Joe Doyle-Ward, Senior Associate and Trade Mark Attorney at Abion, one of the UK and Europe’s leading intellectual property firms, told the BBC the move was a “smart branding decision” and one which firms were seeing happen more and more often with celebrities.
“The legal framework around AI and copyright is still evolving, but trademarks remain one of the most effective tools to control commercial use in the meantime,” he said.
“It’s not about stopping everyday use, but about ensuring that any commercial exploitation is authorised,” he added.
The application is currently under examination at the Intellectual Property Office.
Littler rose to prominence in 2024, aged 16, winning the BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year.
In January 2025 Littler became the youngest ever darts world champion after beating three-time world champion Michael van Gerwen aged just 17.
He has since gone on to repeat the feat again in 2026, by beating Dutch darts player Gian van Veen 7-1 in the final.