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Topic : Re: Is it ok if some of my city names are the same as the ones in other books/series/video games/ pieces of work? My book has a few place names that are also present in other pieces of media, - selfpublishingguru.com

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You can't copyright individual words, such a city names. You could trademark them, but unless it is a major central location, no one will do that.

Leaving legalities for practicalities, what you want is to avoid confusion.

If a coined name is distinctive and at least somewhat prominent, you might want to vary it. A planet mentioned once in a single line of dialog in Star Wars, where no action takes place or is even reported, will not matter. But I wouldn't call a planet "Alderaan" (the planet destroyed by Vader) or use the name of Luke's home planet, unless you are inviting readers to assume that they are the same.

"Centerville" was the home town of the VP character in Have Spacesuit, Will Travel but it is so generic that anyone should feel free to reuse it.

A name used in an obscure work that few have read should also be fair game.

In short ask yourself, "how likely is it that some significant number of readers will be confused, or make an association I don't want them to?"


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