You can, but it's not standard. When you install SQL Server for the first time, one option is to give it an instance name. Really, I wouldn't name it the SQL Server version because if you upgrade to a new version, you have to change the connection string for every program that connects to it.

>Thank you for the explanation. I just don't like the computer name as the server name. For example, on the current computer where the SQL Server 2008 was installed some time ago, the server name is MYCOMPUTERNAME\SQL2008. But on this new computer (where I am moving) now the server name is just MYCOMPUTERNAME. I wish I could make both computers see the server name the same.