Names

Korean names are usually three syllables that can be written in HanJa or HanGul characters.   The family name comes first and is normally one HanGul syllable or HanJa character.  The given name is listed last and is generally two HanGul syllables or HanJa characters.

There are rare exceptions to the most common pattern of three syllable names (one syllable family name with a two syllable given name).  Some family names are two syllables, and some given names are just one syllable.    There is also a small but growing trend of pure Korean given names that don’t have HanJa representations.

Children receive the family name of their father.  When a woman gets married in Korea, she does not change her name.  She keeps her family name, which is recorded in her husband’s family registry.  Her children are given her husband’s family name.

Table 2.1 Examples of Korean Names

HanJa

HanGul

Pronunciation

Name

李明花

이명화

Lee MyungHwa

Family: Lee

Given: MyeongHwa

Meaning: bright-

         flower

朴琪

박기현

Pak GiHyeon

Family: Pak

Given: GiHyeon

Meaning: jade-clear

김하늘

Kim HaNeol

Family: Kim

Given: HaNeol

Meaning: heaven

Note:
The pure Korean given name “HaNeol” has no HanJa representation, so it is
only written with HanGul Korean letters.

 

Family Names

Given Names

 

133 thoughts on “Names

  1. Hi , I just want to know my Korean and Chinese name with their meanings thank you

  2. Hi 😀

    I would like to know what’s my name in Korean? (Hajar Ridouane) I have friends from Korea but they find my name in English Hard to pronounce or to understand, can you help me to pick a Korean name?

    Thank you

  3. Can you please give me a Korean name in Hangul. my name in English is (bare with me) Adanna Defreitas-Holder.

  4. Can you help me? Jebal! 🙂
    My name is Precious Joy 🙂 , I want a Korean name!!! jinjja. ^+^
    I only know that PRECIOUS in Hangul would be (프레시여스)
    (peu-re-si-yo-seu). and JOY (조이). But I don’t know if it’s correct to combine like this, (프레시여스 조이 )??? cause i know it’s absolutely too long. ^^ KeKeKe XD
    Would you please help me out?, Or can you just give me an exact Hangul/Korean Word that has a meaning for PRECIOUS JOY? Jeongmal, gamsahabnida!!! ^_^

    BTOB Fan Here! :))))

    • hi! just want to know whats kyu (규) means in hangul.. thanks if you reply me back!

  5. Hi I was just wondering what would my chinese name be in korean which is 刘天励。Thank u 🙂

  6. Hello,

    I was just wondering if you can maybe post a list of Family names and their meanings? I’m trying to create my Korean name and all I’ve been able to come up with is, Ji-Hye (지혜) I know it means wisdom, so I want to find a really nice family name that goes perfectly with my given name.

    – Geneva (지혜)

  7. My Chinese name call 陈佩儿.
    My English name call tan pei er.
    So what is my Korean name?

  8. Hi, I’m Bella and I’m 12. I can’t seem to find a Korean name that means “shell” or has an ocean/sea theme. I’m a Pisces and I couldn’t help but notice that “Bei” (with the downwards marking) in Chinese meant “shell” (although I’m not too sure on that). Can you help me?

  9. Hello. I am looking my father, his name is Yun Gi Sheong from South Korea, The last time that we met is last 2008. I missed him so much. I am a Filipino, my mothers name is Analie Nebril (past away last 2009 also). Please help me to find my father. Thank you.

  10. I would like to know my name in korean and it’s meaning if that’s possible 🙂
    Haven’t found anything regarding bea

    • Shin Sung Hee = 신성희
      Family name Shin = 신 (in HanJa/chinese characters it is 柴, 申, 辛, or 愼)
      Given name is 성희 and can have many possible HanJa for each syllable each with a different meaning. One popular version HanJa version of 성희 is 盛希 which could be translated as “holding hope”.

