Twitter Name Returns As Twitter.now Launches Amid Trademark Dispute With X
Twitter.now has entered the social media space using the familiar Twitter name, while its founders argue that the old branding may have been abandoned after the X rebrand.
A familiar name has unexpectedly returned to the social media scene, although this time it is not being used by Elon Musk’s company. Twitter.now has been launched by US based startup Operation Bluebird, bringing back a brand identity that many users associate with the former Twitter platform.
The launch comes while a legal dispute over the Twitter name and related trademarks is still unfolding. Operation Bluebird believes X Corp may have given up certain rights connected with the old Twitter branding after Elon Musk transformed Twitter into X. However, that argument has not been finally settled by the courts.
The new platform is being developed around the idea of an online public square. Its early features reportedly include posts, replies and reposts, with the service attempting to recreate some of the public conversation experience that made the original Twitter widely recognised.
Operation Bluebird is led by people with experience in technology and intellectual property matters. Stephen Coates is among the individuals associated with the project and has previously worked on trademark and intellectual property related matters at Twitter.
The central issue is whether the old Twitter branding can legally be considered abandoned. Under US trademark law, failure to continue using a trademark, combined with an intention to stop using it, can become relevant when determining whether trademark rights have been abandoned. Operation Bluebird is using this argument to support its claim.
The dispute gained additional attention following proceedings in Delaware earlier this year. Reports about an April 2026 hearing indicated that a judge had raised questions about whether X might have abandoned certain rights associated with the Tweet name, the familiar bird logo and parts of the former Twitter identity. However, those observations do not amount to a final ruling in favour of Operation Bluebird.
That distinction is important because the launch of Twitter.now does not mean that the company has already secured ownership of the Twitter trademark. X Corp continues to maintain its position regarding rights connected with the former brand, leaving the matter to be resolved through the legal process.
The history behind the dispute goes back to Musk’s acquisition of Twitter in 2022. The company underwent a major rebranding the following year, with Twitter becoming X and the familiar bird branding gradually disappearing. The platform also shifted from Twitter.com to X.com as part of the broader effort to establish X as the company’s new identity.
Operation Bluebird sees that transformation as an opportunity. Its argument is that the extensive removal of the old branding could have consequences for the trademark rights associated with Twitter. Whether that interpretation succeeds will depend on the evidence and decisions made by the relevant authorities.
For users, Twitter.now is being positioned as more than a simple attempt to revive an old name. The company says it wants to build a service focused on community participation, creators, real time information, user choice and trust.
The platform is therefore entering a crowded social media market at an unusual moment. Instead of competing only through features, it is also connected to a high profile dispute over one of the internet’s best known brand names.
For now, the Twitter name remains at the centre of the controversy. Twitter.now has gone live, but the question of who can legally use the name is still far from settled.
