Jonathan Ive, designer of the iMac, iPod and iPhone, has lost a claim for domain names carrying his name because his name is not a trade mark and because he shuns publicity, reports OUT-LAW News. His name is not used enough in commerce to be protected, an arbitrator has ruled, the report continues.

Apple offered the registrant of the domain names in question, UK-based Harry Jones, $10,000 for the domain names, however Ive said he would sell the domains for $400,000. Apple then disputed the domains and filed a dispute with WIPO where they lost the case.

The disputed domain names were jonathan-ive.com, jonathanive.com, jony-ive.com and jonyive.com, registered by Jones in 2004

While Jones kept the domain names, the panel warned Ive can dispute the domain names’ ownership should circumstances change in the future.

To read the OUT-LAW.com report in full, see:
out-law.com/page-10004