iPhone Application Name: Can an App Name Be Reserved?

We’ve been working on a second application for iPhone in the past few weeks.  We started out with a code name of LCM which means little to nothing.  Then we start to gravitate towards a name that we can use as the Application Name.  We searched around App Store for similar apps and don’t think the name is in use.  We all liked the name enough to start using it throughout the application, create the graphics, marketing material, help text, web site, email address, etc.  We are a few days from submission and I started the submission process on iTunes Connect.  Bam!  The name is in use.  We searched in App Store again, and sure enough it is there!  I can’t believe that we did not find it the first time around.  The app was released last year, so we definitely could have found it earlier.

Anyway, we are back to the drawing board on the name thing even though the app is 90%+ done.

I searched the web and found that other developers have similar issues before, e.g. Check Your App Name and Be Prepared to Change It.  I wish there’s a easier way to determine if a name is available and to reserve it even if the reservation is only good for a week.