  11. Hello, I have a question…

    My boyfriend is Korean and his family name is Park (박). My names Ally and we met at a Bootcamp in the military and recently his sister gave me the name Huyn Jae. She writes it as 박현재 – Park Huyn Jae. What’s the meaning? I’m really curious as to what my Korean name means.

    • Also, which military branch service?
      I know how to say majority of the service except for Coastal Guard.
      Military is 군대 (Goon Dae) – Military group.
      Soldier is 군인 (Goon In) – Military person.
      Army is 육군 (Yook Goon) – Land military.
      Navy is 해군 (Hae Gun) – Ocean military.
      Air Force is 공군 (Gong Goon) – Air/ Emptied military.
      Marines is 해병대 (Hae Byeong Dae) – [Ocean+Soldier=Marine] Troops.

  12. hi,
    could anyone help me in creating a korean name? if it helps, my chinese name is 洪婵媛 and my english name is charleen. i would really appreciate it if you could help me. thank you very much!!

    • Well if your Chinese name is “洪婵媛”
      Convert into Sino-Korean is “공선원 (Gong Seon Won)”

  13. hi,
    could anyone help me in creating a korean name? i would really appreciate it if you could help me 🙂
    my chinese name is 洪婵媛 and my parents told me that my given name (婵媛) means feminine strength and beauty. i would prefer if you could help me create a name that is similar in meaning, but if you can’t, i don’t mind if you used my english name, charleen, instead.
    thank you very much for your time and help!!

  14. hi,
    could anyone help me in creating a korean name? i would really appreciate it if you could help me 🙂
    my chinese name is 洪婵媛 and my parents told me that my given name (婵媛) means feminine strength and beauty. i would prefer if you could help me create a name that is similar in meaning, but if you can’t, i don’t mind if you used my english name, charleen, instead.
    thank you very much for your time and help!!

  15. hi! i’m emma koh and my chinese name is 许恩泽! please help me create a korean name? my chinese name roughly means gratitude and beneficial or golden! my english name means god is with us! ii don’t mind both meanings! thank you so much!<3

  16. hi! 😀
    could you please help me create a korean name? my english name is emma koh and my chinese name is 许恩泽! my english name means god is with us and my chinese name means gratitude and beneficial or golden! you could create a name which means something similar to either my chinese or my english name!! i’m fine with both 🙂 please help me! i would really appreciate it! thank you and have a nice day! <3

  17. Hi, my chinese name is 雅美 which means a graceful beauty. I would appreciate it if you guys could help me come up with a korean name. Thank you!

  18. Could you help me find a Korean name, please? My actual name is Molli reed and I would like to keep the same initials. I’m not really sure what I would like the meaning to be but I am not too picky about it either. Please and thank you!

  19. Hi my name is Grace and I would like a Korean name base on my English name.
    Thanks in advance 🙂

  20. Hi i want to know my is my name are weird to have in korea or not?
    My surname is 陳 which is 진 in korea
    And my givenname is jenni,so it willl be 진 제 니?

    • Hi i want to know is my name are weird to have in korea or not?
      My surname is 陳 which is 진 in korea
      And my givenname is jenni,so it willl be 진 제 니?

      -Revision-

  21. Hi! I was wondering if someone could help me to choose/create a Korean name. My name is Faby (Fabiola), which came from Latin and means ” bean grower”. I would like if my name is related to spring, because I born of March 21 (Spring Day).

    Thank you in advance 🙂

  22. do you what my name is in Korean alphabet (Hangul) and how to pronounce it please.

    P.S i know you can see my name in the corner but her is my name Hayley Gage

  23. Hi,
    My Korean name is KIM Sun Hee and the meanings are goodness and pleasure. I don’t know the Chinese characters for my name but my adopted parents were told this is the meaning of my name and it was given to me by the family fostering me.
    Can you help me understand what the Hangul characters are for my name? When I look it up, I’m always finding different Hangul words that claim to have the same meaning.
    Thank you very much!

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