Companies can have parallel company names in different languages
Companies entered in the Trade Register can file a parallel company name.
You can register a company name in two or more languages if the contents of the different versions conform to each other.
What is a parallel company name?
A parallel company name is the company name in a language other than that of the actual company name.
When you file a parallel company name with the Trade Register, the actual company name must always be in either Finnish or Swedish.
A parallel company name must pass the PRH’s name examination to be entered in the Trade Register. Parallel company names must fulfil the same basic requirements as actual company names to be valid for registration.
Example of a parallel company name:
The actual company name is "
The actual company name is "
Not like this: The actual company name is "Consumer products ABC Ltd" and its parallel is "
Not all company names, especially coined ones, can be translated. In such cases, parallel company names can be constructed as follows:
"Ramux Oy" and its parallel names "Ramux Ab" in Swedish and "Ramux Ltd" in English.
The actual name can also contain the suffix showing the business type in several languages, for example:
"Oy Deredecano Ab"
"Star Invest Oy Ltd".
How to decide on adopting a parallel company name
A limited liability company’s parallel names must be entered in the articles of association. The parallel names of a general or limited partnership must be entered in the partnership agreement, and the parallel names of a co-operative must be entered in the rules.
Below is an example of wording for recording parallel company names in the organisation rules (articles of association, partnership agreement, rules):
"The company name is Ramux Oy; in Swedish Ramux Ab and in English Ramux Ltd".
As regards private traders, it is sufficient that they file the parallel company name with the Trade Register.
Limited partnership ( | General partnership ( |
|---|---|
Commandite company (in English) | Partnership (in English) |
Limited partnership (in English) | Offene Handelsgesellschaft (in German) |
Kommanditgesellschaft (in German) |
Limited liability company ( | Public limited company ( |
|---|---|
Limited company, Ltd (in English) | Public limited company, Plc (in English) |
Corporation (in English) | Corporation (in English) |
Incorporated, Inc. (in English) | Aktiengesellschaft, AG (in German) |
Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung, GmbH (in German) | Société anonyme, SA (in French) |
Société à responsabilité limitée, SARL (in French) |
Filing parallel company names in the start-up phase
The name examination of a parallel company name is included in the handling fee of the start-up notification.
See the detailed instructions on how to file a start-up notification by company type.
Filing parallel company names later
Companies already entered in the Trade Register can also decide to adopt a parallel company name.
The handling fee is 75 euros per parallel company name. If the organisation rules are changed, the handling fee for the parallel company name will be added to the handling fee for changing the articles of association, the rules, or the partnership agreement.
See the detailed instructions on how to file a notification changes by company type.