76+ Korean Baby Names
MC
Senior Name ResearcherUpdated Oct 8, 202576 Names
Korean baby names offer elegant simplicity paired with deep meaning rooted in centuries of tradition. Each name typically combines two syllables, with each character carrying specific significance related to virtues, nature, or aspirations parents hold for their child. The beauty of Korean naming lies in this layered meaning, where a single name can express hopes for wisdom, beauty, strength, or harmony. Modern Korean names balance traditional hanja characters with contemporary appeal, making them increasingly popular among families worldwide. These names pronounce clearly across languages while maintaining their cultural identity. When choosing a Korean name, understanding the hanja meaning becomes main, as different characters can share the same sound but convey entirely different messages about your child's potential path. Our curated list includes 76 Korean baby names for boys and girls, each with detailed hanja meanings and pronunciations. We've selected names that work well internationally while honoring Korean naming customs. Consider the meaning behind each character combination and how it reflects values important to your family. The right Korean name becomes a gift of intention your child carries throughout life.
Popular Names
Explore the most searched korean baby names side by side. The infographic below shows the leading names for both boys and girls.
Korean Baby Names for Girls
- Origin:Korean
- Meaning:"Lily Flower"
- Description:Nari is a Korean name associated with the lily, reflecting a concise botanical naming tradition.
- Origin:Korean, English
- Meaning:"From the meadow"
- Description:Used in multiple cultures with different interpretations, it functions as a short modern name with variable semantic associations.
- Origin:English, Korean
- Meaning:"Short Form; or Gold"
- Description:Used as a diminutive of Kimberly or Joachim in English; also a common Korean surname with separate etymology.
- Origin:German, Korean
- Meaning:"Love or Southern Beauty"
- Description:Minah appears in several cultures including Korean and German contexts with meanings associated with love or affection.
- Origin:Chinese, Korean
- Meaning:"Gold or Truth"
- Description:As a transliterated East Asian name, its meaning varies by character choice, commonly involving concepts like gold or truth.
- Origin:Sanskrit, Korean, Arabic
- Meaning:"Conqueror; Treasure"
- Description:Used in multiple languages, it may reflect Sanskrit jina for conqueror or Arabic jina for treasure, depending on context.
- Origin:Chinese, Japanese, Korean
- Meaning:"Truthful or Talented"
- Description:East Asian given name with multiple possible characters, yielding meanings such as truthful, talented, or obedient depending on language and writing.
- Origin:Korean
- Meaning:"Clever People"
- Description:Korean given name with Sino-Korean elements, often analyzed as clever or bright combined with people or virtue.
- Origin:Korean
- Meaning:"Unique; Special"
- Description:Minji is a Korean given name whose meaning depends on the chosen hanja characters and thus varies across individuals.
- Origin:Korean, Sanskrit
- Meaning:"Love or Deer"
- Description:Used in different traditions, where Korean usage relates to affection and South Asian usage can align with Sanskrit-derived senses.
- