Proper nouns: Organizational names

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The name of a company, union, association, society, independent committee or board, school, political party, convention, foundation, fraternity, sorority, club and religious organization is a proper noun and should be written according to the preference of the organization.

In the first instance where the name of an organization appears in a document, write it out in full and then include any abbreviated form or acronym in parentheses following it, if appropriate. Thereafter, the abbreviated form or acronym may be used.

EXCEPTION: Organizations that are better known by their abbreviated form or acronym; for example, IBM and AT&T.

the University of Chicago
Sun Microsystems
Wal-Mart
Microsoft Word
the Civil Rights Act of 1964
the United Methodist Church
the Delta Delta Delta Sorority

Capitalize the abbreviated form of company, corporation, incorporated and limited when the business name uses those abbreviations in its formal name or title. Do not precede the abbreviation with a comma or other punctuation unless the business includes it in its formal name or title.

Apple Inc.
Target Brands, Inc.