California's Rules Regarding Corporate Names Selection

California Trademark Act

California Fictitious Name Act

Your Corporate Name cannot include the name "bank" "trust" "trustee" or related words unless you first obtain a certificate of approval from the Commissioner of Financial Institutions.

201. (a) The Secretary of State shall not file articles setting forth a name in which "bank," " trust," "trustee" or related words appear, unless the certificate of approval of the Commissioner of Financial Institutions is attached thereto. This subdivision does not apply to the articles of any corporation subject to the Banking Law on which is endorsed the approval of the Commissioner of Financial Institutions.

Your corporate name cannot be likely to mislead the public, closely resemble or tend to deceive as to identity with another corporate name or a a registered trademark.

(b) The Secretary of State shall not file articles which set forth a name which is likely to mislead the public or which is the same as, or resembles so closely as to tend to deceive, the name of a domestic corporation, the name of a foreign corporation which is authorized to transact intrastate business or has registered its name pursuant to Section 2101, a name which a foreign corporation has assumed under subdivision (b) of Section 2106, a name which will become the record name of a domestic or foreign corporation upon the effective date of a filed corporate instrument where there is a delayed effective date pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 110 or subdivision (c) of Section 5008, or a name which is under reservation for another corporation pursuant to this section, Section 5122, Section 7122, or Section 9122, except that a corporation may adopt a name that is substantially the same as an existing domestic corporation or foreign corporation which is authorized to transact intrastate business or has registered its name pursuant to Section 2101, upon proof of consent by such domestic or foreign corporation and a finding by the Secretary of State that under the circumstances the public is not likely to be misled.