How to name a Hong Kong company correctly? (English & Chinese)

Most founders don't realize that until it's too late. Based on our experts' experience at Global Link Asia Consulting (“GLAC”), your Hong Kong company should have an English name and a Chinese name.

Most founders don't realize that until it's too late. Here's the pattern GLAC sees over and over: a businessman registers his Hong Kong company with only an English name, operates for years without issue, then hits a wall the moment it tries to open a bank account, sell on Amazon US.

One company we worked with ran fine for years on its English name alone. Then it tried to open an Amazon seller account. Amazon asked for a Chinese company name,  one that didn't exist on the company's Certificate of Incorporation.

Hong Kong company name requirement on Amazon seller verification 

That's not rare. Banks, e-commerce platforms, and regional partners ask for the same thing constantly, even though a Chinese name was never a legal requirement at incorporation. 

In this guide, you'll learn:

• The 6 rules that govern Hong Kong company names;
• How to search for a name before you file;
• How to pick an English and Chinese name that won't need fixing down the road.

1. The Hong Kong company name checklist (6 rules)

Hong Kong's Companies Registry approves names under the Companies Ordinance (Cap. 622)). Six rules decide whether your name gets through on the first try.

Company name requirements and regulations under the Hong Kong Companies Registry

1. Pick one language, never mix them. Use English, Chinese, or both. You cannot combine English and Chinese characters in a single name;
2. English names must end in "Limited." Not "Ltd," not "Ltd.," not "Incorporated." Just "Limited," spelled out in full;
3. Chinese names must end in "有限公司" — no abbreviations. This suffix cannot be shortened or substituted.
4. Your name can't duplicate or resemble a registered name. The Companies Registry checks your proposed name against every name already on file.
5. Restricted words need prior approval. Words that imply a government connection, or that fall under a regulated industry, need sign-off from the relevant authority before you file (more on this below)
6. Chinese names must use traditional characters (繁體字) that appear in the Kang Xi Dictionary (康熙字典) or Ci Hai Dictionary (辭海), and that are encoded in ISO 10646. Simplified Chinese characters are rejected outright.

Example of a name that clears all six: English: Sunrise Consulting Limited Chinese: 晨曦諮詢有限公司

2. How to Choose a Chinese name that actually fits your brand?

Pro tip: Build your name with this formula — Brand + Industry + Legal Suffix. A tech company, for example, might land on "Bright Horizon Technology Limited." It's specific, it's memorable, and it scales as you expand.

Once your English name is set, you have two real paths for the Chinese version.

GLAC recommends working with a Chinese-language specialist to make sure the name is both compliant and culturally right for your target market, not just a literal conversion.

2.1. Option 1: Translate the meaning (意譯)

This works best when your brand wants to communicate a value, a vision, or a specific industry.

Bright Horizon Technology Limited could become 光明遠景科技有限公司 — a name that carries the same meaning in Chinese as it does in English.

2.2. Option 2: Transliterate the Sound (音譯)

This works best when your brand already has international name recognition and you want the Chinese name to sound close to the English original.

Think Coca-Cola → 可口可樂, or Google → 谷歌.

Using the same example, Bright Horizon Technology Limited could become 布萊特宏信有限公司 — chosen for how it sounds, not what it means.

Neither option is objectively better. The right call depends on whether your brand leans on recognition (transliteration) or on meaning (translation).

3. Why would you need both names from day one?

Founders often assume an English name is enough to launch their company in Hong Kong. Technically, it is. Strategically, it's a gamble.

Here's why registering both names upfront saves you time, money, and rejected applications later.

4. Restricted words You can't use without approval

Some words trigger mandatory approval from a specific regulator before the Companies Registry will accept your name, even if the name itself isn't taken by anyone else.

5. What counts as a "Duplicate" name for a Hong Kong company?

This is where a lot of applications get tripped up. The Companies Registry ignores certain words and symbols when it checks for duplicates, which means names that look different on paper can still be treated as identical.

Ignored elements include:

• Company, Company Limited, Limited, 有限公司, 公司;
• "The," when it appears at the start of a name;
• "and" and the "&" symbol;
• Hong Kong, Hongkong, and HK;
• Far East and FE (as initials).

That means these pairs are treated as the same name:

• The ABC Company Limited ↔ ABC Limited;
• ABC & Partners Limited ↔ ABC and Partners Limited;
• Hong Kong ABC Limited ↔ HK ABC Limited.

Chinese names carry a parallel rule. Two characters count as identical if the Registrar considers them interchangeable in common Hong Kong usage — for example, 恆 = 恒, 峯 = 峰, and 匯 = 滙.

6. How to search a Hong Kong company name before you register

Before you file, search your proposed name on the Cyber Search Centre, part of the Companies Registry's ICRIS system. It's official, and it's free.

Kiểm tra tên trên hệ thống chính phủ

You've got two search modes, and they serve different purposes:

1. Exact Name Search Enter the full proposed name — spacing, punctuation, and suffix included ("Limited" or "有限公司"). This tells you whether that exact name is already registered.
2. Left Partial Search Enter just the first few characters and set the status filter to "ALL." This surfaces every name, active or historical,that starts with your search term.

Use Left Partial Search when you want to gauge how common a name is, or avoid landing too close to an existing brand.

7. How can we help you?

A valid Hong Kong company name comes down to four things: the right language, the right suffix, genuine uniqueness, and no unapproved restricted words.

Before you file, GLAC recommends:

• Checking your proposed name against both the Companies Registry and the IPD trademark database;
• Deciding upfront whether you'll need a Chinese name later — and registering it now instead;
• Securing written approval from the relevant authority in advance, if your name uses a restricted word.

With more than 10 years supporting startups, SMEs, and larger enterprises through international expansion, GLAC has helped over 500 businesses set up companies in Hong Kong and beyond, fast, compliant, and without paying for mistakes twice.

• Open a company in Hong Kong legally, fast with our one-stop support
• Get a reliable, experienced company secretary with our corporate secretarial service
• Support in opening your business bank accounts;
• Get an affordable, professional registered office address for your business;
• Support to open, authenticate, and manage Stripe and PayPal Business in Singapore, Hong Kong, and the U.S;
• Handle all your tax accounting needs, timely annual filings, auditing, and more.

8. FAQs about Hong Kong company naming