Are character names in books copyrighted?

IANAL disclaimer but generally character names themselves cannot be copyrighted. They may be trademarked but only if the literary work/movie/or a related product were named after the character. So, trademark would only come into play for secondary characters in widely merchandised works.

Can you name a character after a celebrity?

Yes, you can name an original character the same name as someone in real life.

Can character names be trademarked?

Yes, the name of a fictional character or its graphical representation can be registered as a trademark if it is being used as a trademark. A fictional character can be used as a trademark in many ways, such as using the character as a logo for a business or for retail items.

Do you have to get permission to use someone’s name in a book?

Originally Answered: Do you need someone’s permission to include them in a book you write? Yes – especially if you are using their real name, and the book is a true story. Even if you are changing their name but they will be identifiable by the story, it’s still best practice to get their permission.

Is it possible to name your character after a TV character?

Although if your story is set in the modern real world, you could have it recognized in-universe that your character has the same name as that TV character, and he’s always having to explain that, yes, he really is called that.

Should you change the name of your protagonist?

So unless the name of your protagonist is common in the real world and it is not the name of a protagonist in a bestselling book, movie, or tv show and it is not the name of a celebrity, – change it to something either unique and original or common.

Is Jack a good name for a main protagonist?

I bet there is hundreds of main protagonists called Jack in the world of fiction. Just be careful if you’re going around naming your characters something along to lines of Aragorn or Jon Snow. If you name your characters a normal name (from any culture), its fine.

Are characters protected by copyright law?

For characters, the character only becomes protected under copyright law once it becomes a unique expression, i.e. drawing your own rendition of something or adding certain attributes.