The legal dispute between Lamar Jackson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. over trademark rights for the number 8 sheds light on the complexities of using numbers in branding. Numbers face challenges as trademarks since they are less versatile than letters in representing meanings. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office data reveals that few numbers stand alone as trademarks, with some numbers like 2 and 4 being more popular in names, while others, like 8, lack significance. Several numbers derive their worth from established associations, reflecting deeper cultural meanings in branding.
Some numbers are able to function as trademarks by playing off meanings that have already been baked into them. Both the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers and 76 gas stations strike patriotic chords by referring to the U.S.'s 1776.
While an initial letter can stand for any word that it begins with, numbers are much more constrained in their ability to represent a range of meanings.
The most commonly used number between 0 and 100 in trademarks that are simply names, with no graphic elements, is 2, edging ahead of 1, perhaps due to its ability to represent in a name.
While it has drawn attention to a rarely considered topic in branding and marketing: the use of numbers in brand names and logos, some clearly trend towards being worth more.
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