Stephen Hawking, the world-renowned British physicist has to trademark his name for charitable purposes.
This will also prevent others from exploiting his name with inappropriate products. Professor Hawking has applied to the UK Intellectual Property Office to have his name formally registered. 
Another English physicist, Brian Cox, and celebrities like JK Rowling and David Beckham have already turned their names into brands.
Professor Hawking, also a cosmologist and a best-selling author and the subject of the Oscar-winning film 'The Theory of Everything', has also applied to get his name trademarked for charitable and educational purposes, giving him the decision of setting up a foundation, such as one to promote physics or for research into motor neuron disease, which has left him paralysed at the age of 21.
This trademark of the world's most famous theoretical physicist would cover computer games, powered wheelchairs, greetings cards and health care. Hawking can decide how his name is used on goods, from postcards to educational books.

Source:  ITAG (www.itagbs.com)