Julian Assange, embattled founder of the controversial WikiLeaks website, recently applied to register his name as a trademark.

Assange applied for the trademark through a London-based law firm, Finers Stephens Innocent. If the trademark is granted, the name "Julian Assange" will be registered to the WikiLeaks founder for a variety of purposes, including journalism, education services, "publication of texts other than publicity texts" and "news reporter services," according to a report in the Guardian.

The Australian-born Assange is currently living in the UK, where he faces extradition to Sweden over allegations of sexual assault. The website he founded catapulted the computer hacker to fame when it released thousands of classified U.S. government documents.

Assange has indicated a desire to generate profits from his high profile. In addition to acquiring the rights to his name, Assange recently received a $1.3 million contract to write his autobiography.

According to the Guardian, Assange will not be the first high-profile figure to register his name as a trademark. U.S. politician Sarah Palin - who has compared Assange to an al-Qaida operative - has applied to trademark both her own name and that of her daughter, Bristol Palin.