Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter, known professionally as simply “Beyoncé”, is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and dancer. Not only is she known for her vocal talents, but the artist has become a cultural icon and one of the most influential women of the century.
Born in 1981 in Houston Texas to salon owner, Tina Knowles and Xerox sales manager, Mathew, Beyoncé took part in singing and dancing competitions throughout her childhood. It was as part of the successful R&B girl group, Destiny’s Child throughout the late 1990s that Beyoncé really rose to fame. Beyoncé’s solo musical career began in 2003 with the release of her debut album Dangerously in Love during a Destiny’s Child hiatus. The album featured two number-one singles and four top-five singles on the US Billboard Hot 100.
Since then, Beyoncé’s career has skyrocketed and she has gone on to release seven more albums in total (six of them being solo albums). These include B’Day (2006), I Am…Sasha Fierce (2008), 4 (2011), Beyoncé (2013), Lemonade (2016), Renaissance (2022) and Everything is Love (2018 as “The Carters”).
In addition to her music career, Beyoncé has also appeared in a number of films, including Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002), The Pink Panther (2006), Dreamgirls (2006), Obsessed (2009), The Lion King (2019) and many more.
Beyoncé married internationally famous rap star, Jay Z in 2008 and together they’ve had three children – their daughter, Blue Ivy (2012), and twins, a daughter named Rumi and a son named Sir (2017).
Beyoncé is now one of the best-selling artists in the world with over 200 million records sold. She has a huge number of awards, accolades, and records to her name. This includes 32 Grammy Awards, 26 MTV Video Music Awards, 24 NAACP Image Awards, 31 BET Awards, and 17 Soul Train Music Awards. All of the awards she’s won are more than any other artist. She has also been recognized as the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA)’s Top Certified Artist of the Decade (2000s), Billboard’s Top Female Artist of the Decade (2000s), the first solo artist to have their first seven solo studio albums debut at number one on the Billboard 200, the highest-earning black musician of all time (Billboard), and she appeared in Time magazine’s top 100 women who defined the last century.
Famous Beyoncé Trademarks
Not only is Beyoncé recognized worldwide for her talents as a vocal artist, but over time she’s also developed a solid brand for herself. In addition, she’s collaborated with several big brands and other artists over time to further increase her image and reputation. Beyoncé currently has 22 trademarks registered with USPTO, let’s take a look at some of her most famous ones, registered by BGK Trademark Holdings, LLC.
Beyoncé
The first thing the musician trademarked was, unsurprisingly, her name. After rising to fame throughout the late 1990s as part of Destiny’s Child, Beyoncé filed for her name to be trademarked in 2000, but it wasn’t granted until 2004. It covers:
- Photographs, posters, and stickers
- Clothing, namely – shirts, sweaters, blouses, jackets, slacks, hats, and caps
- Entertainment services in the nature of live performances by a female entertainer
- Fragrances and perfumery; body sprays used as a personal deodorant and as fragrance; bath and shower gels, oils, foams, and salts not for medical purposes; bath beads; bath creams; bath crystals; bath fizzies; bath flakes; bath herbs; bath lotions; bath milk; bath pearls; bath powders; bath soaps in liquid, solid or gel form; bubble bath; hand, body and foot lotions, soaps and powders, butter and creams; skin and body topical lotions, creams and oils for cosmetic use; eye pillows containing fragrances; makeup, namely, foundation, eye shadow, lip gloss, lipstick, mascara, eye liner, blush, eye makeup remover, eye pencils, eye shadow, eyebrow pencils, eyeliners, face powder; cosmetic compacts; hair and skin preparations, namely, hair spray, shampoo, conditioner, shaving cream, skin cleansers, astringents for cosmetic purposes, beauty masks, facial scrubs, night cream, skin cream, eye cream, moisturizers, clarifiers, skin emollients, skin toners, and body splash
Beyoncé Heat
Beyoncé has released several solo perfume fragrances over time and has been sure to trademark all of the names of these fragrances. Her first brand of perfume was called “Beyoncé Heat”. The singer registered the wordmark for a trademark in 2009, which was granted in 2011 and covers:
- Perfumery, essential oils, soaps, cosmetics, and hair lotions
Beyhive
“Beyhive” is the name given to Beyoncé’s dedicated fanbase. This is a play on Beyoncé’s well-known nickname of “Queen Bee”, and therefore her fan base is the “Beyhive” – a play on words for “beehive”. Members need access to join the group and the fanbase currently consists of more than 17,000 active members. Being part of the Beyhive means you get to join in forum discussions of the musician, as well as gain special pre-sale access to Beyoncé’s music tours. Beyoncé trademarked the word in 2012, covering:
- Entertainment services, namely, a website on which a community of users can post messages, add photos, videos, and links featuring information related to the singer Beyoncé Knowles; fan clubs; providing news, information, podcasts, webcasts, online newsletters, blogs and alerts related to the singer Beyoncé Knowles
BeyGOOD
BeyGOOD is a public charity foundation founded by Beyoncé Knowles-Carter in 2013. The organization’s aim is to ensure that everyone has an opportunity to prosper. They help to support marginalized and under-resourced communities and programs to bring economic prosperity, generosity, and justice. BeyGOOD provides fellowships, internships, educational scholarships, resources for entrepreneurship (including the Black-Owned Small Business Impact Fund), and financial relief for small businesses.
