The WordPress Foundation’s attempt to secure trademarks for “HOSTED WORDPRESS” and “MANAGED WORDPRESS” has encountered a setback after opposition from the open-source community. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) recently ruled that these terms are too generic for exclusive trademark protection, challenging the foundation’s efforts to control their use.

The controversy surrounding WordPress ownership and monetization has sparked ongoing legal and ideological disputes. Automattic, the parent company of WordPress.com, has taken center stage in the debate, with CEO Matthew Mullenweg pushing for licensing fees from competitors using the WordPress name. Tensions escalated after WP Engine, a major hosting provider, refused to comply, leading to a legal battle that has divided the community.

The owner of unprotected.org, a vocal critic of Mullenweg’s trademark push, petitioned the USPTO to deny the applications. The agency sided with the petition, ruling that “HOSTED” and “MANAGED” in relation to WordPress are descriptive and cannot be exclusively owned. While this decision is not a final rejection, it weakens the foundation’s position and temporarily protects companies offering managed or hosted WordPress services.

This development has reignited calls for leadership change within the WordPress ecosystem. Critics argue that Mullenweg’s aggressive trademark enforcement contradicts the foundation’s mission of democratizing online publishing. Some community members have even proposed forking the WordPress project to establish an independent, open-source alternative—a suggestion Mullenweg has dismissed as unrealistic.

Automattic has vowed to challenge the USPTO’s decision, maintaining that the ruling is procedural rather than a definitive denial. A company spokesperson emphasized that they will formally respond, keeping the legal battle alive. However, as tensions continue to rise, the outcome of this dispute could have lasting consequences for WordPress governance and the broader open-source landscape.