A compliant Hong Kong company name must satisfy the Companies Ordinance and the Companies Registry’s naming rules.
It may be registered in English, traditional Chinese, or both, but English letters and Chinese characters cannot be mixed within one name.
An English limited-company name must end with “Limited”, while a Chinese name must end with “有限公司”.
The most important caution is that an Exact Name Search does not guarantee registration and company-name registration does not create trade mark rights.
A local company may register:
A registered name cannot combine English letters and Chinese characters in a single name.
A Chinese company name must use traditional Chinese characters. Simplified Chinese characters are not accepted for the registered Chinese name.
The last word of an English name for a limited company must be “Limited”.
The abbreviation “Ltd” is not accepted as the registered ending, even though it may be treated as equivalent in some name comparisons.
A Chinese name for a limited company must end with “有限公司”.
Design the name exactly as it will appear in the incorporation form, articles, bank documents, contracts, website, and invoices.
Avoid creating a brand that depends on an unofficial abbreviation that may be confused with the registered name.
The Companies Registry will not register a name that is the same as a name in its Index of Company Names.
It may also reject a name that is the same as a statutory body, would constitute a criminal offence, is offensive, or is contrary to the public interest.
Some words and expressions require prior approval. A name may also require approval if it suggests a connection with the Central People’s Government, the Hong Kong SAR Government, or a government department or agency.
Name availability is only one test.
The founder should also assess restricted wording, public-interest concerns, regulatory implications, and possible intellectual property conflicts.
Founders often try to create uniqueness through punctuation, spaces, letter case, or common corporate endings.
Those differences may not be enough.
When comparing names, the Registrar may disregard letter case, spaces, accent marks, punctuation, and certain words or endings. Expressions such as “and” and “&”, “Hong Kong”, “Hongkong” and “HK”, and “Far East” and “FE” may be treated as the same.
“North Harbour HK Limited” may not become distinct merely because another name uses “Hong Kong”, different punctuation, or different capitalization.
The legal comparison is not the same as a marketing comparison.
The Companies Registry provides free company name searches through its e-Search Services.
Use the Exact Name Search mode and enter the full proposed name. Include spaces, punctuation, and ending terms such as “Limited” or “有限公司”.
Search the English and Chinese names separately.
Only English or traditional Chinese characters should be used for the relevant search. A simplified Chinese search may incorrectly return no matching result.
Company name registration, business registration, and trade mark registration are separate systems.
The Intellectual Property Department states that registering a company name does not give the company trade mark rights.
A company may obtain its name from the Companies Registry and still face a trade mark infringement or passing-off issue if the name conflicts with another party’s rights.
Search the Hong Kong Trade Marks Register before building a website, packaging, advertising, or cross-border brand strategy around the name.
For a high-value brand, consider specialist intellectual property advice.
Legal registrability is the first test. Operational usability is the second.
A practical name should be easy to reproduce across bank, contract, tax, domain, and customer records.
It should not imply a regulated activity that the business is not licensed to conduct.
It should also leave room for the company to expand without making the registered name misleading or unnecessarily narrow.
Decide whether the name should identify a group, product, location, founder, or business activity.
Prepare at least three English options and, where relevant, corresponding traditional Chinese options.
Do not treat the Chinese name as an automatic translation. Confirm meaning, pronunciation, and commercial tone.
Confirm the required “Limited” or “有限公司” ending.
Remove any mixed English-Chinese wording within a single proposed name.
Use Exact Name Search and Left Partial Search. Review punctuation, spacing, abbreviations, and equivalent expressions.
Identify any wording that may require approval or imply a government or regulated connection.
Search the Trade Marks Register and consider the markets where the brand will operate.
Yes. It may register one English name and one Chinese name.
No. A mixed English-Chinese company name will not be registered.
No. The last word must be “Limited” for a limited company.
No. The registered Chinese name must use traditional Chinese characters.
No. It is a search tool and does not reserve or approve the proposed name.
Not necessarily. The Registrar may treat “Hong Kong”, “Hongkong”, and “HK” as the same when comparing names.
No. Trade mark protection is handled separately by the Intellectual Property Department.
The Registrar may direct a company to change a name in circumstances provided by the Companies Ordinance. Founders should review similar names and intellectual property risks before filing.
Tannet may assist foreign founders who need an English and Chinese company name review, Companies Registry name searches, incorporation document preparation, registered address and company secretary arrangements, or coordination with trade mark and branding work.
The final registrability of a proposed name is determined by the Companies Registry. Intellectual property protection requires a separate assessment.
Written by: Tannet Hong Kong Business Services Team
Reviewed by: Consultant Amy Huang
First published: 6 August 2026
Last reviewed: 6 August 2026
Jurisdiction: Hong Kong SAR
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