Copyright question

[DFW]

If Pete Buttegieg raises enough money to hire his own jet during the campaign, does he get to call it (or himself) the Maltese Falcon, or would Dashiell Hammett's estate raise an objection?

[obamanut2012]

1. You cannot copyright a title anyway, but

There is nothing stopping him from doing so. His estate can squawk and tell him to stop, but they have no legal grounds to do so.

Not an attorney, but work with copyright and IP every day in an authoritative capacity.

on edit: It IS possible to trademark certain titles ie a book cannot have Harry Potter in its title, unless the author is Joanne Rowling.

[DFW]

2. I doubt it would ever come to pass

But seeing Buttegieg in a plane dubbed "the Maltese Falcon" just would be the ultimate cool.

[TheBlackAdder]

3. He could use the "Get Smart" parody of 'The Maltese Falcon,' which is, 'The Tequila Mockingbird!'

[Hekate]

4. I am baffled by the reference & how it relates to Pete B. Can you fill me in on what I missed?

[DFW]

5. Do the names Dashiell Hammett or Humphrey Bogart ring a bell?

Or, if you got that part, by any chance did you miss that Pete Buttegieg is the son of an immigrant from Malta (his name is actually a typical Maltese name)?

One way or the other, that should make the pieces fall into place!

[Hekate]

6. I totally get who Hammett and Bogart are, but didn't know Buttegieg is a Maltese name!

Thank you.

PS: Have both read the book and seen the movie. And the parody.

[DFW]

7. Ah, OK, that explains it!

I knew his father was Maltese, but I didn't know, either, that Buttegieg is a common name in Malta (I guess I need to spend some time in Malta!).