can "A1 Inc" also be written as "A 1 Inc" ?

or are these 2 seperate Incs?

anyone?

Yes spacing is everything :). If you are scared of A1 steak sauces or something coming after you, you shouldn't worry but if you do something like Net-Hosters Inc. and try to sell web hosting be afraid hehe :). Something like that is not "illegal" but it could def. cost you some serious lawyer fees if you anger another company.

As long as you're in a different market, then it's OK by UK law. I'd imagine it's the same in the USA.

For example you could have Bloggs Hosting Ltd and refer to yourself as 'At Bloggs, we used the latest Linux blah'

Then there could also be a Bloggs Ltd who made, for example, soft drinks. You wouldn't get in trouble.

say that on my articles of incorporation, the inc is written as "A 1 INC"

can i open a business checking account or sign up for a merchant account under the name "a1 INC"?

I think not.

On any kind of official document, your company name should be written exactly as it's registered... just like you have a legal name, so does your company. So if your drivers license says your name is "John Doe," the bank probably will want that name on your account, not "Johnny-Joe Doe," and the same thing is true for your company.

But... you could probably have "Johnny-Joe Doe" printed on your checks, and you could probably use an alternate spelling on your business checks. And you could easily make any alternate business name "official" by registering an assumed name or dba, usually with your county clerk.

The name of your business, though, is what it is. Even if it were "A 1 Inc." that would be different from "A 1 Incorporated" -- it's that precise. That doesn't mean, by the way, that someone would be allowed ot register that alternative, or A1 Inc., but again on any official document you are "A 1 Inc."