diff --git a/drivers/hwmon/amc6821.c b/drivers/hwmon/amc6821.c
index d5f864b360b0..8e5926b06070 100644
--- a/drivers/hwmon/amc6821.c
+++ b/drivers/hwmon/amc6821.c
@@ -1076,7 +1076,7 @@ static int amc6821_probe(struct i2c_client *client)
 				     "Failed to initialize hwmon\n");
 
 	if (IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_THERMAL) && fan_np && data->fan_cooling_levels)
-		return PTR_ERR_OR_ZERO(devm_thermal_of_cooling_device_register(dev,
+		return PTR_ERR_OR_ZERO(devm_thermal_of_child_cooling_device_register(dev,
 			fan_np, client->name, data, &amc6821_cooling_ops));
 
 	return 0;
diff --git a/drivers/hwmon/aspeed-pwm-tacho.c b/drivers/hwmon/aspeed-pwm-tacho.c
index aa159bf158a3..1c5945d4ba37 100644
--- a/drivers/hwmon/aspeed-pwm-tacho.c
+++ b/drivers/hwmon/aspeed-pwm-tacho.c
@@ -841,8 +841,9 @@ static int aspeed_create_pwm_cooling(struct device *dev,
 	}
 	snprintf(cdev->name, MAX_CDEV_NAME_LEN, "%pOFn%d", child, pwm_port);
 
-	cdev->tcdev = devm_thermal_of_cooling_device_register(dev, child,
-					cdev->name, cdev, &aspeed_pwm_cool_ops);
+	cdev->tcdev = devm_thermal_of_child_cooling_device_register(dev, child,
+								    cdev->name, cdev,
+								    &aspeed_pwm_cool_ops);
 	if (IS_ERR(cdev->tcdev))
 		return PTR_ERR(cdev->tcdev);
 
diff --git a/drivers/hwmon/emc2305.c b/drivers/hwmon/emc2305.c
index 64b213e1451e..2505e9fac499 100644
--- a/drivers/hwmon/emc2305.c
+++ b/drivers/hwmon/emc2305.c
@@ -309,9 +309,9 @@ static int emc2305_set_single_tz(struct device *dev, struct device_node *fan_nod
 	pwm = data->pwm_min[cdev_idx];
 
 	data->cdev_data[cdev_idx].cdev =
-		devm_thermal_of_cooling_device_register(dev, fan_node,
-							emc2305_fan_name[idx], data,
-							&emc2305_cooling_ops);
+		devm_thermal_of_child_cooling_device_register(dev, fan_node,
+							      emc2305_fan_name[idx], data,
+							      &emc2305_cooling_ops);
 
 	if (IS_ERR(data->cdev_data[cdev_idx].cdev)) {
 		dev_err(dev, "Failed to register cooling device %s\n", emc2305_fan_name[idx]);
diff --git a/drivers/hwmon/gpio-fan.c b/drivers/hwmon/gpio-fan.c
index a8892ced1e54..084828e1e281 100644
--- a/drivers/hwmon/gpio-fan.c
+++ b/drivers/hwmon/gpio-fan.c
@@ -592,8 +592,10 @@ static int gpio_fan_probe(struct platform_device *pdev)
 	}
 
 	/* Optional cooling device register for Device tree platforms */
-	fan_data->cdev = devm_thermal_of_cooling_device_register(dev, np,
-				"gpio-fan", fan_data, &gpio_fan_cool_ops);
+	fan_data->cdev = devm_thermal_of_child_cooling_device_register(dev, np,
+								       "gpio-fan",
+								       fan_data,
+								       &gpio_fan_cool_ops);
 
 	dev_info(dev, "GPIO fan initialized\n");
 
diff --git a/drivers/hwmon/max6650.c b/drivers/hwmon/max6650.c
index 56b8157885bb..3466edd7d501 100644
--- a/drivers/hwmon/max6650.c
+++ b/drivers/hwmon/max6650.c
@@ -794,9 +794,9 @@ static int max6650_probe(struct i2c_client *client)
 		return err;
 
