Willys-Overland trademarked the name “Jeep” in 1950. The company filed its original trademark application in February 1943, but the claim faced years of opposition from American Bantam and Minneapolis-Moline.
Willys-Overland had produced the first civilian Jeep models, marketed as the CJ series, beginning in 1945. Its continued postwar production helped strengthen the company’s case that “Jeep” had become associated with its vehicles, even though several companies had built wartime jeeps.
The name’s wartime origin is often oversimplified. “Jeep” was already widely used during World War II, and the exact origin of the nickname remains debated; explanations include a slurred pronunciation of “GP” and the cartoon character Eugene the Jeep. The trademark ruling therefore concerned ownership of the brand name, not the invention of the vehicle itself.
Today, Jeep is owned by Stellantis, which also holds trademark rights to the brand and its distinctive seven-slot grille.