Can an inventor use a preferred name or nickname on a patent application?

While inventors must use their legal names on patent applications, they can include preferred names or nicknames in a specific format. According to the MPEP 602.08(b):

Nicknames should be placed in quotation marks.

For example, if an inventor’s legal name is John Smith but he goes by ‘Jack’, the name on the patent application should be formatted as:

John “Jack” Smith

This approach allows the inventor to include their preferred name while still maintaining the legal requirements for the patent application.

To learn more:

• inventor name
• nickname
• preferred name
• patent application