No. 19-46October Term 2019Decided Jun 30, 2020Updated May 24, 2026
Patent and Trademark Office v. Booking.com B. V.
This case asked whether Booking.com could register its name as a federal trademark even though “booking” is a generic term for reservation services.
Case status
Decided 8-1 · June 30, 2020 · Opinion by Justice Ginsburg
Read the opinion (PDF)- Current stage
- Decided
- Latest event
- Decision released Jun 30, 2020
- What it's about
This case asked whether Booking.com could register its name as a federal trademark even though “booking” is a generic term for reservation services. The dispute turned on whether adding “.com” to a generic word can make the combined term distinctive enough for trademark protection.
Question presented
Whether the addition by an online business of a generic top-level domain (".com") to an otherwise generic term can create a protectable trademark.
- Case path
United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit / Decision released Jun 30, 2020
- Area
Decided Supreme Court case
Timing
Decided June 30, 2020
The Court released its decision on June 30, 2020 without hearing oral argument.
Documents
Activity
Docket activity3
Brief added: Questions Presented
May 24, 2026 | Court records
Opinion added: opinion
Jun 30, 2020 | Court records
Brief added: Petition
Jul 5, 2019 | Court records
Related cases
Grounding
- Grounding
- Primary-source trail available.
- Note
- Plain-English explainer. Official filings and opinions remain authoritative.
- Checked
- Jul 25, 2026
- Method
- Methodology