Brooklyn Beckham can’t quite ‘Bend It’: Losing the ability to use his own name as a trade mark

Brooklyn Beckham’s now-public rift with his famous parents, former professional footballer David Beckham and singer/fashion designer Victoria Beckham, unfolded via an Instagram® post. His allegations include that the couple had told ‘countless lies’ at the expense of innocent people, all to maintain a carefully crafted public image.

Family drama aside, what makes this feud particularly interesting are Brooklyn’s claims that he was repeatedly pressured to sign away rights to his own name.

Trade mark rights in the name ‘Brooklyn Beckham’

While it is unclear exactly what rights he is referring to, it is a safe bet these would include the trade mark registrations in the European Union (EU) and United Kingdom (UK) for the mark BROOKLYN BECKHAM in the name of Victoria Beckham, as parent and guardian of Brooklyn Beckham.

These registrations cover a broad range of goods and services, including:

• cleaning, personal care, beauty, fragrance and cosmetics (Class 3)
• electronic, digital and audiovisual goods (Class 9)
• printed matter and stationery (Class 16)
• bags, luggage and leather goods (Class 18)
• clothing, footwear and headgear (Class 25)
• toys, games, sporting goods and play equipment (Class 28); and
• entertainment, music, media production and sports‑related services (Class 41)

What is immediately apparent from the broad coverage of these trade mark registrations is that the Beckhams had envisaged a ‘BROOKLYN BECKHAM’ brand as early as 2016, when the applications were filed. At that time, Brooklyn was only seventeen, yet already positioned, by virtue of his parents’ fame, to evolve into a high‑profile celebrity brand or influencer. This expectation was not unreasonable. Many celebrity children have successfully leveraged social media to build their own substantial influence, gaining the viral reach and commercial pull to promote virtually any product to millions of followers.

Seeking trade mark protection for Brooklyn’s name could be viewed as a proactive step to prevent the misuse or misappropriation of his name by a third party. Effectively, these trade mark registrations grant Victoria Beckham (i.e., not Brooklyn) the exclusive rights to use the mark BROOKLYN BECKHAM in relation to the registered goods and services in the EU and the UK, which are the most commercially significant markets for the ‘Beckham’ brand.

It is also notable that the filing date, 22 December 2016, is just under three months before Brooklyn turned eighteen.

Who can actually own trade mark rights in ‘Brooklyn Beckham’?

Interestingly, if these trade mark registrations were filed when Brooklyn was legally an adult (at eighteen), and they were not in his name, there would have been grounds to oppose the registration of the mark or invalidate the registrations. Brooklyn himself could have brought such proceedings.

By filing the trade mark applications before Brooklyn turned eighteen, and under the designation ‘Victoria Beckham, as parent and guardian of Brooklyn Beckham’, the Beckhams cleverly avoided any potential ownership challenges to the BROOKLYN BECKHAM mark. It is important to note, however, that recording a parent ‘as parent and guardian of’ does not cause legal ownership of the trade mark to automatically pass to the child upon reaching majority. A formal assignment, and the recording of that transfer on the trade mark register, is required for ownership to vest in the adult child.

The conveniently timed trade mark filings give some credence to Brooklyn’s claims about his parents’ desire to control the broader ‘Beckham’ brand image. It also means that he is not, strictly speaking, being asked to sign away rights in his own name – the registered owner of the trade mark of his name, at least in the EU and UK, is Victoria Beckham. However, she herself may not ultimately control how the BROOKLYN BECKHAM mark is used, as its exploitation is likely subject to commercial agreements and licensing arrangements with management, entertainment, or media companies.

For example, Authentic Brands Group, a global brand owner and entertainment company, has a strategic partnership with David Beckham through which they co-own and manage his global brand. This arrangement may very well extend to the broader ‘Beckham’ brand.

What can Brooklyn do?

Now an adult, Brooklyn could challenge Victoria Beckham’s continued ownership of the EU and UK registrations. In the UK, possible grounds for invalidation include:

• that the registration misleads consumers into believing a commercial connection with him that no longer exists; or
• bad faith – that Victoria Beckham filed the registration in her capacity as his guardian, but may have done so for an improper purpose, such as retaining control over his commercial identity.

Another avenue may be to the challenge Victoria Beckham’s ownership based on Brooklyn’s change in status. Once he turned eighteen, her guardianship ended, making it arguable that her continued ownership is improper or at least requires reassessment.

There may, however, be contractual arrangements that limit Brooklyn’s ability to challenge the ownership of the BROOKLYN BECKHAM mark, such as licensing agreements with third parties or commercial partnerships with management, entertainment, or media companies – like the one between Authentic Brands Group and David Beckham. But such arrangements cannot fully prevent him from using his own personal name. UK trade mark law protects honest commercial use of a person’s own name, provided it does not deliberately cause confusion or exploit the trade mark owner’s goodwill. Comparable protections exist in Australia and New Zealand.

A practical illustration of this may be how Brooklyn chooses to represent himself on social media platforms. His verified Instagram® account uses the handle ‘brooklynpeltzbeckham’. Whether intentional or not, ‘Pletz’ – his wife’s surname, now appears to function as a natural differentiator between ‘BROOKLYN BECKHAM’ the brand and Brooklyn the person.

The BROOKLYN BECKHAM registrations are due for renewal on 22 December 2026. It will be interesting to see if they are renewed and, if so, whether Victoria Beckham will continue to retain ownership.

Should you register your own name as a trade mark?

If your business or personal brand relies on your name, yes — absolutely. This is particularly important for:

• social media influencers
• celebrities and public figures
• fashion designers
• coaches, consultants and creatives

Losing the ability to control the commercial use of your own name may sound like a ‘celebrity problem’, but Australia has already seen a similar long‑running saga between American pop star Katy Perry (Katheryn Hudson) and Sydney fashion designer Katie Taylor, who trades as Katie Perry. Their dispute over who may use “Katy/Katie Perry” in relation to clothing in Australia has been litigious, costly, and is now awaiting a final decision from the High Court of Australia.

The key lesson, from both the Katy/Katie Perry dispute and the Beckham family feud, is clear: a name can carry immense commercial value. Registering your trade mark early is the most effective way to protect and maintain control over your brand identity.

Final Thoughts

If your name is your brand, don’t delay — trade mark it. If you don’t, someone else might!