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I am not developing a game or creating game characters. What I am trying to do is give a name to the software that I am creating in my spare time. It seems there is a game character by the same name (I am not a gamer but a google search to check the name revealed it). The software is intended to be free but might make money in the future, so I want to know this.

Are names of characters in games copyrighted and is it illegal to use them to name other unrelated software components and applications that might or might not make money?

vin
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    I'm voting to close this question as off-topic because it should be asked on [law.se], as we're not a legal advice site. – Vaillancourt May 18 '16 at 14:49
  • If its off topic then I wonder why the tag exists, but I think if an admin moves this to law instead of closing, it would be very helpful. – vin May 18 '16 at 14:56
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    A tag existing doesn't mean that the subject defined in the tag is on-topic (almost anybody can create tags); see this related discussion. There are specific kinds of copyright-related questions that may be considered on-topic here (or may have been historically), but this one is not particularly game development related at it's core. The IP law that covers names is generally trademark, not copyright. –  May 18 '16 at 15:14
  • Fair enough. I'll post it in law myself. – vin May 18 '16 at 17:57

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