Could Google go the way of  Aspirin, Cellophane, Yo-Yo and Escalator?  It just might unless it is willing to put the kind of effort forth that Xerox or Rollerblades have done to prevent their names from becoming generic.  You see, “google” has officially shown up in the latest edition of Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary.  The meaning of the verb? “to use the Google search engine to obtain information about (as a person) on the World Wide Web”.  It may be that the fact the definition uses a reference to “the Google search engine” saves Google for the moment, but I will not be surprised to see significant efforts from Google directed toward preventing total genericide.  Do you remember this ad? “When you use ‘xerox’ the way you use ‘aspirin’, we get a headache.”

Check here for a good list of reportedly often misused and lost trademarks.

Misused:

• Alka-Seltzer
• AstroTurf
• Baggies
• BAND-AID
• BEER NUTS
• Breathalyzer
• Brillo Pad
• Chapstick
• Coke
• Cool Whip
• Dumpster
• DustBuster
• Erector Set
• FedEx
• Freon
• Frisbee
• Green Stamp
• HACKY SACK
• Hi-Liter
• Jacuzzi
• Jeep
• JELL-O
• JET SKI
• Kitty Litter
• Kleenex
• Laundromat
• Levi's
• Mace
• Magic Marker
• Novocain
• Palm (as in Palm Pilot)
• Ping-Pong
• Play-Doh
• Plexiglas
• Polaroid
• Popsicle
• Post-it
• Q-tips
• Realtor (collective mark)
• Rollerblade
• Rolodex
• Scotch Tape
• Styrofoam
• Teflon
• TelePrompTer
• Tupperware
• Vaseline
• Velcro
• Walkman
• Welcome Wagon
• Wite-Out
• Windex
• X-ACTO
• Xerox
• Zamboni

Lost:

• aspirin
• brassiere
• cellophane
• celluloid
• cola
• corn flakes
• dry ice
• escalator
• gramophone
• granola
• heroin
• jungle gym
• kerosene
• linoleum
• mimeograph
• raisin bran
• saran wrap
• shredded wheat
• tabloid
• thermos
• touch-tone
• trampoline
• TV dinner
• windbreaker
• yo-yo
• zipper