 	if (IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_THERMAL)) {
-		cooling_dev = devm_thermal_of_cooling_device_register(dev,
-						dev->of_node, client->name,
-						data, &max6650_cooling_ops);
+		cooling_dev = devm_thermal_of_child_cooling_device_register(dev, dev->of_node,
+									    client->name, data,
+									    &max6650_cooling_ops);
 		if (IS_ERR(cooling_dev)) {
 			dev_warn(dev, "thermal cooling device register failed: %ld\n",
 				 PTR_ERR(cooling_dev));
diff --git a/drivers/hwmon/npcm750-pwm-fan.c b/drivers/hwmon/npcm750-pwm-fan.c
index c8f5e695fb6d..aea0b8659f5f 100644
--- a/drivers/hwmon/npcm750-pwm-fan.c
+++ b/drivers/hwmon/npcm750-pwm-fan.c
@@ -857,8 +857,10 @@ static int npcm7xx_create_pwm_cooling(struct device *dev,
 	snprintf(cdev->name, THERMAL_NAME_LENGTH, "%pOFn%d", child,
 		 pwm_port);
 
-	cdev->tcdev = devm_thermal_of_cooling_device_register(dev, child,
-				cdev->name, cdev, &npcm7xx_pwm_cool_ops);
+	cdev->tcdev = devm_thermal_of_child_cooling_device_register(dev, child,
+								    cdev->name,
+								    cdev,
+								    &npcm7xx_pwm_cool_ops);
 	if (IS_ERR(cdev->tcdev))
 		return PTR_ERR(cdev->tcdev);
 
diff --git a/drivers/hwmon/pwm-fan.c b/drivers/hwmon/pwm-fan.c
index 37269db2de84..e6a567d58579 100644
--- a/drivers/hwmon/pwm-fan.c
+++ b/drivers/hwmon/pwm-fan.c
@@ -685,8 +685,9 @@ static int pwm_fan_probe(struct platform_device *pdev)
 
 	ctx->pwm_fan_state = ctx->pwm_fan_max_state;
 	if (IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_THERMAL)) {
-		cdev = devm_thermal_of_cooling_device_register(dev,
-			dev->of_node, "pwm-fan", ctx, &pwm_fan_cooling_ops);
+		cdev = devm_thermal_of_child_cooling_device_register(dev, dev->of_node,
+								     "pwm-fan", ctx,
+								     &pwm_fan_cooling_ops);
 		if (IS_ERR(cdev)) {
 			ret = PTR_ERR(cdev);
 			dev_err(dev,
diff --git a/drivers/hwmon/qnap-mcu-hwmon.c b/drivers/hwmon/qnap-mcu-hwmon.c
index e86e64c4d391..c1c1e9d6f340 100644
--- a/drivers/hwmon/qnap-mcu-hwmon.c
+++ b/drivers/hwmon/qnap-mcu-hwmon.c
@@ -337,9 +337,9 @@ static int qnap_mcu_hwmon_probe(struct platform_device *pdev)
 	 * levels and only succeed with either no or correct cooling levels.
 	 */
 	if (IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_THERMAL) && hwm->fan_cooling_levels) {
-		cdev = devm_thermal_of_cooling_device_register(dev,
-					to_of_node(hwm->fan_node), "qnap-mcu-hwmon",
-					hwm, &qnap_mcu_hwmon_cooling_ops);
+		cdev = devm_thermal_of_child_cooling_device_register(dev, to_of_node(hwm->fan_node),
+								     "qnap-mcu-hwmon", hwm,
+								     &qnap_mcu_hwmon_cooling_ops);
 		if (IS_ERR(cdev))
 			return dev_err_probe(dev, PTR_ERR(cdev),
 				"Failed to register qnap-mcu-hwmon as cooling device\n");
diff --git a/drivers/hwmon/tc654.c b/drivers/hwmon/tc654.c
index 39fe5836f237..ba18b442b81e 100644
--- a/drivers/hwmon/tc654.c
+++ b/drivers/hwmon/tc654.c
@@ -541,8 +541,9 @@ static int tc654_probe(struct i2c_client *client)
 	if (IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_THERMAL)) {
 		struct thermal_cooling_device *cdev;
 
