that it becomes linked with a person or character, may, indeed, be trademarked; Paris Hilton owns and has even defended the trademark for "That's Hot." There are several reasons the Trademark Office may deny a catchphrase registration, however, including that it is a “widely used” or “commonplace” expression. Generally, a person’s trademark rights to a catchphrase arise upon their first usage of the term.

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Cardi B now has the opportunity to respond the Trademark Office's refusal and fight for her right to “Okurrr," but based on the evidence cited in the denial letter, she faces an uphill battle."

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