Sorry, Snooki.
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office says the self-described Jersey Shore "guidette" can't trademark her nickname.
According to The Smoking Gun, records show that registration of a "Snooki" trademark for "printed matter, namely books" was recently refused because of a "likelihood of confusion" with a previously issued trademark: The 2004 children's book Adventures of Snooky -- about a cat who gets thrown overboard during a family fishing trip.
TSG says the 23-year-old MTV reality star (real name: Nicole Polizzi) could still "respond to the refusal by submitting evidence and arguments in support of registration."
In the meantime, her application to trademark "Snooki" for use in "Entertainment in the nature of personal appearances by a television personality" likely will be approved, TSG points out.
