The ™ symbol stands for trademark. It indicates that a word, phrase, logo, symbol, or design is being used as a trademark to identify and distinguish the goods or services of one company or individual from those of others. Here’s a quick breakdown:
Purpose: Signals that a brand element (e.g., a name like “Nexlify” or a logo) is claimed as a trademark to protect brand identity.
Usage:
Unregistered Trademarks: The ™ symbol can be used without formal registration for goods (or ℠ for services) to claim common-law trademark rights based on use in commerce.
Unlike the ® symbol, which requires official registration with a trademark office (e.g., USPTO), ™ doesn’t need legal registration.
Example: If your brand is “TechTrend,” you can add ™ (e.g., TechTrend™) to signal it’s your trademark, even without registering it.
Legal Protection: Using ™ establishes some protection against infringement, but registered trademarks (®) offer stronger legal recourse.