2023 New York Laws › NPC - Not-For-Profit Corporation › Article 3 - Corporate Name and Service of Process › 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.