Rules for Studio/Dev Team Names

[ToadstoolTyrant 4]

I just had a small question regarding suffixes for the name of a dev team (inc., co., LLC, etc).

What exactly are the rules for adding those to the name of dev team? Are there certain requirements that need to be fulfilled to legally be able to use a certain suffix? Would a person be able to name their studio X Ltd. or Y Inc. solely for aesthetic reasons or would the suffix need to be warranted in order to use it legally?

Sorry for the amateurish question and I apologize if I haven't followed some of the guidelines. The FAQ linked in the, "Before You Post," thread no longer exists, so I'm kinda' going in blind.

Thanks in advance!

[Kylotan 10262]

Steer clear of anything that you think might suggest that your company has a legal status that it does not hold. The penalty for misleading a customer about that could range from nothing at all to something quite serious, depending on where you are, where you trade, etc.

[jbadams 25883]

35 minutes ago, Kylotan said:

Steer clear of anything that you think might suggest that your company has a legal status that it does not hold.

Expanding on this point a little and looking at your specific examples:

Inc. refers to "incorporation" - the creation of a legal entity.
Ltd. refers to a "limited company" - to do with the liability of members, and often a specific type of legal entity, depending on your local laws.

You probably don't want to tack those on just for aesthetics if they don't actually apply to your business.

[Tom Sloper 16205]

12 hours ago, jbadams said:

You probably don't want to tack those on just for aesthetics if they don't actually apply to your business

No "probably" about it. Do not just tack a "suffix" on your studio name without getting legal advice from an attorney. Toad, you should google those terms. If you are in the US, you should also visit your local SBA office (Small Business Administration).