A Californian band, of the same name, is suing the Irish / UK boy band One Direction for using the band’s name.

The band, which includes Mullingar buy, Niall Horan, are being sue for trademark infringement. Lawyers are seeking an injunction to stop the band using the name as well as compensation and a share of the boy’s profits.

One Direction is being sued over trademark infringement by a California band with the same name.

According to the BBC, legal papers, filed at California Central District Court, claim Syco and Sony Music realized the band was using the same name but ignored the American band's rights.

Syco, the band’s UK record label released a statement. They said “There is a dispute with a local group in California about the ownership of the One Direction name in the US.”

One Direction's management tried to resolve the situation amicably when the matter first came to light, but the Californian group has now filed a lawsuit claiming they own the name.

"One Direction's lawyers now have no choice but to defend the lawsuit and the band's right to use their name."

The California based band are asking for over $1 million in damage. They also say they’re entitled to three times the profits made by the UK / Irish band.

The legal documents files say the California band suffered “substantial confusion and substantial damage".

The Californian One Direction formed in 2009, have recorded two albums and filed to trademark the name in February 2011.

The UK / Irish band were formed in 2010 on “The X Factor”. Recently they made US chart history by going straight to number one in the Billboard charts, which even the Beatles never did.