Section 302. Corporate name; exceptions

(a) Any reference to a corporation in this section except as otherwise
  provided herein shall include both domestic and foreign corporations.
    (b) The provisions of section 301 (Corporate name; general):
    (1)  Shall  not  require any corporation, existing or authorized under
  any statute on the effective date of this chapter, to add to, modify  or
  otherwise  change  its  corporate  name;  provided,  however,  that  any
  corporation organized or qualified to do business in  this  state  under
  this  chapter  which  contains in its name any of the following words or
  phrases or any abbreviation or derivation thereof, "community  renewal",
  "tenant  relocation",  "urban  development" or "urban relocation", shall
  plainly and legibly state immediately following its name in any  writing
  issued  or  authorized  to  be issued by it upon which its name appears,
  including,  but  not  limited  to,  advertising  material   letterheads,
  business  cards  and  building  directories and signs, the phrase "not a
  governmental agency".
    (2) Shall not prevent a corporation with which another corporation  is
  merged, or which is formed by the reorganization or consolidation of one
  or  more  other  corporations  or  upon a sale, lease, exchange or other
  disposition to a domestic corporation of all or  substantially  all  the
  assets  of another domestic corporation, including its name, as provided
  in paragraph  (b)  of  Section  909  (Sale,  lease,  exchange  or  other
  disposition  of  assets),  from  having  the  same  name  as any of such
  corporations if at the time such other  corporation  was  authorized  or
  existing under any statute of this state.
    (3)  Shall  not  prevent  a  foreign corporation from being authorized
  under a name which is similar to the name of a corporation of  any  type
  or  kind  existing or authorized under any statute, if the department of
  state finds, upon proof by affidavit or otherwise as it  may  determine,
  that   a   difference   between  such  names  exists  in  the  terms  or
  abbreviations indicating corporate  character  or  otherwise,  that  the
  applicant  has  engaged in business as a corporation under its said name
  for not less than ten consecutive years immediately prior to the date of
  its application that the business to be conducted in this state  is  not
  the same as or similar to the business conducted by the corporation with
  whose  name  it  may  conflict  and  that the public is not likely to be
  confused  or  deceived,  and  if  the  applicant  shall  agree  in   its
  application for authority to use with its corporate name, in this state,
  to  be  placed  immediately  under  or following such name, the words "a
  ........ (name of jurisdiction of incorporation) corporation".
    (4) Shall not prevent a "small  business  investment  corporation"  as
  defined in an act of congress entitled "Small Business Investment Act of
  1958"  from  including the word "investment" as part of its name if such
  word is coupled with the words "small business".
    (5) Shall not prevent an "investment company" as defined in an act  of
  congress  entitled  "Investment  Company Act of 1940" from including the
  word "finance" or "bond" as part of its name, if  the  approval  of  the
  superintendent of banks is attached to the certificate of incorporation,
  application for authority, or amendment thereof.
    (6)  Shall not prevent a broker or dealer in securities, as defined in
  an act of congress entitled "Securities  Exchange  Act  of  1934",  from
  including  the  word  "investment"  as  part of its name if such word is
  coupled with the words "broker" or  "brokers"  and  if  such  broker  or
  dealer  is  registered with the securities and exchange commission under
  the provisions of section fifteen of  the  securities  exchange  act  of
  nineteen  hundred  thirty-four  and is also registered with the attorney
  general under the provisions of section three  hundred  fifty-nine-e  of
  the general business law.

    (7)  Shall  not  prevent  an  association  of banks or trust companies
  organized as a non-profit membership corporation for  the  promotion  of
  the  interests of member banks from including the word "bankers" as part
  of its corporate name.
    (8)  Shall  not  prevent  a  bank  holding  company,  as long as it is
  required to be registered under article III-A  of  the  banking  law  or
  under  the federal Bank Holding Company Act, as each may be amended from
  time to time, from using the words "bank", "banker" or "trusts"  or  any
  abbreviation, derivative or combination thereof as part of its corporate
  name,  if the approval of the superintendent of banks is attached to the
  certificate of incorporation, application for  authority,  or  amendment
  thereof.