{"id":39516,"date":"2025-09-08T06:00:31","date_gmt":"2025-09-08T10:00:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.veriheal.com\/blog\/?p=39516"},"modified":"2025-10-13T14:56:54","modified_gmt":"2025-10-13T18:56:54","slug":"renamed-cannabis-strains","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.veriheal.com\/blog\/renamed-cannabis-strains\/","title":{"rendered":"Strains That Have Been Renamed: The What & Why"},"content":{"rendered":"

Cannabis breeders created thousands upon thousands of new strains and crosses in the amount of time since adult-use and recreational marijuana became a thing in the U.S. Strains featuring <\/span>catchy, goofy, yet memorable names<\/span><\/a> have still managed to stand the test of time\u2014for the most part.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Some strain names run afoul of conflict or controversy for various reasons. These conflicts cause costly disruptions for the strain breeder while also creating confusion for the unaware consumer. Most cannabis strain names remain etched in stone forever. However, others have had to pivot for one reason or another to keep some skin in the game.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Why Do Cannabis Strains Get Named That Way?<\/b><\/h2>\n

For the uninitiated, enjoying cannabis can potentially provide big smiles and lots of laughs\u2014humor has always been part of the aesthetic of cannabis culture. The marijuana game doesn\u2019t take itself quite as seriously as other subcultures like wine and cigars.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Many people who grow and breed cannabis have a more laid-back disposition, along with a clever and humorous imagination. Those characteristics translate into many of the strains’ names that breeders create\u2014a practice that drives cannabinoid researchers crazy every time they cite a strain name like \u201c<\/span>Purple Monkey Balls<\/span><\/a>\u201d in their scientific studies.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Close-Up<\/p>\n

Strains Get Named For People, Places, and Smells\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n

References to both strain parents, like Mandarin Jack (Mandarin Sunset x Jack Herer), remain simple, while others, like Peanut Butter Breath (Dosidos x Mendo Breath), come off as clever. Some breeders name a strain based on how it smells\u2014looking at you, Cat Piss, Permanent Marker, and Meat Breath. Other times, it may evoke a specific emotion, such as Jealousy, due to its enviously loud aroma.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Strain names often highlight clear characteristics, such as the type of diesel, skunk, haze, or kush they are, or the region they originated from\u2014examples include Afghani Kush, Mendocino Purps, and NYC Diesel. <\/span>People alive and dead<\/span><\/a>, such as Gary Payton, Jack Herer, and King Louis XVIII, even get strains named after them..<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Breeders also make cannabis strain names interesting as a brand marketing effort. A uniquely named strain has a fighter\u2019s chance of standing out in a very crowded cannabis marketplace. Controversial strains spark conflicts in the cannabis marketplace, forcing brands to rename or abbreviate them.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Why Do Some Cannabis Strains Get Renamed?\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n

Growers and sellers often rename popular and even lesser-known cannabis strains for several reasons.. Many state-run adult-use and medical marijuana programs require dispensaries to change some candy and treat strain names at their stores.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Political correctness often pushes cannabis brands to abbreviate or change crude or profane strain names.. <\/span>Different phenotypes of certain strains<\/span><\/a> also get renamed to distinguish themselves from the others, such as Gorilla Butter and White Truffle.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Copyright Infringement Causes A Lot Of Strain To Be Renamed<\/b><\/h3>\n

Copyright holders and their lawyers identify conflicts and present them to the breeders and keepers of the strain. Breeders and dispensaries often rename high-visibility strains like GSC and GG#4 due to copyright issues, while lesser-known strains quietly get new names for reasons like rebranding or market differentiation.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Trademarked Brand & Organization Names\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n

The names of brands and organizations with trademarked names and intellectual property (IP) don\u2019t mess around when it comes to breeders using them for a zinger of a strain name. It doesn\u2019t take long for a cease-and-desist letter to reach breeders\u2019 attention, usually based on confusion or tarnishment of reputation. An abrupt name change is a massive setback for breeders who didn\u2019t bank on such a big success so quickly, especially in an industry that revolves around name recognition hype to sell cannabis.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Cannabis<\/p>\n

The Strain Formerly Known As Girl Scout Cookies<\/b><\/h3>\n

Breeders renamed the famous hybrid strain Girl Scout Cookies to GSC\u2014also popularly called Cookies\u2014to avoid potential trademark infringement.. Breeders in the Bay Area created GSC in the mid-teens as a versatile hybrid featuring a doughy, gassy, sometimes minty profile that continues to dominate modern cannabis.<\/span><\/p>\n

GSC’s growing popularity soon caused officials at the <\/span>Girl Scouts of America<\/span><\/a>\u2014a non-profit youth organization\u2014to take notice. Officials sent letters to dispensaries, breeders, and all other cannabis businesses. These actions immediately prompted a switch, avoiding further monetary or legal challenges from the non-profit.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Gorilla Glue Didn\u2019t Stick Around For Too Long<\/b><\/h3>\n

