Under the doctrine of foreign equivalents, non-English wording used as a mark is translated into English and then assessed to determine registrability, including for geographic descriptiveness and misdescriptiveness. See In re Vetements Grp. AG, 137 F.4th 1317, 1325 (Fed. Cir. 2025) (quoting 1 J. Thomas McCarthy, McCarthy on Trademarks & Unfair Competition §11:34 (5th ed. 2023 & Supp. 2025)); see also In re Spirits Int’l, N.V., 563 F.3d 1347, 1349-51 (Fed. Cir. 2009) (applying doctrine in determining whether MOSKOVSKAYA, a Russian word meaning "of or from Moscow," was primarily geographically deceptively misdescriptive for vodka not from Moscow); Corporacion Habanos, S.A. v. Guantanamera Cigars Co., Opp. No. 91152248, 2012 TTAB LEXIS 41, at *3-4, *40-41, *56 ( 2012) (holding GUANTANAMERA, a Spanish word meaning "girl from Guantanamo" or "of or from Guantanamo, Cuba," primarily geographically deceptively misdescriptive for cigars); In re Joint-Stock Co. "Baik," Ser. No. 78341041, 2006 TTAB LEXIS 196, at *1-3, *15-18 (2006) (holding BAIKALSKAYA, a Russian word meaning "from Baikal," primarily geographically descriptive of vodka from Lake Baikal).

The doctrine of foreign equivalents is not an absolute rule, but merely a guideline. In re Vetements Grp. AG, 137 F.4th at 1325 (quoting Palm Bay Imps., Inc. v. Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Maison Fondee en 1772, 396 F.3d 1369, 1377 (Fed. Cir. 2005)). The doctrine should be applied to non-English wording unless it is unlikely that the ordinary American purchaser would stop and translate the wording into its English equivalent. Id. at 1323-24. See TMEP §1207.01(b)(vi) for the doctrine of foreign equivalents generally and for the factors for determining whether an ordinary American purchaser will stop and translate non-English wording. The burden is on the party opposing translation to show that it is unlikely the ordinary American purchaser would stop and translate the wording into its English equivalent. In re Vetements Grp. AG, 137 F.4th at 1331.

For information regarding the doctrine of foreign equivalents in other contexts, see TMEP §§1207.01(b)(vi)(A)-(b)(vi)(B) for likelihood of confusion, §1209.03(g) for descriptiveness or genericness, §1210.05(b) for geographical deceptiveness, and §1211.01(a)(vii) for surnames. For information regarding how to ascertain the meaning of non-English wording in a mark, see TMEP §§809–809.03.