What am I legally allowed to call my 'company'?

I'm a student, and I'm interested in making apps/websites. Thus, I registered for a Student account with App Hub {WP7 dev program.} I also made a website where people can play my HTML5/JS based game.

In order to pay for some expenses, I made some of my WP7 games paid. I also created a website for my 'company'. It's just that - a 'company'. App Hub has me listed as a student developer. My name for the WP7 marketplace is 'XYZName' - not 'XYZName Corporation' or 'XYZName Corp' or 'XYZName LLC' or 'XYZName Ltd.'

However, I am now wondering what I am allowed to call my 'company'. I have no desire to go get any papers or make it legally a company - that would take more time, money, and resources than the benefits the app-making provides. As you might infer, it's simply me that's part of this 'company'.

Thus: What could I call my company if I really wanted to? XYZName LLC? XYZName Corp?

If it makes a difference, I live in New Hampshire.

The only thing you are legally allowed to do is sell stuff as yourself, ie, under your own name.

Suffixes like "Corp" and "LLC" have very specific legal meanings so you can't use them unless you create a real company under state law.

A relatively simple option is to create a DBA. This likely also requires some paperwork with state or local government.

The US Small Business Administration has an extremely comprehensive page on registering a fictitious name which contains a chart showing the DBA filing requirements for several states. Some states do not require filing. New Hampshire, not only requires one to register a trade name but also charges a fee of $50.

The specific laws surrounding trade names can be found in Chapter 349 of the New Hampshire statutes.

To answer "What could I call my company if I really wanted to?" whatever your heart desires that does not include word/phrases like these:

• same as or likely to be confused with existing entities registered to do business in the state regardless of whether the were formed in NH
• same as or likely to be confused with a reserved name
• same as or likely to be confused with a a registered political party
• contain "farmers' market" unless 2+ "vendors of agricultural commodities" gather to sell things to the public (I don't kid)
• same as or like an agency or instrumentality of the United States/NH/subdivisions
• "junior college" "college'' "university" or related to higher learning unless your institution provides as such
• "corporation" "incorporated" "limited"; "corp." "inc." "ltd." or "words or abbreviations of like import in another language"
• "professional corporation," "professional association," "Prof. Corp." "Prof. Ass'n" " P.C.", or "P.A."
• "farm" "farmers' market" "agrotourism" unless applicable
• cooperative


• "limited liability company", "L.L.C."
• "limited partnership"
• "limited liability partnership", "L.L.P.'' or "LLP" near the end of the name