I am looking for the name of a book that I read as a child.  The only
thing I can remember about it is that some of the characters names
were just abbreviations.  It had something to do with them being so
important that they didn't have time to write out a full name.  Can
anyone tell me the name of that book?

Hello Andrew

This sounds like The Gammage Cup by Carol Kendall, first published in
1959. One of the characters is called Ltd., as you thought.

"Among the souvenirs Fooley brought back with him from the outside
world -- our world -- was an odd list of abbreviations, including
Ltd., Co., Bros., Geo., that his literal descendants, who call
themselves the Periods, took as their own names, making up
pronunciations for these exotic words -- Litted, Coe, Bross, Gee-oh."
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/015202493X/qid=1110562666/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/002-1169651-3234414?v=glance&s=books

"The Periods, so named because they have names like ?Etc.? and ?Ltd.,?  . . "
http://www.mugglenet.com/booktrolley/ck-gammage.shtml

I hope you enjoy re-reading it!

If by any chance this is not the book you remember, please let me know
so I can resume the search.

Best wishes - Leli


searches:

"children's book"  characters names abbreviations  ltd
://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=%22children%27s+book%22++characters+names+abbreviations++ltd&btnG=Search&meta=
Gammage Cup ltd
://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=+Gammage+Cup+ltd&btnG=Search&meta=

That's it!  Thank you!!

Any chance it was the following? Would not have been typical childhood
reading though.

We by Yevgeny Zamyatin

Concept: Dystopia
Published in: 1924
Summary: A society based entirely on pure reason, with the total
suppression of passion, instinct, or inner life of any kind, seeks
next to conquer alien worlds.
Other Concepts: Outer space; Alternate reality

No, it wasn't "We"  Thanks for the suggestion though.  In the book I'm
thinking of the characters' names were abbreviations for real words. 
For example, I think (but I'm not sure) that one of them was named
Ltd.

Thank you!

I'm delighted we could find your book for you - Leli