Short phrases

Under the longstanding practice of the Copyright Office, short phrases are denied registration because they are not subject to copyright protection. "Short phrases" such as part numbers do not typically involve sufficient creative expression to warrant granting the author the right to preclude copying of that phrase. Moreover, even a creative short phrase is not protected by copyright.

As with ideas and facts, copyright law leaves unprotected all short phrases to allow the public to make use of the phrases. To the extent protection of a short phrase is necessary to avoid public confusion as to the source of a product, unfair competition and trademark laws may provide the necessary relief.

Congress has chosen not to disturb the Copyright Office's long-standing practice against registering short phrases, despite repeated and extensive revisions of the copyright law.