Judge Denies Author Attempt to Trademark 'Cocky' ; Publishers Weekly, June 4, 2018

Jim Milliot, Publishers Weekly; Judge Denies Author Attempt to Trademark 'Cocky'

"Although Hopkins had obtained her trademark, the law only allows trademarks in limited cases. The law prevents individual titles from being trademarked, only series titles, and allows that common words cannot be trademarked at all, unless they develop an association in the minds of the public with a particular source...

In denying Hopkins’ motion for an injunction, Judge Hellerstein found that the injunction was unlikely to proceed on the merits, noting that “cocky” is a common word and a weak trademark."

Romance writer ignites copyright war after securing ownership of the word ‘cocky’; New York Daily News, May 10, 2018

Leonard Greene, New York Daily News; Romance writer ignites copyright war after securing ownership of the word ‘cocky’

[Kip Currier: Another "teachable moment" about confusion between copyrights and trademarks...The article writer repeatedly talks about "copyright", though this is clearly a trademark issue.

A tip-off too is when the reporter says people are petitioning the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to cancel the copyright: the U.S. Copyright Office--as the eponymous name helpfully telegraphs--handles copyrights.]

"Faleena Hopkins, author of "Cocky Cowboy," "Cocky Soldier," "Cocky Biker" and "Cocky Brothers" insists she's not being full of herself by cornering the market on cocky.

She says she's just protecting her brand.

"I receive letters from readers who lost money thinking they bought my series," Hopkins tweeted after the cocky copyright clash. "I'm protecting them and that's what trademarks are meant for...

In the meantime, more than 20,000 people have signed a petition to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office asking it to cancel the "cocky" copyright."