diff --git a/commitizen/commands/init.py b/commitizen/commands/init.py
index 62678a2244..0773b71e42 100644
--- a/commitizen/commands/init.py
+++ b/commitizen/commands/init.py
@@ -11,7 +11,11 @@
 from commitizen.config.factory import create_config
 from commitizen.cz import registry
 from commitizen.defaults import CONFIG_FILES, DEFAULT_SETTINGS
-from commitizen.exceptions import InitFailedError, NoAnswersError
+from commitizen.exceptions import (
+    InitFailedError,
+    MissingCzCustomizeConfigError,
+    NoAnswersError,
+)
 from commitizen.git import get_latest_tag_name, get_tag_names, smart_open
 from commitizen.version_schemes import KNOWN_SCHEMES, Version, get_version_scheme
 
@@ -167,12 +171,28 @@ def _ask_config_path(self) -> Path:
     def _ask_name(self) -> str:
         name: str = questionary.select(
             "Please choose a cz (commit rule): (default: cz_conventional_commits)",
-            choices=list(registry.keys()),
+            choices=self._construct_name_choice_with_description(),
             default="cz_conventional_commits",
             style=self.cz.style,
         ).unsafe_ask()
         return name
 
+    def _construct_name_choice_with_description(self) -> list[questionary.Choice]:
+        choices = []
+        for cz_name, cz_class in registry.items():
+            try:
+                cz_obj = cz_class(self.config)
+            except MissingCzCustomizeConfigError:
+                choices.append(questionary.Choice(title=cz_name, value=cz_name))
+                continue
+            first_example = cz_obj.schema().partition("\n")[0]
+            choices.append(
+                questionary.Choice(
+                    title=cz_name, value=cz_name, description=first_example
+                )
+            )
+        return choices
+
     def _ask_tag(self) -> str:
         latest_tag = get_latest_tag_name()
         if not latest_tag:
diff --git a/tests/commands/test_init_command.py b/tests/commands/test_init_command.py
index 8398e784bc..0529553cf2 100644
--- a/tests/commands/test_init_command.py
+++ b/tests/commands/test_init_command.py
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 
 from commitizen import cmd, commands
 from commitizen.__version__ import __version__
+from commitizen.cz import registry
 from commitizen.exceptions import InitFailedError, NoAnswersError
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
@@ -462,3 +463,22 @@ def test_init_configuration_with_version_provider(
         assert (
             "version = " not in config_data
         )  # Version should not be set when using version_provider
+
+
+def test_construct_name_choice_with_description(
+    config: BaseConfig, mocker: MockFixture
+):
+    """Test the construction of cz name choices with descriptions."""
+    init = commands.Init(config)
+    # mock the registry to have only one cz for testing
+    mocker.patch.dict(
+        "commitizen.cz.registry",
+        {"cz_conventional_commits": registry["cz_conventional_commits"]},
+        clear=True,
+    )
+    choices = init._construct_name_choice_with_description()
+    assert len(choices) == 1
+    choice = choices[0]
+    assert choice.title == "cz_conventional_commits"
+    assert choice.value == "cz_conventional_commits"
+    assert choice.description == "<type>(<scope>): <subject>"