-		cdev = devm_thermal_of_cooling_device_register(dev, dev->of_node, client->name,
-							       hwmon_dev, &tc654_fan_cool_ops);
+		cdev = devm_thermal_of_child_cooling_device_register(dev, dev->of_node,
+								     client->name, hwmon_dev,
+								     &tc654_fan_cool_ops);
 		return PTR_ERR_OR_ZERO(cdev);
 	}
 
diff --git a/drivers/memory/tegra/tegra210-emc-core.c b/drivers/memory/tegra/tegra210-emc-core.c
index e96ca4157d48..065ae8bc2830 100644
--- a/drivers/memory/tegra/tegra210-emc-core.c
+++ b/drivers/memory/tegra/tegra210-emc-core.c
@@ -1966,8 +1966,8 @@ static int tegra210_emc_probe(struct platform_device *pdev)
 
 	tegra210_emc_debugfs_init(emc);
 
-	cd = devm_thermal_of_cooling_device_register(emc->dev, np, "emc", emc,
-						     &tegra210_emc_cd_ops);
+	cd = devm_thermal_of_child_cooling_device_register(emc->dev, np, "emc", emc,
+							   &tegra210_emc_cd_ops);
 	if (IS_ERR(cd)) {
 		err = PTR_ERR(cd);
 		dev_err(emc->dev, "failed to register cooling device: %d\n",
diff --git a/drivers/soc/qcom/qcom_aoss.c b/drivers/soc/qcom/qcom_aoss.c
index c255662b8fc3..259c41f0c34e 100644
--- a/drivers/soc/qcom/qcom_aoss.c
+++ b/drivers/soc/qcom/qcom_aoss.c
@@ -381,7 +381,7 @@ static int qmp_cooling_device_add(struct qmp *qmp,
 	qmp_cdev->qmp = qmp;
 	qmp_cdev->state = !qmp_cdev_max_state;
 	qmp_cdev->name = cdev_name;
-	qmp_cdev->cdev = devm_thermal_of_cooling_device_register
+	qmp_cdev->cdev = devm_thermal_of_child_cooling_device_register
 				(qmp->dev, node,
 				cdev_name,
 				qmp_cdev, &qmp_cooling_device_ops);
diff --git a/drivers/thermal/khadas_mcu_fan.c b/drivers/thermal/khadas_mcu_fan.c
index d35e5313bea4..21b3d0a71bd0 100644
--- a/drivers/thermal/khadas_mcu_fan.c
+++ b/drivers/thermal/khadas_mcu_fan.c
@@ -90,9 +90,10 @@ static int khadas_mcu_fan_probe(struct platform_device *pdev)
 	ctx->mcu = mcu;
 	platform_set_drvdata(pdev, ctx);
 
-	cdev = devm_thermal_of_cooling_device_register(dev->parent,
-			dev->parent->of_node, "khadas-mcu-fan", ctx,
-			&khadas_mcu_fan_cooling_ops);
+	cdev = devm_thermal_of_child_cooling_device_register(dev->parent,
+							     dev->parent->of_node,
+							     "khadas-mcu-fan", ctx,
+							     &khadas_mcu_fan_cooling_ops);
 	if (IS_ERR(cdev)) {
 		ret = PTR_ERR(cdev);
 		dev_err(dev, "Failed to register khadas-mcu-fan as cooling device: %d\n",
diff --git a/drivers/thermal/tegra/soctherm.c b/drivers/thermal/tegra/soctherm.c
index 6a56638c98f1..d8e988a0d43e 100644
--- a/drivers/thermal/tegra/soctherm.c
+++ b/drivers/thermal/tegra/soctherm.c
@@ -1707,9 +1707,9 @@ static void soctherm_init_hw_throt_cdev(struct platform_device *pdev)
 			stc->init = true;
 		} else {
 
