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Does spacing between words matter registering a trademark?

Written by Jan Buza

Co-founder of Trama

Spacing has little to no impact on a trademark application, unless the spacing helps create a different commercial impression. The IP office considers marks that differ only in spacing (e.g., "WhiteElephant" vs. "White Elephant") to be confusingly similar, so spacing alone will not create meaningful distance from an existing conflicting mark.

As a practical matter, file the application with the name spaced as you actually use it commercially. This creates an accurate record of the mark and is the version that will appear on the registration certificate.

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