The outcome wasn\u2019t quite so simple for the original breeders of GG#4 and Original Glue. GG Strains developed a very sticky-icky strain around 2010 that they dubbed \u201cGorilla Glue #4\u201d. Cannabis consumers made GG#4, as it\u2019s now known, wildly popular for years thanks to its resinous buds, potent hybrid effects, and unmistakable chocolate-dank aroma.GG strains caught lightning in a bottle during that time, selling truckloads of merch right alongside seeds and cuts of their beloved strain.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

The Gorilla Glue company, a maker of popular adhesive products, sued <\/span>GG Strains in 2017<\/span><\/a> for infringement, dilution, unfair competition, among other charges. Many of the charges remained difficult for GG Strains to fight off in court. Implications of association with a cannabis brand could cause reputational harm for the adhesive brand, especially since cannabis is federally illegal.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Both parties agreed to a settlement in the same year, and the breeders disbanded their web domain, rebranded their strains, and removed any allusions to gorillas anywhere in the cannabis marketplace. The efforts required to do so dealt them a large monetary blow. The case of Gorilla Glue set the standard for potential legal action in the name of protecting IP from cannabis strain names.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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The Original Z & The Flavors of the Rainbow<\/b><\/h3>\n

The <\/span>rise of candy and dessert strains<\/span><\/a> has made breeders adopt names that feature similar flavors and aromas. One strain that\u2019s a parent in just about every other strain these days is the Original Z. Breeders originally dubbed this fruity, terpene-rich cross of Grape Ape and Grapefruit, Skittlez, urging consumers to “taste the rainbow”.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

The change came too late after breeder TerpHogz tried to avoid legal trouble similar to the Gorilla Glue case by renaming the strain \u201c<\/span>Z<\/b>kittlez,\u201d. Mars-Wrigley, the producer of Skittles candy, filed a federal lawsuit in 2021 against TerpHogz, alleging reputational damage due to association with marijuana.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Terphogz and Mars-Wrigley settled in 2023<\/span><\/a>, agreeing to similar terms as GG Strains did. These terms included immediate prohibition of the brand name on any products or marketing, surrender of domain names, and an agreement to avoid using any names similar to Skittles going forward.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Despite the big changes for TerpHogz, they didn\u2019t incur monetary damages this time around; however, the slow pace of removing the brand name led to another contempt charge against them. Mars Wrigley accused the breeders of still using the brand name and imagery, leading to major fines until they became fully compliant. The cannabis industry now recognizes the strain once called Skittlez or Zkittlez as <\/span>Original Z<\/b>, with TerpHogz continuing to lead the market.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Entertainment Industry Intellectual Property<\/b><\/h2>\n

You may\u2019ve noticed that some of your favorite strains that breeders named to honor their favorite movies and TV shows have changed, too. Multi-billion-dollar entertainment companies forced breeders to pull these strains through cease and desist letters.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Luke, I Am Your Lawyer<\/b><\/h3>\n

One of the most well-known Afghani crosses <\/span>used to be known as Skywalker OG<\/span><\/a> everywhere, but it doesn\u2019t take a genius to see why it got renamed after its parents\u2014Mazar x Blueberry. The name Luke Skywalker is the IP of Disney\/Lucasfilm, owners of the \u201cStar Wars\u201d film and television powerhouse.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Disney\/Lucasfilm eventually went into hyperdrive, rooting out any trademark infringements in the cannabis space as much as possible following many years of lax enforcement. Other strains and breeders naming themselves after popular elements of Star Wars, such as Death Star, Jedi Kush, and The Mandalorian, were also forced to change. Disney\u2019s other entertainment wing, Marvel, also keeps regular tabs on any catchy cannabis strain names attempting to use their IP.<\/span><\/p>\n

Intellectual Property Embracing the Cannabis Relationship\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n

Other strain names like Pineapple Express remain in the public domain with no repercussions, allowing breeders to use it however they see fit, despite the 2008 film holding the IP. This is a result of there being no registered cannabis-specific trademark for the name.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Steve Urkle once stood out as television\u2019s most popular nerd, becoming the breakout star of the hit TV show <\/span>Family Matters<\/span><\/i> in the early 1990s. <\/span>Purple Urkle is a standout indica<\/span><\/a> strain, reportedly a variety of Mendocino Purps. The show\u2019s producers own the copyright to Steve Urkle, yet they have not taken any legal action. The actor who played Steve Urkle also embraced the strain\u2019s name and popularity by joining forces with a big breeder of the strain to lend his likeness and name to the marketing, packaging, and overall vibe of Purple Urkle and several other related strains.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

READ: A Beginner’s Guide to Breeding Quality Cannabis Strains<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

A Mixed Bag of Other Strains That Have Been Renamed<\/b><\/h2>\n

The decision to market and sell a strain that may be controversial is entirely up to the dispensary, a lot of the time. Sometimes, dispensaries keep a strain\u2019s original name, like <\/span>Green Crack<\/span><\/i>, despite its hard-drug connotations, while others actively rebrand it as <\/span>Mango Kush<\/span><\/i> or <\/span>Green Kush<\/span><\/i> to make it more appealing and less controversial. Take a look at a few other strains that you might sometimes see referred to as something else.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n