-			tcd = devm_thermal_of_cooling_device_register(dev, np_stcc,
-								      (char *)name, ts,
-								      &throt_cooling_ops);
+			tcd = devm_thermal_of_child_cooling_device_register(dev, np_stcc,
+									    (char *)name, ts,
+									    &throt_cooling_ops);
 			if (IS_ERR_OR_NULL(tcd)) {
 				dev_err(dev,
 					"throttle-cfg: %s: failed to register cooling device\n",
diff --git a/drivers/thermal/thermal_of.c b/drivers/thermal/thermal_of.c
index 8c49d449d43f..b59d2588ff7a 100644
--- a/drivers/thermal/thermal_of.c
+++ b/drivers/thermal/thermal_of.c
@@ -557,7 +557,7 @@ static void thermal_of_cooling_device_release(void *data)
 }
 
 /**
- * devm_thermal_of_cooling_device_register() - register an OF thermal cooling
+ * devm_thermal_of_child_cooling_device_register() - register an OF thermal cooling
  *                                             device
  * @dev:        a valid struct device pointer of a sensor device.
  * @np:         a pointer to a device tree node.
@@ -570,14 +570,17 @@ static void thermal_of_cooling_device_release(void *data)
  * to /sys/class/thermal/ folder as cooling_device[0-*]. It tries to bind itself
  * to all the thermal zone devices registered at the same time.
  *
+ * This function should be used when a cooling controller has child
+ * nodes which are referenced in the thermal zone cooling map.
+ *
  * Return: a pointer to the created struct thermal_cooling_device or an
  * ERR_PTR. Caller must check return value with IS_ERR*() helpers.
  */
 struct thermal_cooling_device *
-devm_thermal_of_cooling_device_register(struct device *dev,
-                                struct device_node *np,
-                                const char *type, void *devdata,
-                                const struct thermal_cooling_device_ops *ops)
+devm_thermal_of_child_cooling_device_register(struct device *dev,
+					      struct device_node *np,
+					      const char *type, void *devdata,
+					      const struct thermal_cooling_device_ops *ops)
 {
         struct thermal_cooling_device *cdev;
         int ret;
@@ -592,4 +595,4 @@ devm_thermal_of_cooling_device_register(struct device *dev,
 
         return cdev;
 }
-EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(devm_thermal_of_cooling_device_register);
+EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(devm_thermal_of_child_cooling_device_register);
diff --git a/include/linux/thermal.h b/include/linux/thermal.h
index 6d1862ac187f..e6328234a42b 100644
--- a/include/linux/thermal.h
+++ b/include/linux/thermal.h
@@ -205,10 +205,10 @@ thermal_of_cooling_device_register(struct device_node *np, const char *type, voi
 				   const struct thermal_cooling_device_ops *ops);
 
 struct thermal_cooling_device *
-devm_thermal_of_cooling_device_register(struct device *dev,
-					struct device_node *np,
-					const char *type, void *devdata,
-					const struct thermal_cooling_device_ops *ops);
+devm_thermal_of_child_cooling_device_register(struct device *dev,
+					      struct device_node *np,
+					      const char *type, void *devdata,
+					      const struct thermal_cooling_device_ops *ops);
 #else
 
 static inline
@@ -232,10 +232,10 @@ thermal_of_cooling_device_register(struct device_node *np,
 }
 
 static inline struct thermal_cooling_device *
-devm_thermal_of_cooling_device_register(struct device *dev,
-					struct device_node *np,
-					const char *type, void *devdata,
-					const struct thermal_cooling_device_ops *ops)
+devm_thermal_of_child_cooling_device_register(struct device *dev,
+					      struct device_node *np,
+					      const char *type, void *devdata,
+					      const struct thermal_cooling_device_ops *ops)
 {
 	return ERR_PTR(-ENODEV);
 }