How to handle a name that includes an exclamation point (or other punctuation)?

Certain brands, such as Yahoo!, insist that the exclamation is part of their name. In writing about such a brand or company, is the inclusion of the vanity punctuation right, wrong, or optional?

I would like my writing to be correct; however, of more concern with the average reader, I wouldn't want my writing to seem to be pandering.

Solution 1:

It seems optional, considering that even business article talk about Yahoo, while introducing some facts at the end about "Yahoo!".

If your article is about the public corporation, you should use consistently one convention, preferably the one using the exact name of the company: "Yahoo!".

But "Yahoo" is also natural since:

• you won't find any punctuation in the host names: www.yahoo.com, not www.yahoo!.com
• at least, it won't wreak havoc in your word processor spell checker ;) See Ignoring Punctuation in Names if you still have to use the '!'.

Solution 2:

The best way to deal with the vanity punctuation is as The Register do. Note "Related stories."

Edit (as requested) a sample of headlines from online newspaper The Register:

Yahoo! wonks! brace! for! lay-offs!
Yahoo! buys! TV-sharing! startup! IntoNow!
Yahoo! Buzz! Given! Mercy! Bullet!
Yahoo! to! offload! Delicious! as! early! as! next! week!
Yahoo! revenues! dip! 4! per! cent!

You get the idea. Yahooexclamationmark's PR boss may feel a bit ambivalent.

Solution 3:

Some sites, will use Yahoo! while talking about the company, but others do not. For example, check this CNN Money page that refers to the company as Yahoo! Inc.