There are two hurdles: bank policy and the law about fictitious business names. No business should print a name on its business checks that is neither (a) the legal name of the business, as defined in the fictitious business law (Business & Professions Code sections 17500 et seq. if memory serves) nor (b) a registered fictitious business name.
A sole proprietor's surname is not fictitious, nor is the true legal name of a corporation or LLC. All others a probably fictitious and need to be registered.
Finally, there may be a difference between the "account name" as shown on statements, the bank's records, etc. and the "public name" printed on your checks. Both should conform to the above, but are not necessarily always the same.
