Automattic Sends Trademark Notice to AutomaticCSS Over Name Similarity

Automattic, the company behind WordPress.com, has sent a legal notice to Kevin Geary, the creator of Automatic.css, over the use of a name that the company says is “nearly identical” to its own.

The Letter from Automattic

The notice sent via Jim Davis of legal firm Morgan Lewis stated that Kevin’s use of the name Automatic (and its variants like Automatic.css or ACSS) for a CSS framework “specifically designed for WordPress page builders” could confuse users and dilute Automattic’s trademark. “Automattic and Automatic differ by only one letter, are phonetically identical, and are marketed to many of the same people,” the letter read.

Automattic has requested that Geary “rebrand away from using Automatic or anything similar to Automattic and discuss a timeline for transition. Automattic became a registered trademark on October 18, 2016.

Kevin Geary�??s Public Response

Kevin Geary shared the letter on X, making the issue public. His product, Automatic.css, markets itself as a “CSS framework for WordPress page builders” and is also referred to as ACSS in the website. Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg responded on X, writing: “We also own automatic.com. You had to know this was a fraught naming area.”

Kevin replied: “AutomaticCSS is called ‘automatic’ because it’s the only CSS framework that does a lot of things automatically. Congratulations on owning the domain name for a generic term. Let me know when that fact becomes relevant.”

The Backstory

This isn’t the first time the naming issue has come up. Back in July 2024, Matt had asked Kevin if he could add a note clarifying that AutomaticCSS wasn’t affiliated with Automattic. Kevin agreed and the site’s footer still carries that disclaimer: “Copyright © 2025 • Automatic.css (not affiliated with Automattic)”

Despite this clarification, Automattic has now escalated the matter through a formal legal notice.

This is not Automattic’s only trademark issue in recent times. Last year they published WordPress Trademarks: A Legal Perspective detailing the rights of WordPress software users and developers.Some companies faced issues for misusing the term “WordPress,” but none have encountered problems for using “Automatic” till now.

WP Engine thus made changes to their website content and now their website footer reads, “WP Engine is a proud member and supporter of the community of WordPress® users. The WordPress® trademarks are the intellectual property of the WordPress Foundation, and the Woo® and WooCommerce® trademarks are the intellectual property of WooCommerce, Inc. Uses of the WordPress®, Woo®, and WooCommerce® names in this website are for identification purposes only and do not imply an endorsement by WordPress Foundation or WooCommerce, Inc. WP Engine is not endorsed or owned by, or affiliated with, the WordPress Foundation or WooCommerce, Inc.”

Community Reactions: Split Opinions

The WordPress community is divided. Some think Automattic is overreacting, while others believe Kevin should have picked a less confusing name from the start.

Shane Skwarek, founder of S-FX, thinks the move was unnecessary:“I do think this one is a little petty. The letter seemed to read more like the start of a legal battle than a friendly request. We can’t expect that no WordPress product can ever use the word ‘Automatic.’”

On the other hand, Ciprian Popescu of getButterfly sided with Automattic: “Like Matt said, it was a fraught decision. He either did it on purpose or tried to piggyback on the Automattic brand. If I wanted to start my own WordPress product, I’d build my own brand identity.”

Others feel the timing is off. “Four years later seems a bit too late,” one user wrote. “Nobody’s confusing Automattic with a CSS framework.”

Nick Hamze of Iconick, a friend of Matt’s, strongly defended Automattic. In his article “The AutomaticCSS Naming Was Just Stupid,” he wrote: “Matt isn’t a dick. Kevin was a moron for naming it that in the first place. The naming was stupid. Full stop. You don’t name your WordPress product almost identically to the biggest WordPress company. That’s not clever—it’s either lazy or opportunistic.”

Meanwhile, legal expert Rajesh Arya had a very different take. He shared this in Facebook: “I am a practicing IPR lawyer and deal only in trademarks. Automattic’s claim is baseless and won’t hold up in a hearing. AutomaticCSS isn’t using the mark in bad faith, and both have entirely different purposes and audiences.”

What�??s Next

Neither side has shared additional updates since the exchange on X. The issue has, however, reignited discussions about branding, naming, and community ethics within the WordPress ecosystem.

We will continue following this story and share updates as they unfold.