From time to time I have this problem with Matlab where I for example, create a variable named "max" and then get all kinds of weird errors when I try to use the function max() on something, since I overwrote the function by accident with my variable.
I have lost much time and my mind, and I find it awful that this is even possible.
I would like to know if there is a way to disable this behavior, so that function names are reserved like in many other languages and this cannot happen by mistake.
From the looks of the documentation, you can't do that.
You should use exist <name> when in doubt to make sure that <name> won't override an existing function.