In general, the name of a corporation must end with "incorporated," "corporation" or an abbreviation of one of these. A name will not be accepted if it is likely to mislead the public or if it too closely resembles the name of another corporation already formed in that state. Many states also restrict the use of certain terms in a corporation's name (like bank, police or insurance).
LegalZoom allows you to choose up to three names, in order of preference. We will conduct a name check before filing to see which names are available. Please note that for government purposes the names "ABC Inc." and "A.B.C. Corp." are identical. Therefore, you should disregard spaces, periods and the corporate ending when coming up with your three name choices.
If the name of your corporation will be used in connection with goods or services, you may wish to consider obtaining federal trademark protection for the name. This ensures that no one else in the U.S. may use that name in connection with the same general type of goods or services (except in areas where someone else is already using that name).
To learn more and speak with a representative, please call us at (888) 381-8758. We are happy to answer any questions you may have.