I. Short Name Overview
The short name of a company is the short form or abbreviation of the company name, which is displayed on members’ business cards, company information page, and other places, e.g. Wang Qingqing@TangRAM.
- Exclusive short name for external communication: A company’s short name is displayed on employees’ business cards and other places when they communicate with customers. The abbreviated name after verification will be protected for uniqueness. Other enterprises will not be able to use it during registration/verification. A prompt will appear to indicate that it is already occupied by a verified enterprise.
The exclusive short name can be displayed externally, such as Wang Qing@TangRAM. - Display company information internally: A company’s short name is displayed on employee’s personal information page, company information page, etc., for internal communication, which enhances the credibility of their work identity with the company.
- Multiple short names for external communication: Up to 5 short names can be applied during the company verification process. Once approved, the short names can be set for members of different departments in “Admin Console” -> “Contacts” -> “Member Info” -> “Info Displayed Externally”.
II. Naming Rules
Basic naming rules:
(1) The short name must be uniquely identifiable and objective in the company’s industry, and must not involve infringement, exaggeration, advertising, and misleading information. Additionally, it must not infringe upon the exclusive rights of any registered trademark; otherwise, the name will be rejected, and you may be held liable for such infringement；
(2) The short name must not infringe upon any rights, violate applicable laws or WeCom regulations, lead to ambiguity, or duplicate an existing short name on the WeCom platform; otherwise, it will be rejected.
(3) Names based solely on a geographical region (e.g. Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, etc.) or containing marketing-oriented terms (e.g. red packet, money making, loan, borrowing, etc.) are not allowed.
Format requirements:
(1) Chinese, lowercase letters, uppercase letters, numbers, Chinese and English parentheses, spaces, and some special characters are supported.
Note: These special characters（“+”、“-”、“&”、“.”） or spaces are only supported if present in the provided naming materials. (Two consecutive spaces are not supported.)
(2) The name can only be 4-30 characters in length (1 Chinese character counts as 2 characters, that is, 2-15 Chinese characters are supported;One side bracket of Chinese parentheses is counted as 2 characters, i.e. Chinese () takes up 4 characters and English () takes up 2 characters).
(3) Russian and Korean are not supported for short names.
Quantity requirements:
Up to 5 short names can be applied for during verification. You can add more by tapping the button below in the step “Confirm Name”.
The first short name set is the default name for the company.
Verified small-sized companies cannot modify the default short name directly on the page. To add, remove, or modify it, they need to verify again.
Currently, for companies that are verified as medium or large-scale businesses in the legal person type, there are 3 free attempts to modify the short names on the page after verification. For other entity types, a prompt will appear stating, “The number of changes to the company’s short name exceeds the limit. Verify again before modification.”The default short name is displayed in the internal company information, such as on the My Company page and launch screen.
The WeChat customer service account is displayed externally as Customer service account name@company’s default short name (the content following the @ cannot be customized).
Once approved, the short names can be set for members of different departments in “Admin Console” -> “Contacts” -> “Member Info” -> “Info Displayed Externally”.
III. Naming Methods
The following three naming methods are supported:
(1) Naming based on trade name unique to a business or full name of an organization
(2) Naming based on trademark
(3) Naming based on brand/product/app/website name (Case sensitivity or traditional/simplified Chinese conversion not supported)
1. Naming based on trade name unique to a business or full name of an organization
| ① Based on trade name unique to a business Applicable to: companies and sole proprietors The trade name that uniquely identifies a business in its full name can be used for naming, and a prefix/suffix can be added flexibly. For sole proprietors without a full name, the use of “Sole proprietor + legal representative name” is supported for their full and short names, for example, “Sole proprietor Zhang San”. Note: (1)The short name should be based on the full name of the company if the brand name is a person’s name. (2) If the full name is in simplified Chinese, short names in traditional Chinese are not supported for naming based on trade name. (3) If the organization name on the entity certificate is in traditional Chinese, when naming based on the font size, the full name and abbreviation cannot be changed to simplified Chinese and need to be filled in according to the traditional Chinese characters on the certificate. Material required: Business License |
| ② Based on full name of an organization Applicable to: governments, public institutions, and other organizations The full name or the unique trade name of an organization can be used for naming, and a prefix/suffix can be added flexibly. A commonly used short name for external purposes can also be used for naming, which can be verified through public information query. For example, the full name of an organization is Guangzhou Haizhu District Education Bureau, and its short name can be Haizhu District Education Bureau. Material required: Organization Code Certificate or Legal Person Certificate of Public Institution |
2. Naming based on trademark
| ① Based on self-owned trademark Applicable to: The trademark holder is consistent with the verification applicant The trademark name owned by the verification applicant (company/organization) can be used for naming, and a prefix/suffix can be added flexibly. English letters and traditional/simplified Chinese are supported. For example, Guangzhou TangRAM Technology Co., Ltd. owns the trademark “TANG”, and it can use the short name “TANG Shopping” by adding a suffix. Material example: A paper or electronic copy of the Trademark Registration Certificate |
| ② Based on trademark registered by others Applicable to: The trademark holder is not the verification applicant The trademark name registered and held by others can be used for naming, and the Trademark Authorization Certificate or Trademark License Filing Notice from the trademark holder is required in this case. With the authorization obtained, the naming rules are consistent with those mentioned above (see ①). Material required (provide one of the following): ① Trademark Authorization Certificate: get it stamped by the trademark holder before uploading it ② Trademark License Filing Notice: apply for it from the Trademark Office |
Notes:
(1) Only registered trademarks approved by the Trademark Office of China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), indicated by the “R” symbol, are allowed. Trademarks with the “TM” symbol that have not been approved by the Trademark Office are not supported. The use of trademarks registered overseas is not allowed.
