1989

Taylor Swift Wants to Trademark ‘Blank Space’ and ‘1989,’ Which Is a Year

Taylor Swift '1989' World Tour - Sydney
Photo: Mark Metcalfe/2015 Getty Images

Taylor Swift, who was recently likened to an “obnoxious Nazi Barbie” for her “regressive” public persona by feminist scholar Camille Paglia, has been pretty johnny-on-the-spot with trademarking simple phrases used in her songs (“this sick beat”; “And I’ll write your name”). She is now trying to trademark the year in which she, and many other people, were born. The singer is trademarking “1989,” “Swiftmas” (her annual gift-giving for superfans), and “A Girl Named Girl,” the title of a book Swift has yet to write. These will mostly apply to clothes. Expect Swift, who is slowly but surely taking over the entire English language, to apply for trademarks on the letters “T” and “S” next year.

T Swift Wants to Trademark ‘Blank Space,’ ‘1989’