---
title: O.C.G.A. § 10-1-470. Imitation of name or emblem prohibited; priority of right to use name.
collection: code
id: 10-1-470
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 10-1-470 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/10-1-470
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/10-1-470.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/10-1-470/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t10-(v8)-2024-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=1992b47e_0#page=399
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/code/10-1.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/code/10-1-454.md
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index: https://georgiacommons.org/code/index.md
version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: COMMERCE AND TRADE / SELLING AND OTHER TRADE PRACTICES / TRADEMARKS, SERVICE MARKS, AND TRADE NAMES / NAMES AND EMBLEMS OF FRATERNAL, CHARITABLE, AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS
---

# O.C.G.A. § 10-1-470. Imitation of name or emblem prohibited; priority of right to use name.

No person or organization shall assume, use, adopt, become incorporated under, or continue to use the name and style or emblems of any benevolent, fraternal, social, humane, or charitable organization previously existing in this state, and which has been incorporated under the laws of this or any other state or of the United States, or a name and style or emblem so nearly resembling the name and style of such incorporated organization as to be a colorable imitation thereof. In all cases where two or more of such societies, associations, or corporations claim the right to the same name or to names substantially similar as above provided, the organization which was first organized and used the name and first became incorporated under the laws of the United States or of any state, whether incorporated in this state or not, shall be entitled in this state to the prior and exclusive use of such name; and the rights of such societies, associations, or corporations and of their individual members shall be fixed and determined accordingly.

## History

Ga. L. 1909, p. 139, § 1; Civil Code 1910, § 1993; Code 1933, § 106-201.