Mutya Buena, who helped form the band more than a decade ago and stayed with it until 2007, has applied to own the trademark.

She made application to the European Union trademarks authority last November, although she’s going to face a strong legal challenge from the current Sugababes and their record company.

Last year when Kiesha Buchanan – the only remaining original Sugababe – left the band, Buena was quoted as saying; “It just means the Sugababes have ended.”

Sugababes has changed members several times since Buena, Buchanan and Siobhan Donaghy started the group in 1998.

The current lineup is Heidi Range, Amelle Berrabah and Jade Ewen, the former Eurovision Song contestant who replaced Buchanan. They’ve already opposed Buena’s claim to the name and so has Island Records.

“Contractually we are entitled to the use of the name Sugababes in connection with records and films. We are just protecting that right,” an Island Records spokesman told BBC News.

The company sent a submission to the EU trademark authority saying that – because of the “similarity of the goods and services” provided by Buena – there’s likely to be a lot of confusion for the general public.

In 2005 Doors members Robby Krieger and Ray Manzarek changed their name to Riders on the Storm, following legal action from drummer John Densmore and the parents of singer Jim Morrison.

Marillion was originally formed as Silmarillion but cut it to Marillion in 1981, careful to avoid any copyright conflicts with the J.R.R. Tolkien novel of which the original was in honor.