Eileen De Bont, now officially known as Pudsey Bear, adopted the name in 2009 after auctioning off her naming rights to raise funds for the charity Children in Need. The UK Deed Poll Service won the auction for £4,000 (approximately Rs 4.4 lakh), and her new identity was legally recognized.
“They just won’t let me be who I am,” De Bont told MailOnline. “All my documents, bills, and even my business operate under this name, but the Passport Office won’t budge.” Although the UK Deed Poll Service acknowledged that names linked to trademarks and copyrights may face rejection, they criticized the Passport Office for its inconsistent approach. Under UK trademark law, simply sharing a name with a registered trademark doesn’t automatically lead to infringement, especially when it doesn’t involve commercial activity.
