The difference between trademarks and trade names Trade names refer to the names of goods used to distinguish them from other goods, and can be divided into common names and unique names. Common names refer to the general names of the same type of goods that are well known to the public, such as televisions, clothing, etc., and cannot be used to distinguish different sources of the same type of goods. The main differences between trade names and trademarks are: (1) Trade names are popular and are not protected by the Trademark Law in principle; trademarks are proprietary and are protected by the Trademark Law. (2) The common name of goods is used to distinguish different types of goods, and the unique name is used to distinguish specific goods of the same type; trademarks are used to distinguish producers and operators of different goods. (3) The common name of a product is not distinctive and cannot be registered as a trademark; a trademark can be applied for registration. In addition, if the owner of a trademark, especially a well-known trademark, improperly uses or protects the trademark, it may cause the trademark to lose its distinctiveness and become a common name for the goods.