Beyoncé has also trademarked “#beyGood” as well as “BEYGOODFORBURUNDI” – a partnership with UNICEF to provide children in Burundi, East Africa access to safe, sustainable water.
The wordmark for “BeyGOOD” was filed in 2017 and officially registered in 2020. It covers:
- Clothing, namely, shirts, pants, shorts, dresses, vests, coats, jackets, sweatshirts, sweat pants, sweaters, blouses, belts, scarves, socks, undergarments, gloves, earmuffs, headwear, hats, caps, tights, stockings, pantyhose, footwear, and shoes
- Charitable services in the nature of coordination of the procurement and distribution of clothing and household items to needy persons
Blue Ivy Carter
Like many celebrities, Beyoncé has trademarked the names of all three of her children. Trademarking children’s names ensures that no one else trademarks the name, preventing the original owner from using it how they see fit. Most celebrities also trademark the name as a source of income for both themselves and for the future of their children. Trademarking their children’s names means they can use the names for branding on products and merchandise which can be sold for a profit. Beyoncé trademarked “Blue Ivy Carter” in 2016 (four years after she was born), which is still pending application. If granted, it will apply to:
- Fragrances, cosmetics, skin care products, namely, non-medicated skin care preparations, non-medicated skin care creams and lotions, namely, body cream, hand cream, skin lotion, body lotions, skin moisturizers, skin emollients, skin cleansing creams, skin cleansing lotions, all for adults and infants; hair care products, namely, non-medicated hair care preparations, non-medicated hair gel, shampoo, conditioner, hair mousse, hair oils, hair pomades, hair spray
- Metal key chains and metal key rings
- DVDs, CDs, and audio and visual sound recordings featuring musical performances; musical sound recordings; computer application software for mobile phones, portable media players, and handheld computers for use in downloading music, ring tones and video games; handheld and mobile digital electronic devices, namely, tablet PCs, cellular phones, laptops, portable media players, handheld computers; cases and covers for mobile phones and mobile digital electronic devices, namely, laptops, cell phones, radio pagers, mobile computers; downloadable web-based application software in the nature of a mobile application downloadable to handheld and mobile digital electronic devices for use in downloading music, ring tones, and video games; decorative magnets, eyewear, eyeglass cases; computer bags; graduated glassware
- Baby teething rings
- Baby carriages, baby strollers
- Books in the field of music, motion pictures, musical performers; photographs; posters; baby books; stickers; print materials, namely, art prints, color prints, concert programs, calendars, pens, postcards; gift bags; paper flags; trading cards; paper baby bibs
- Bags, namely, tote bags, beach bags, handbags, diaper bags, baby carriers worn on the body, pouch baby carriers, luggage; small leather goods, namely, leather cases, leather bags and wallets, leather purses, leather billfolds, leather key chains, leather key cases
- Plastic key chains and plastic key rings; small leather goods, namely, leather picture frames, leather key fobs, and leather key holders; plastic flags; vinyl banners, baby bouncers, baby changing mats, baby changing tables, high chairs for babies, playpens for babies
- Mugs; beverage glassware; plastic water bottles sold empty; hair accessories, namely, hair combs; baby bathtubs; drinking cups for babies
- Banners of cloth, nylon; flags, namely, cloth flags, nylon flags; towels; baby bedding, namely, bundle bags, swaddling blankets, crib bumpers, fitted crib sheets, crib skirts, crib blankets; baby blankets
- Hair accessories, namely, hair ties, hair scrunchies, barrettes, hair bands, hair bows, hair clips, hair pins, hair ribbons, ponytail holders; novelty buttons; hair accessories, namely, electric hair-curlers, other than hand implements
- Playing cards, balls, namely, basketballs, baseballs, footballs, kick balls, rubber balls, beach balls, golf balls, handballs, tennis balls, racquet balls, soccer balls, sports balls; dolls, baby multiple activity toys, baby rattles, baby swings
- Product merchandising for others; online retail store services featuring music, musical recordings, motion pictures, clothing and clothing accessories, and novelty items; Entertainment marketing services, namely, marketing, promotion, and advertising for recording and performing artists
- Entertainment services, namely, providing online video games, dance events by a recording artist, multimedia production services; entertainment services in the nature of live musical performances; production of motion picture films, fan clubs
Read more: Trademarking your name
Wrapping up
Beyoncé is one of the most successful musicians of all time and is now recognized beyond her music and as an internationally influential woman. She has registered 22 trademarks with USPTO, which is surprising considering how successful she is. Beyoncé has been sure to cover the basics – her name, fan base, solo perfumes, charitable organization, and her children’s names.
However, Beyoncé has a huge number of projects and organizations that haven’t been trademarked. This includes her fashion line, House of Dereon, junior apparel label, Sasha Fierce, Ivy Park fashion line in partnership with TopShop and Adidas, the Knowles-Rowland Centre for Youth, and so much more. The artist hasn’t even trademarked anything to do with her music career – not the name of any of her albums, singles, or popular phrases/lyrics associated with her music. She also hasn’t trademarked popular nicknames like “Queen Bey”.
As someone who is worth $500 million, Beyoncé has a lot to gain by ensuring as much of her assets and IP are registered as trademarks with USPTO to prevent competitors from using the branding, imagery or wording, or something similar which could lead to legal battles costing millions.
