Why descriptive brand names get rejected, and how to fix them
“Best Fresh Juice” tells customers what you sell. That’s exactly the problem.
Written and reviewed by CS Prashant Kumar · Last reviewed 28 Oct 2026
The easiest names to remember are often the hardest to register. A name that directly describes your product, its quality or its origin is open to objection under section 9 of the Trade Marks Act.
The distinctiveness scale
- Invented words are the strongest.
- Arbitrary words, real words unrelated to the product, are strong.
- Suggestive names that hint without describing usually pass.
- Descriptive names need evidence of use.
- Generic terms can’t be registered.
Fixes that work
Add a distinctive element, file a combined mark with a strong logo, or build evidence of use before filing for the word alone.