(2) The registered trademark must be valid and within the validity period.
(3) If the registered trademark is transferred, you must also provide the Approved Trademark Transfer Certificate.
(4) You can use registered trademarks that are authorized by others. In this case, you must provide the Trademark Authorization Certificate (with a clear trademark registration number, and seal or signature of the authorizer and the authorized person).
(5) Pure graphic trademarks without a textual element (trademark name) are not supported.
(6) Trademarks registered outside mainland China (including Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan) can also be used if they have been filed with the trademark office in mainland China. If it is not registered with the Trademark Office in China Mainland, its use is not supported.
Note: If an overseas trademark is intended to be used as an abbreviated form, it must be registered with the China National Intellectual Property Office (CNIPA). Once the trademark application is approved, the corresponding registered trademark can be queried on the trademark office’s website, and a trademark registration certificate will be issued. The use of the trademark as an abbreviation is supported upon obtaining this certificate
(7) Short names must not split trademark names, reverse their word order, or abbreviate them in any way (Trademark names can be verified through the official trademark publication website).
When using trademarks authorized by others, if the trademark holder is a company inside the China Mainland (ensure the authorizing party is currently active/existing):
(1) The applicant must provide the Certificate of Trademark Registration; additionally, authorization documents must be provided, such as the Trademark Authorization Letter or Trademark Usage License Filing.
(2) If the authenticity of the authorization materials cannot be verified, one of the following must be provided additionally:
a. An assessment or witness statement from a mainland China law firm regarding the trademark authorization process, along with the law firm and lawyer’s practice licenses;
b. A notarial certificate from a Chinese notary office regarding the trademark authorization process.
(3) If the trademark holder is an enterprise that has been dissolved, the dissolved company loses the authority to grant licenses. The trademark can be transferred to an active enterprise for continued use.
If the trademark holder is a Chinese individual, materials shall be provided according to the following:
(1) If the trademark holder is the applicant’s legal representative or shareholder, the applicant must provide the Trademark Registration Certificate, authorization materials such as the Trademark Authorization Certificate or Trademark License Filing, and the ID card of the trademark holder (front and back sides);
(2) If the trademark holder is not the applicant’s legal representative or shareholder, the applicant must provide the Trademark Registration Certificate, authorization materials such as the Trademark Authorization Certificate or Trademark License Filing, and the ID card of the trademark holder (front and back sides). one of the following must be provided additionally:
a. An assessment or witness statement from a mainland China law firm regarding the trademark authorization process, along with the law firm and lawyer’s practice licenses;
b. A notarial certificate from a Chinese notary office regarding the trademark authorization process.
If the trademark holder is an overseas company, materials must be provided according to the following situations:
(1) If the applicant is a subsidiary (100% wholly owned) of the trademark owner in China, only the Trademark Registration Certificate is required, and no trademark authorization materials are required;
(2) If the applicant is an equity-related company (not 100% wholly owned) of the trademark owner, it must provide the Trademark Registration Certificate as well as authorization materials such as the Trademark Authorization Certificate or Trademark License Filing;
(3) If the applicant has no equity relationship with the trademark holder, it must provide the Trademark Registration Certificate as well as authorization materials such as the Trademark Authorization Certificate or Trademark License Filing;
If the “Trademark Authorization Certificate” is used, one of the following three materials is also required to prove its authenticity:
a. An assessment or witness statement from a mainland China law firm regarding the trademark authorization process, along with the law firm and lawyer’s practice licenses;
b. A notarial certificate from a Chinese notary office regarding the trademark authorization process;
c. A notarial certificate from a notary office in the country of trademark registration regarding the trademark authorization process, and materials from the Chinese embassy in that country certifying the notarial certificate;
d. The applicant for the notarial verification is not required to be the authorizing party.
