Through the words of a young girl expressing her love,
William Shakespeare once asked, "What's in a name?"
While this line by Juliet looks beyond the evil nature of
Romeo's family name, the summer of 2020 has been marked with
social unrest leading many businesses and entertainers to
reconsider the nature of their names and any connection they have
to past atrocities. However, what seems a simple decision to
acknowledge progress on social issues becomes more complicated due
to the impact of trademark law.
In early July '20, the pop-country trio Lady Antebellum announced that it would be changing its name to
Lady A. The decision, prompted in part by a renewed focus on
racial justice issues in the U.S. during the summer of 2020, was
intended to take positive steps toward social change along with a
corresponding donation to the group's charitable organization
LadyAID. Within a few weeks, The Dixie Chicks, another pop-country
trio and one with a history of political
