it might just been great if its ladygagafans.com you wont be trouble with illegallities with fans club anyway
Ive got a similar question. Recently bought domain of just the first name of an artist in a band, no reference to the band name. I would assume first names are not typically trademarked, but this one is a bit unusual. Would I be running into the same issues if I built a fan site on this domain? What about a site about the name and include the artist as one of several notable people with that name - would that change the picture?
Usage usually determines trademark infringement. Having a domain with a common name is ok, but as soon as you put content related to the band, you are attempting to ride their goodwill and it becomes infringement. Don't try and profit of the name/mark of someone else by using it in a domain name or you're just asking for legal trouble if the person/mark holder objects to it.
Thanks for the response. So I guess that means my idea about a site featuring the name itself is still no good? For example, if the owner of Jennifer.com had history and etimology of the name Jennifer, and a subsection with "famous Jennifers" that featured a part about Jennifer Anniston, that would still be no good? Would she really have rights to the word "Jennifer"?
I would think you would be fine using that name - especially if you featured other Jennifer's. You can read about the trademark suit with Madonna vs. Madonna.com and see why the former owner of the domain spent over a million dollars and still had the domain taken from him and turned over to the singer.
Thanks for the tip about the madonna case, very relevant as mine is similarly an unusual first name. I guess I should think about an exit strategy hah. Thanks again mjewel. +rep