When using trademarks authorized by others, if the trademark holder is an individual outside the Chinese Mainland:
(1) The applicant must provide the Trademark Registration Certificate as well as authorization materials such as the Trademark Authorization Certificate or Trademark License Filing;
(2) If the “Trademark Authorization Certificate” is used, one of the following three materials is also required to prove its authenticity:
a. An assessment or witness statement from a mainland China law firm regarding the trademark authorization process, along with the law firm and lawyer’s practice licenses;
b. A notarial certificate from a Chinese notary office regarding the trademark authorization process;
c. A notarial certificate from a notary office in the country of trademark registration regarding the trademark authorization process, and materials from the Chinese embassy in that country certifying the notarial certificate.
3. Naming based on brand/product/app/website name (Case sensitivity or traditional/simplified Chinese conversion not supported)
| ① Based on brand name
Applicable to: The verification applicant is authorized to use the brand name by the brand owner The brand name authorized to be used by another company can be used for naming in compliance with the actual region for business operation. For example, Guangzhou Haizhu Yiwan Auto 4S Dealership is an authorized dealer of the “Yiwan Auto” brand, and it can use the short name “Guangzhou Haizhu Yiwan Dealership”. Example of required materials: Provide a “Brand Authorization Letter” (must bear the company’s official seal) or a “Delegation Authorization Letter”. The authorized company must match the verified entity. |
② Based on product name Applicable to: The product is owned by the verification applicant or authorized to be used by others A product manufactured by the verification applicant (company/organization) or authorized to sell by others, including software, physical products, service products, and virtual products, can be used for naming, and the product name must be used exactly as it is, without any form of modification, addition, or deletion. For example, Guangzhou TangRAM Technology Co., Ltd. owns a product “TANG Cloud” and can therefore use “TANG Cloud” as its short name. Material required: Computer Software Copyright Registration Certificate If the product owner is inconsistent with the verification applicant, the Name Authorization Certificate is required. |
| ③ Based on website name with ICP filing Applicable to: The website name with ICP filing is owned by the verification applicant or authorized to be used by others The website name with ICP filing by the verification applicant (company/organization) can be used for naming, and the name must be used exactly as it is, without any form of modification, addition, or deletion. For example: “Tencent.com” is the official website of the applicant Tencent for ICP filing. Material required: Screenshot of ICP filing The company with ICP filing must be the same as the verification applicant; otherwise, the Name Authorization Certificate is required. Note: Since the current filing and publicity websites no longer display the name of website, the audit company will need to check the official website to verify the authenticity of the materials; if the official website cannot be opened, it is recommended to repair the official website first. Based on ICP filing requirements, only naming with the official website name is supported, while abbreviations cannot be named using domains. For a website whose ICP filing entity/subject type is “individual”, a power of attorney and notarized materials documenting the authorization process must be provided. If no supporting materials are available, the application will not be approved. |
| ④ Based on app name
Applicable to: The app is owned by the verification applicant or authorized to be used by others The app name authorized to be used by another company can be used for naming, and the name must be used exactly as it is, without any form of modification, addition, or deletion. For example, Guangzhou TangRAM Technology Co., Ltd. owns an app “TANG Cloud” and can therefore use “TANG Cloud” as its short name. Material required: Screenshot of the ownership of the app in App Store or MyApp The app owner must be consistent with the verification applicant; otherwise, the Name Authorization Certificate is required. |
| ⑤ Based on work name
Applicable to: The work is owned by the verification applicant (not authorized by others) The work owned by the verification applicant (company/organization) can be used for naming, and the name must be used exactly as it is, without any form of modification, addition, or deletion. Material required: Work Registration Certificate |
| ⑥ Based on project name
Applicable to: The project name is authorized to be used by the government or sponsor The project name of a government/sponsor can be used for naming, and a prefix/suffix can be added flexibly. For example, the People’s Government of Guangdong Province uses “Yueshengshi” as the short name for its public service project. Material required: Government’s official document, screenshot of notice on the government’s official website, or authorization document from the project sponsor. The organization authorized to use the name in the screenshot must be consistent with the verification applicant. |
IV. Modify Short Name
The number and method of modifications of short names are slightly different for unverified and verified companies. Detailed information is as follows:
1. Modify the short name of an unverified company
The short name of an unverified company can be modified only once. Further modifications are allowed only after the company is verified.
2. Modify the short name of a verified company
The modified short name of a verified company must be verified again. The modified short name can be “based on trade name unique to a business or full name of an organization”, “based on trademark”, or “based on brand/product/website/app name”. The new short name needs to meet the corresponding naming rules for successful modification.
Note: For medium- and large-sized companies with the Company entity type, the first three modifications of short names are free of charge.
V. Set Company’s Short Name in a Member’s Information Displayed to External Contacts
Up to 5 short names can be applied during the company verification process. Once approved, the short names can be set for members of different departments in “Admin Console” -> “Contacts” -> “Member Info” -> “Info Displayed Externally”.
Path:
On the “Contacts” tab of the Admin Console, search for a member by name, department, or tag, go to the member’s details page, and then edit the company’s short name.
In the WeCom app, tap “Workspace” -> “Manage Company” -> “Membership and Dept. Management”, search for a member, and then go to the member’s details page to edit the company’s short name.