Guidelines for Naming Your Company

Getting a company name is like naming your first child. It has to be unique. It has to be easy to remember. Most importantly, choosing a suitable name paves the way to a smoother company incorporation process.  

Tips for deciding your company name:

The Name Must Not Have Existed

First and foremost, your proposed company name must not be the same as the others. Prior to the Companies Commission Of Malaysia (SSM) submission, do engage a chartered secretary to check the availability of your company name. Alternatively, feel free to check its feasibility on the MYDATA portal or the SSM e-Info portal.

Words NOT to Include

1) Keep in mind that the term “Sdn. Bhd.” will automatically be added to your company name. Hence, you do not need to include words such as “company” and “corporation”;

2) Never include a name that associates with members of the Royal family like “Royal”, “King”, “Queen”, “Prince”, “Princess”, “Crown”, “Regent” or “Imperial”;

3）Do not include the name of State or Federal government department, statutory body, authority or government agency or any municipality or other local authority like “Federal”, “State” or “National”;

4) Do not include the name of ASEAN, Commonwealth or foreign government or with the United Nations or with any other international organization or cartel like “ASEAN”, “UNESCO”, “NATO”, “EEC”, “OPEC”;

5) Do not include the name of political party, society, trade union, co-operative society or building society like “UMNO”, “PAS”;

6) Do not include words or any words of like import like “Bank”, “Banker”, “Banking”, “Bumiputra”, “Bureau”, “Chamber of Commerce and Industry”, “Chamber of Manufacturers”, “Chartered”, “College”, “Consumer”, “Council”, “Credit”, “Exchange”, “Executor”, “Fair Price”, “Finance”, “Foundation”, “Fund”, “Guarantee”, “Institute”, “Insurance”, “Investment”, “Leasing”, “Made in Malaysia”, “Prime”, “Registry”, “Treasury”, “Trust”, “Unit Trust” and “University”;

7) Do not include words that are misleading as to the identity, nature, objects, or purposes of a company or in any other manner;

8) Do not include words that have connections with activities controlled by the other laws;

9) Do not use words that are controlled and limited due to the national and public interest, such as “Astro”, “DIGI”, “Berjaya”, “Chase”, “HICOM”, “Petronas”;

10) Do not include acronyms that are confusing:

• Names of institutions of higher learning – UiTM, UTM, UM, UKM, UPM, UUM, USM, UIA, UNIMAS, UMS, UIAM, UPSI, UMT, UMP, UTEM, UNIMAP, UTHM
• Names that represent Federal government agencies or State and Government Owned Companies (GLC) – SSM, CCM, JKR, JPA, JPM, BNM, KPDNKK, SEDC, PKEN, SIRIM, TNB, PNB, FELDA, FELCRA, PETRONAS, SKM, MYCC, MIDA, KWSP, LHDN, PERKESO, MARDI, RISDA

Words to Include (Optional)

1. The name of the directors
2. The mixing of languages like Bahasa Malaysia and English is allowed
3. Examples of allowed symbols:

• & And            : CORPSO & HELLO Sdn. Bhd.
• . Dots             : C. S. Sdn. Bhd.
• – Hyphen       : C–S Sdn. Bhd.
• ‘ Apostrophe : C’ S Sdn. Bhd.
• () Bracket      : CORPSO (2020) Sdn. Bhd.

Check here for further details of the company name guideline.

According to SSM, there are a total of 1,412,226 registered local companies in Malaysia.  To get a distinctive company name and gain speedy approval from SSM, you might want to consider a professional company secretary. Wait no more. Reserve your favourite company name with CORPSO and we will expedite the approval process for you!