How to Name a Nonprofit in Wyoming

Step 1: Choose the Right Name for Your Nonprofit

Selecting the right name for your organization is an important task. In order to choose the name that best represents your nonprofit’s mission and purpose, we recommend following these guidelines:

• Be specific. A nonprofit’s name should be direct and specific enough to convey its mission. Avoid using vague words or terms that could confuse donors and prospective clients about your organization’s purpose.
• Make it memorable. Memorability is essential when selecting a name for any business. For nonprofits, selecting a name that will stick in the minds of those who come across it will not only improve your organization’s exposure among donors and volunteers but also make it easier for potential clients to find your services.
• Keep it professional. Nonprofits rely heavily on their public image in order to attract donors or clients who may use their services — and their first impression will stem from your organization’s name. For this reason, your nonprofit needs a professional name that communicates a serious dedication to its mission and purpose.
• Make it emotional. Whether your organization provides services for animals, displaced persons, or any other community, emotion and charity have a strong bond. Selecting a name that appeals to the emotions of both donors and clients will help build trust as well as your organization’s credibility.

We recommend selecting at least four to five names that fit your criteria before you start researching their availability. This approach will increase your chances of securing a unique and available name.

Step 2: Follow the Nonprofit Naming Rules in Wyoming

Corporation Name Requirements

Your Wyoming nonprofit name must adhere to the guidelines laid out in Section 17-19-401 of the Nonprofit Corporation Act and Section 17-16-401 of the Business Corporation Act:

Sec. 17-19-401 (a) A corporate name may not contain language stating or implying that the corporation is organized for a purpose other than that permitted by W.S. 17-19-301 and its articles of incorporation.

(b) Except as authorized … a corporate name shall not be the same as, or deceptively similar to the name of any trademark or service mark registered in this state and shall be distinguishable upon the records of the secretary of state from other business names as required by W.S. 17-16-401.

Sec. 17-16-401 (f) A name is distinguishable from other names, on the records of the secretary of state, if it contains one (1) or more different letters or numerals, or if it has a different sequence of letters or numerals from the other names on the secretary of state's records. Differences which are not distinguishable are:

(i) The words or abbreviations of the words "corporation," "company," "incorporated," "limited partnership," "L.P.," "limited," "ltd.," "limited liability company," "limited company," "L.C." or "L.L.C.";

(ii) The presence or absence of the words or symbols of the words "the," "and" or "a";

(iii) Differences in punctuation and special characters;

(iv) Differences in capitalization; or

(v) Differences between singular and plural forms of words.

Putting It Into Practice

Most nonprofits in Wyoming are organized as corporations, but you can choose to organize a nonprofit in four other ways: an unincorporated association, a trust, an association, or a limited liability company (LLC). Each option has specific naming requirements you must follow.

For the purposes of this article, we’ll focus on the requirements for naming a nonprofit corporation.

Incorporating is the most common way to organize a nonprofit. While naming rules for corporations vary by state, some requirements apply nationwide. State standards in Wisconsin include:

• Your corporation’s name must be distinguishable from any other name on record within the state of Wyoming, including any reserved names.
• Your corporation’s name can’t imply it serves another purpose or intent than what is stated in the Articles of Incorporation.

Unlike many other states, Wyoming doesn’t require a nonprofit corporation’s name to include an identifier such as “company,” “incorporated,” “corporation,” “limited partnership,” “partnership,” or any equivalent abbreviation.

Note: If your nonprofit corporation’s name includes either words or phrases that are associated with banking or education, your application may require additional review by the state.

Tax Exemption Requirements

If you plan to file for tax-exempt status with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), pay close attention to the wording you use in your nonprofit’s name. Any words that imply a political or lobbying affiliation may hinder your ability to file for 501(c)(3) status.

Step 3: Check If Your Business Name Is Available

After you chose one or several name options for your nonprofit, you’ll need to make sure it’s available. Every nonprofit must have a distinguishable name so it’s helpful to confirm the availability of your desired name prior to incorporation.

The top four searches you should perform include:

• Wyoming Business Entity Search
• Domain Name Search
• Federal Trademark Search
• Web and Social Media Search

Wyoming Business Entity Search

To operate a nonprofit corporation in Wyoming, its name must be unique. You can easily check if your chosen name is available by performing a search using the Wyoming Business Entity Search tool.

Domain Name Search

We strongly recommend that you also check to see if your business name is available as a web domain (URL). Even if you don't plan to create a business website today, you may want to buy the web address to prevent others from acquiring that domain name. It’s a free search.

Registered your domain name? Next, we suggest choosing a business phone system to help your nonprofit build authority and trust. Phone.com is our first pick due to its affordability and top-notch customer support. Try Phone.com today.

Step 4: Register Your Nonprofit Name

After you choose your nonprofit’s name and confirm its availability, the next step involves registering the organization’s name. You have a few options to achieve a name registration:

• File for a Name Reservation
• Form a Corporation
• File for a DBA Name