A valid name is one that has been published, one that is associated with descriptive material, and one that is acceptable in that it conforms to the Rules in the Code. A stable nomenclature is one of the principal aims of taxonomy and therefore changes to names that have been accepted will only be considered in exceptional circumstances, and then only because of serious conflict with the Rules. The rule of priority in naming taxa and viruses shall not be observed. The earlier of candidate names for a taxon may be chosen as a convenience to virologists, but the Rule ensures that it is not possible to invalidate a name in current use by claiming priority for an older name that has been superceded. New taxon names shall not be made by adopting a person's name, by adding a formal ending to a person's name or by using part of a person's name to create a stem for a name.
Euphonious names are preferred.
In general, short names are desirable and the number of syllables should be kept to a minimum. The Rule is intended to make text unambiguous and easy to manipulate and its application should often make names more pronouncable, in agreement with Rule 3.12. For example, Soybean chlorotic mottle virus is a species in an as yet un-named genus in the family Caulimoviridae. This designation is regarded as temporary as it is an inconvenience to most virologists. When names are universally used by virologists in published work, these or derivatives shall be the preferred basis for creating names, irrespective of national origin.