diff --git a/Documentation/hwmon/hwmon-kernel-api.txt b/Documentation/hwmon/hwmon-kernel-api.txt
index 2505ae67e2b6..53a806696c64 100644
--- a/Documentation/hwmon/hwmon-kernel-api.txt
+++ b/Documentation/hwmon/hwmon-kernel-api.txt
@@ -89,6 +89,10 @@ the call to devm_hwmon_device_register_with_groups or
 hwmon_device_register_with_info and if the automatic (device managed)
 removal would be too late.
 
+All supported hwmon device registration functions only accept valid device
+names. Device names including invalid characters (whitespace, '*', or '-')
+will be rejected. The 'name' parameter is mandatory.
+
 Using devm_hwmon_device_register_with_info()
 --------------------------------------------
 
diff --git a/Documentation/hwmon/sysfs-interface b/Documentation/hwmon/sysfs-interface
index 2cc95ad46604..fc337c317c67 100644
--- a/Documentation/hwmon/sysfs-interface
+++ b/Documentation/hwmon/sysfs-interface
@@ -86,8 +86,9 @@ given driver if the chip has the feature.
 
 name		The chip name.
 		This should be a short, lowercase string, not containing
-		spaces nor dashes, representing the chip name. This is
-		the only mandatory attribute.
+		whitespace, dashes, or the wildcard character '*'.
+		This attribute represents the chip name. It is the only
+		mandatory attribute.
 		I2C devices get this attribute created automatically.
 		RO