N.Y. Not-for-Profit Corporation Law § 301: Corporate name; general

§ 301. Corporate name; general.

(a) Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, the name of a

domestic or foreign corporation:

(1) Shall, unless the corporation is formed for charitable or

religious purposes, or for purposes for which the approval of the

commissioner of social services or the public health and health planning

council is required, or is a bar association, contain the word

"corporation", "incorporated" or "limited" or an abbreviation of one of

such words; or, in the case of a foreign corporation, it shall, for use

in this state, add at the end of its name one of such words or an

abbreviation thereof.

(2) (A) Shall be such as to distinguish it from the names of

corporations of any kind, or a fictitious name of an authorized foreign

corporation filed pursuant to article thirteen of this chapter, as such

names appear on the index of names of existing domestic and authorized

foreign corporations of any kind, including fictitious names of

authorized foreign corporations filed pursuant to article thirteen of

this chapter, in the department of state, division of corporations, or a

name the right to which is reserved.

(B) Shall be such as to distinguish it from (i) the names of domestic

limited liability companies, (ii) the names of authorized foreign

limited liability companies, (iii) the fictitious names of authorized

foreign limited liability companies, (iv) the names of domestic limited

partnerships, (v) the names of authorized foreign limited partnerships,

or (vi) the fictitious names of authorized foreign limited partnerships,

in each case, as such names appear on the index of names of existing

domestic and authorized foreign limited liability companies, including

fictitious names of authorized foreign limited liability companies, in

the department of state, or on the index of names of existing domestic

or authorized foreign limited partnerships, including fictitious names

of authorized foreign limited partnerships, in the department of state,

or names the rights to which are reserved; provided, however, that no

corporation that was formed prior to the effective date of this clause

and no foreign corporation that was qualified to conduct activities in

this state prior to such effective date shall be required to change the

name or fictitious name it had on such effective date solely by reason

of such name or fictitious name being indistinguishable from the name or

fictitious name of any domestic or authorized foreign limited liability

company or limited partnership or from any name the right to which is

reserved by or on behalf of any domestic or foreign limited liability

company or limited partnership.

(3) Shall not contain any word or phrase, or any abbreviation or

derivative thereof, the use of which is prohibited or restricted by

section 404 (Approvals, notices and consents) or any other statute of

this state, unless in the latter case the restrictions have been

complied with.

(4) Shall not contain any word or phrase, or any abbreviation or

derivative thereof, in a context which indicates or implies that the

corporation, if domestic, is formed or, if foreign, is authorized for

any purpose or is possessed in this state of any power other than a

purpose for which, or a power with which, the domestic corporation may

be and is formed or the foreign corporation is authorized.

(5) (A) Shall not contain any of the following phrases, or any

abbreviation or derivative thereof:

state police

state trooper

(B) Shall not contain any of the following words, or any abbreviation

or derivative thereof:

acceptance fidelity mortgage

annuity finance savings

assurance guaranty surety

bank indemnity title

bond insurance trust

casualty investment underwriter

doctor lawyer

endowment loan

unless the approval of the superintendent of financial services is

attached to the certificate of incorporation, or application for

authority or amendment thereof; or that the word "doctor", "lawyer", or

the phrase "state police" or "state trooper" or an abbreviation or

derivation thereof, may be used in the name of a corporation the

membership of which is composed exclusively of doctors, lawyers, state

police officers or state troopers, respectively.

(6) Shall not contain any words or phrases, or any abbreviation or

derivative thereof in a context which will tend to mislead the public

into believing that the corporation is an agency or instrumentality of

the United States or the state of New York or a subdivision thereof or

is a public corporation.

(7) Shall not contain the word "cooperative" or an abbreviation,

contraction or derivative thereof.

(8) Shall not contain any word or phrase, or any abbreviation or

derivation thereof, which, separately, or in context, shall be indecent

or obscene or shall ridicule or degrade any person, group, belief,

business or agency of government or indicate or imply any unlawful

activity.

(9) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, may, in the

case of a foundation organized for the sole purpose of publishing the

literary works of a deceased person, include the word "doctor" or any

abbreviation or derivative thereof as part of its name if such word,

abbreviation or derivative is used to identify the person whose works

are to be published.