The basic procedure for naming a complex is:
# When naming a complex ion, the ligands are named before the metal ion.
# The ligands' names are given in alphabetical order. Numerical prefixes do not affect the order.
#* Multiple occurring monodentate ligands receive a prefix according to the number of occurrences: di-, tri-, tetra-, penta-, or hexa-.
#* Multiple occurring polydentate ligands (e.g., ethylenediamine, oxalate) receive bis-, tris-, tetrakis-, etc.
#* Anions end in o.  This replaces the final e when the anion ends with -ide, -ate or -ite, e.g. chloride becomes chlorido and sulfate becomes sulfato. Formerly, -ide was changed to -o (e.g. chloro and cyano), but this rule has been modified in the 2005 IUPAC recommendations and the correct forms for these ligands are now chlorido and cyanido.
#* Neutral ligands are given their usual name, with some exceptions: NH becomes ammine; HO becomes aqua or aquo; CO becomes carbonyl; NO becomes nitrosyl.
# Write the name of the central atom/ion.  If the complex is an anion, the central atoms name will end in -ate', and its Latin name will be used if available (except for mercury).
# The oxidation state of the central atom is to be specified (when it is one of several possible, or zero), and should be written as a Roman numeral (or 0) enclosed in parentheses.
# Name of the cation should be preceded by the name of anion. (if applicable, as in last example)
Examples:
: [Cd(CN)(en)] → dicyanidobis(ethylenediamine)cadmium(II)
: [CoCl(NH)]SO → pentaamminechloridocobalt(III) sulfate
: [Cu(HO)]   → hexaaquacopper(II) ion
: [CuClNH] → amminepentachloridocuprate(II) ion
: K[Fe(CN)] → potassium hexacyanidoferrate(II)
: [NiCl] → tetrachloridonickelate(II) ion (The use of chloro- was removed from IUPAC naming convention)
The coordination number of ligands attached to more than one metal (bridging ligands) is indicated by a subscript to the Greek symbol μ placed before the ligand name. Thus the dimer of aluminium trichloride is described by AlCl(μ-Cl).
Any anionic group can be electronically stabilized by any cation. An anionic complex can be stabilised by a hydrogen cation, becoming an acidic complex which can dissociate to release the cationic hydrogen. This kind of complex compound has a name with "ic" added after the central metal. For example, H[Pt(CN)] has the name tetracyanoplatinic (II) acid.