(a) The exclusive right to the use of a name may be reserved by:

(1) Any person intending to organize a limited partnership under this article and to adopt that name;

(2) Any domestic limited partnership or any foreign limited partnership registered in this state which, in either case, intends to adopt that name;

(3) Any foreign limited partnership intending to register in this state and adopt that name; and

(4) Any person intending to organize a foreign limited partnership and intending to have it registered in this state and adopt that name.

(b) The reservation shall be made by filing with the Secretary of State an application, executed by the applicant, to reserve a specified name along with the fee prescribed by section two, article one, chapter fifty-nine of this code. If the Secretary of State finds that the name is available for use by a domestic or foreign limited partnership, he shall reserve that name for the exclusive use of the applicant for a period of one hundred twenty days. The reservation may be renewed for one additional period of one hundred twenty days, but may not thereafter be reserved by the same or associated persons within one calendar year of the expiration of the last reservation period. The right to the exclusive use of a reserved name may be transferred to any other person by filing in the office of the Secretary of State a notice of the transfer, executed by the applicant for whom the name was reserved and specifying the name and address of the transferee.