diff --git a/packages/cli-sdk/src/cli.ts b/packages/cli-sdk/src/cli.ts
index 54a1f4d..3acbcca 100644
--- a/packages/cli-sdk/src/cli.ts
+++ b/packages/cli-sdk/src/cli.ts
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ Commands:
 Options:
   --browser        Use browser UI instead of terminal QR code
   --json           Output as JSON (for whoami)
-  --chain <id>     Specify chain (e.g. eip155:10, solana:5eykt4UsFv8P8NJdTREpY1vzqKqZKvdp) for connect
+  --chain <id>     Specify chain (e.g. evm, solana, eip155:10) for connect
   --version        Show version number
   --help           Show this help message
 
diff --git a/packages/cli-sdk/src/client.ts b/packages/cli-sdk/src/client.ts
index a0483c2..7a13681 100644
--- a/packages/cli-sdk/src/client.ts
+++ b/packages/cli-sdk/src/client.ts
@@ -33,6 +33,33 @@ const SOLANA_METHODS = ["solana_signTransaction", "solana_signMessage"];
 const SOLANA_EVENTS: string[] = [];
 const DEFAULT_STORAGE_PATH = join(homedir(), ".walletconnect-cli");
 
+/** Shorthand chain names → CAIP-2 identifiers */
+const CHAIN_ALIASES: Record<string, string | string[]> = {
+  solana: "solana:5eykt4UsFv8P8NJdTREpY1vzqKqZKvdp",
+  evm: [
+    "eip155:1",       // Ethereum
+    "eip155:137",     // Polygon
+    "eip155:10",      // Optimism
+    "eip155:42161",   // Arbitrum One
+    "eip155:8453",    // Base
+    "eip155:56",      // BNB Chain
+    "eip155:43114",   // Avalanche C-Chain
+    "eip155:100",     // Gnosis
+    "eip155:250",     // Fantom
+    "eip155:324",     // zkSync Era
+    "eip155:59144",   // Linea
+    "eip155:534352",  // Scroll
+    "eip155:5000",    // Mantle
+    "eip155:81457",   // Blast
+    "eip155:7777777", // Zora
+    "eip155:1101",    // Polygon zkEVM
+    "eip155:42220",   // Celo
+    "eip155:1284",    // Moonbeam
+    "eip155:1285",    // Moonriver
+    "eip155:25",      // Cronos
+  ],
+};
+
 export class WalletConnectCLI extends EventEmitter {
   private readonly options: WalletConnectCLIOptions;
   private signClient: InstanceType<typeof SignClient> | null = null;
@@ -286,8 +313,10 @@ export class WalletConnectCLI extends EventEmitter {
   }
 
   private buildNamespaces(chains: string[]): Record<string, { chains: string[]; methods: string[]; events: string[] }> {
-    const eipChains = chains.filter((c) => c.startsWith("eip155:"));
-    const solChains = chains.filter((c) => c.startsWith("solana:"));
+    const resolved = chains.flatMap((c) => CHAIN_ALIASES[c.toLowerCase()] ?? c);
+
+    const eipChains = resolved.filter((c) => c.startsWith("eip155:"));
+    const solChains = resolved.filter((c) => c.startsWith("solana:"));
 
     const namespaces: Record<string, { chains: string[]; methods: string[]; events: string[] }> = {};
 
diff --git a/packages/cli-sdk/src/types.ts b/packages/cli-sdk/src/types.ts
index 217a126..5f8f3d1 100644
--- a/packages/cli-sdk/src/types.ts
+++ b/packages/cli-sdk/src/types.ts
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ export interface WalletConnectCLIOptions {
   storagePath?: string;
   /** Connection UI mode. Default: 'terminal' */
   ui?: "terminal" | "browser";
-  /** CAIP-2 chain IDs to request. Default: ['eip155:1'] */
+  /** CAIP-2 chain IDs or shorthand names (e.g. 'ethereum', 'solana'). Default: ['eip155:1'] */
   chains?: string[];
   /** JSON-RPC methods to request. Default: common EVM signing methods */
   methods?: string[];