Assessing the approval rate of a trademark registration means running four rounds of screening from the examiner's perspective: whether distinctiveness is sufficient, whether any prohibited provision is triggered, whether any identical or similar prior trademark exists, and whether any other prior right conflicts—then layering uncontrollable factors such as the blind period on top to reach an overall conclusion.
Round 1: Distinctiveness Self-Check
Check whether the mark falls under Article 11 of the Trademark Law: is it a generic name; does it merely and directly describe characteristics of the goods; is it an overly simple line or letter combination. Descriptive terms and slogan-style marks are high-risk; coined words are the safest.
Round 2: Screening Against Prohibited Provisions
Check against Article 10 of the Trademark Law: does the mark contain a state name, official insignia, a Red Cross or Red Crescent sign, a place name at or above the county level, content that is discriminatory against any nationality or deceptive, or words with an unhealthy influence. A mark that touches absolute grounds has no room for reversal on review—eliminate it outright.
Round 3: Prior-Trademark Similarity Search
Run identical and similarity searches in the target class and related classes, comparing across the three dimensions of character form, pronunciation, and meaning, with particular attention to four high-risk patterns: complete identity, incorporation of the dominant portion, same sound in different characters, and corresponding meanings. Discovering a highly similar prior trademark sharply reduces the approval rate.
Round 4: Screening for Prior Rights
Check for conflicts with others' prior trade names, name rights, copyrights, designs, and the like. Imitating a sign that has already acquired a certain degree of influence is especially dangerous—even if registered, such a mark may be invalidated.
Overall Grading
A mark that passes all four rounds usually has a relatively high approval rate, but it remains subject to the blind period and examination subjectivity—one hundred percent does not exist. If a fatal flaw appears in any round, renaming is advisable. For a core brand, after the self-assessment it is advisable to obtain one professional approval-rate assessment and make the decision on the basis of a written conclusion.
If you encounter a similar situation, it is advisable to first consult a record-filed agent on MyTMBee to assess whether a trademark registration assessment is needed before deciding on the next step.