St. John's Sues St. John's Over Johnnie Name

A Minnesota college alleges a New York university's use of Johnnie-related terms infringes on its 2004 trademark.

Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Higher Education

St. John's Sues St. John's Over Johnnie Name

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College of St. Benedict and St. John's University filed a trademark lawsuit in the U.S. District Court of Minnesota on Nov. 4 against St. John's University of New York over the terms Johnnie, Johnny and Johnnies. The Collegeville institution, which trademarked the terms in 2004, demanded a jury trial and court orders barring the New York university's use of them.

Why it matters

The Collegeville institution alleges the New York university is harming it, because it owns the trademark and recruits students from across the country and Minnesota residents. For Minnesota readers, the case centers on a longtime local institution's brand protections.

The Collegeville institution, founded in 1857, has used the terms since at least 1900 and registered its trademark in 2004. The New York university's Johnnies Day event began in 2023, and its response to the complaint has not been reported.

The players

College of St. Benedict and St. John's University

A Minnesota Catholic liberal arts institution in Collegeville, founded in 1857, that filed the trademark lawsuit and holds the Johnnie trademark.

St. John's University (New York)

A Catholic university in Queens, New York, that began using the terms in recent years and holds an annual Johnnies Day event.

The details

On May 13, counsel for the Collegeville institution sent a cease-and-desist letter to the New York university's Vice President and General Counsel, Terryl Brown, demanding it stop using the terms and sign a written agreement accepting the terms. The terms still appeared on the New York university's website on Nov. 5, the day after the suit was filed.

2003: Collegeville institution applies for the trademark.
2004: The trademark is granted.
May 13: Cease-and-desist letter is sent to the New York university.
Nov. 4: Lawsuit is filed in the U.S. District Court of Minnesota.
Nov. 5: The terms still appear on the New York university's website.

Season Trajectory

Trademark disputes over collegiate nicknames and mascots have become a recurring form of conflict as similarly named schools expand their recruiting reach. This case tests how far a historical trademark can reach when a same-named institution in another state adopts the same identity.

Minnesota students, alumni and prospective applicants may see the outcome shape how the Johnnie name is used by colleges nationwide. The case could affect school branding and admissions communications for institutions that share the Johnnie identity.

The takeaway

Institutions that rely on long-held nicknames and mascots may need to monitor trademark registrations carefully, since older common-law use can be contested by similarly named schools in other states. Trademark registration can be a key tool in protecting a school's identity over time.