# Is there a term for "trade names that become generic"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [March 28, 2008, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-term-for-trade-names-that-become-generic/443011 "2008-03-28T03:15:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![rudy713](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/3da27b/32.png) [@rudy713](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rudy713)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2008, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-term-for-trade-names-that-become-generic/443011/1 "2008-03-28T03:15:26Z")
I was blogging on this topic and stopped to do some research on the concept of trademarks losing their ownership. I came across your post and disagree with the use of “genericide.” Please see my post: [http://www.anothernormal.com/?p=52](http://www.anothernormal.com/?p=52) I’d love to hear what you think. I believe I’m right. Am I wrong? Rudy * * * MODERATOR NOTES: (1) Please note that this is a post from 2008, until revived in post #12 in Oct 2013. (2) LINK TO STAFF REPORT IN QUESTION: [Is there a term for “trade names that become generic”? - The Straight Dope](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/1464/is-there-a-term-for-trade-names-that-become-generic) ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2008, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-term-for-trade-names-that-become-generic/443011/2 "2008-03-28T03:37:48Z")
[Genericity.](http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/metaschool/fisher/domain/tm.htm#toc) #6 Welcome **rudy713**. It’s customary to link to the column you’re commenting on. No biggie. [http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/meponym.html](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/meponym.html) ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2008, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-term-for-trade-names-that-become-generic/443011/3 "2008-03-28T04:17:55Z")
Wait. Do you disagree that people sometimes use the term or that Ian called it waggish, and it’s related collocation, “victim of genericide,” hopeless? ---
**Author:** ![rudy713](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/3da27b/32.png) [@rudy713](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rudy713)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2008, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-term-for-trade-names-that-become-generic/443011/4 "2008-03-28T05:40:36Z")
Hi. “ **runner pat** ”: Please except my apologies. I didn’t realize that I should’ve linked to the column. I will from now on. “ **Gfactor** ”: I think that the term is being used incorrectly. “Genericide” is the elimination of things generic. And a victim of “genericide” is probably someone who no longer is able to drink coffee because their Starbucks has been eliminated. The article in question talk about things **becoming** generic. When a trademark becomes generic, it should be termed (my word, my opinion) **teemicide** ( **T M** icide), or… it’s been “gentrified,” (though this relates more to race). Rudy ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2008, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-term-for-trade-names-that-become-generic/443011/5 "2008-03-28T12:11:53Z")
I think the word you’re looking for may be _Genericised_; when a product brand name (Such as _Thermos_ or _Hoover_ or _Aspirin_) becomes the Generic Name for _all_ products of that type, regardless of manufacturer. ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2008, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-term-for-trade-names-that-become-generic/443011/6 "2008-03-28T13:04:01Z")
[QUOTE=rudy713] Hi. “ **Gfactor** ”: I think that the term is being used incorrectly. “Genericide” is the elimination of things generic. And a victim of “genericide” is probably someone who no longer is able to drink coffee because their Starbucks has been eliminated. The article in question talk about things **becoming** generic. Rudy [/QUOTE] Ian called the usage, “waggish” and “hopeless.” In other words, he’s arguing against it. Teemicide sounds like you’ve killed one of our board members (Cecil calls them the Teeming Millions). :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2008, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-term-for-trade-names-that-become-generic/443011/7 "2008-03-28T13:39:19Z")
Exmark. ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2008, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-term-for-trade-names-that-become-generic/443011/8 "2008-03-28T14:03:50Z")
[QUOTE=Martini Enfield] I think the word you’re looking for may be _Genericised_; when a product brand name (Such as _Thermos_ or _Hoover_ or _Aspirin_) becomes the Generic Name for _all_ products of that type, regardless of manufacturer. [/QUOTE] Genericide gets used, but it is intended as a half-pun. [http://www.wordspy.com/words/genericide.asp](http://www.wordspy.com/words/genericide.asp) [http://www.inta.org/index.php?option=com\_content&task=view&id=202&Itemid=126&getcontent=1](http://www.inta.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=202&Itemid=126&getcontent=1) That’s why Ian called it waggish. It doesn’t fit the usage pattern for the ending “cide” [http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cide](http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cide) (“killer”) which is Rudy’s point. But in context it conveys the idea–killing the distinctiveness of a mark by using it as a generic term. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2008, 8:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-term-for-trade-names-that-become-generic/443011/9 "2008-03-30T08:56:22Z")
[QUOTE=runner pat] [http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/meponym.html](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/meponym.html) [/QUOTE] The formatting of this article is really screwed up: There are random line-breaks _everywhere_. (Inserting hard line breaks at all in that article was a mistake, but the sheer frequency is very off-putting.) ---
**Author:** ![Canadjun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@Canadjun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Canadjun)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2008, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-term-for-trade-names-that-become-generic/443011/10 "2008-03-30T17:02:41Z")
Just an observation - Aspirin is a generic name in the US, but is still a brand name in Canada; you’ll find lots of bottles of ASA or Acetylsalicylic Acid up here. ---
**Author:** ![Ignatz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/3be4f8/32.png) [@Ignatz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ignatz)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2008, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-term-for-trade-names-that-become-generic/443011/11 "2008-03-30T17:23:45Z")
Usufruct (I know, “band name!”) ---
**Author:** ![johngoodman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b782af/32.png) [@johngoodman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johngoodman)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-term-for-trade-names-that-become-generic/443011/12 "2013-10-29T13:38:44Z")
An alternative to “genericide” which has the virtue of ending in “nym” is “commonm.” > **[Urban Dictionary: commonym](https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=commonym)** > > A trademarked term used to identify all products of the same type, such as the word "Kleenex" used to describe any facial tissue, or "Vaseline" as a term for a competing petroleum jelly. Other commonyms include, Band-Aid, ChapStick, Popsicle, and... ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-term-for-trade-names-that-become-generic/443011/13 "2013-10-29T15:48:53Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > The formatting of this article is really screwed up: There are random line-breaks _everywhere_. (Inserting hard line breaks at all in that article was a mistake, but the sheer frequency is very off-putting.) ? Not on my browser (Firefox). ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-term-for-trade-names-that-become-generic/443011/14 "2013-10-29T15:55:06Z")
> [@johngoodman](#): > > An alternative to “genericide” which has the virtue of ending in “nym” is “commonm.” > > [Urban Dictionary: commonym](http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=commonym) That has your name on it. That’s not much of a cite. [Commonyms](http://www.wuzzlesandpuzzles.com/commonyms/) ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-term-for-trade-names-that-become-generic/443011/15 "2013-10-29T16:06:48Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > ? Not on my browser (Firefox). Please note that you are responding to a five year old post. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-term-for-trade-names-that-become-generic/443011/16 "2013-10-29T16:11:14Z")
I would use “genericization” for the process, and the terms have been “genericized”. Not “genericated”. Possibly “detrademarked”, though that seems to imply an intentional surrender rather than unintentional cultural hijack. ---
**Author:** ![johngoodman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b782af/32.png) [@johngoodman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johngoodman)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2013, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-term-for-trade-names-that-become-generic/443011/17 "2013-11-21T18:46:10Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > That has your name on it. That’s not much of a cite. > [Commonyms](http://www.wuzzlesandpuzzles.com/commonyms/) > [@johngoodman](#): > > An alternative to “genericide” which has the virtue of ending in “nym” is “commonym.” > > [Urban Dictionary: commonym](http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=commonym) I posted to make a suggestion, not a citation. I’m not attempting to disguise or deny my advocacy for the term ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2013, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-term-for-trade-names-that-become-generic/443011/18 "2013-11-22T23:35:57Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > I would use “genericization” for the process, and the terms have been “genericized”. As far as I know, these are the terms that are actually used. “Genericity” seems to have died out for this usage. ---
**Author:** ![Ignatz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/3be4f8/32.png) [@Ignatz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ignatz)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2013, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-term-for-trade-names-that-become-generic/443011/19 "2013-11-23T00:28:38Z")
**usufruct** ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2013, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-term-for-trade-names-that-become-generic/443011/20 "2013-11-25T19:15:35Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > As far as I know, these are the terms that are actually used. Which is why I would use them. 😉 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-term-for-trade-names-that-become-generic/443011.md?page=2)