Cody Rhodes cannot use his family’s famous last name in AEW. WWE owns that trademark and they recently pulled a move to keep it from him even longer.
WWE’s trademark for “Cody Rhodes” was set to expire on April 13th. Cody put in an application on that same day to register his name.
PW Insider reports that WWE applied for a renewal on that trademark on May 15th. They claimed that COVID-19 kept them from filing sooner. Now Cody’s application has been rejected because it is the same name WWE owns.
Cody’s application of the ‘Cody Rhodes’ trademark has been given an initial refusal, because of similarity with WWE’s registration of the same trademark. In checking with WWE’s registration, which was set to expire on April 13 (the same day Cody started his application), they actually renewed it on May 15th claiming the delay was due to COVID-19.
It appears that Cody will continue as a single-named star until further notice. WWE is keeping his name from him, but he’s making a name for himself as just “Cody.”
Dustin Rhodes can use his name because WWE didn’t own it beforehand. Cody Rhodes had only performed as Cody Rhodes in WWE.