Almost 7 years after Mnkr's inception, and thousands of shirts later, MNKR is finally a Registered Trademark with the US Patent and Trademark Office. We've earned the right (and payed for it as well) to use the little ® after our name to protect ourselves from any would-be biters.
Back in early 2003 I began what would be my third attempt at a clothing line. The first two brands were far too single-minded and this time I needed something that allowed me free reign to put anything I wanted
onto a shirt. Places I've visited, music I like, things I believe in, et cetera. It would be me, but in t-shirt form. My given name starts with the letter "m" and so I figured the brand should as well. Enter "moniker". I thought it was perfect. What better name for a brand name than a word that means "a name"
for a company that exists around one persons ideas? Basically "moniker" would become another name for me. Coupled with the fact that it played to my nerdy side for it's obvious word-play, I was sold.
Next I had to see if it was already in use. I did my searches with the USPTO, the Google, the other search-engines and there was nobody in my industry using the word "moniker" to any degree. Nice! I was safe to go ahead with the use of the moniker "moniker" for my name brand. Months later it would become the vowel-less "MNKR" you see today, shortened for an easier to recognize URL and to separate myself from anyone else using the word "moniker" to let's say, sell plumbing supplies, or arrowheads.
Fast-forward a few years and come to find out that a couple other clothing companies have decided to use the word "moniker" in their name as well. Crazy original right? Now I'm not saying that these people didn't come to the same great epiphanic conclusion on their own just as I had, but a simple internet search of the word "moniker" + anything clothing related, should have brought you to one very simple, black & white conclusion..... already taken (a.k.a. "let's not be dicks"). Pfff. One of em even sells, you guessed it,
art-driven graphic tees.
An old friend of mine, Pollie Gautsch, who happens to be an copyright and trademark attorney, helped me with the filing of the application at the USPTO along with the writing of the cease-and-desists that were sent to both moniker designs, and moniker wear. Neither company has done anything to resolve the issue at the time of this article. Thank you Pollie for your help.
Here's to my next venture, "Nikee, Things that go on your feet!"
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