WWE likes to trademark virtually everything on their programming, especially names. The recent crop of WWE releases included Samoa Joe, but will he be able to keep that name after leaving WWE?
The company does file trademarks on a ton of names, but according to a recent report from Heel By Nature, Samoa Joe owns his name. He used it in TNA prior to WWE, but Vince McMahon’s company never filed a trademark on it.
Samoa Joe: Seanoa, Nuufolau Joel (Samoa Joe’s real name) owns trademarks for his in-ring name under a number of different classifications. He will be able to use the name in the future.
It appears that Samoa Joe can be Samoa Joe wherever he goes. That is not the case for every other WWE release. The only exception is Mickie James, but the company also filed a trademark on her name.