When stock certificates are held in a brokerage's name, they are said to be held in _____.

When stock certificates are held in a brokerage's name, they are referred to as being held in "street name." This practice allows brokerage firms to serve as the registered owners of the securities, even though the actual buyers of the stocks are the beneficial owners.

Holding securities in street name streamlines the process of buying and selling shares, as it enables brokerages to quickly transfer ownership without needing to physically change the registration of the stock certificates. This is particularly advantageous for facilitating transactions and managing multiple holdings for many clients simultaneously.

While "physical form" refers to stocks that have physical certificates, and "custodial account" generally pertains to an account managed by a third party (often for minors or for specific purposes), and "brokerage account" is a more general term for the investment account in which clients hold assets, these terms do not specifically describe the way securities are registered in the name of the brokerage for ease of transfer and management. Thus, “street name” specifically captures the essence of this arrangement in the context of stock ownership.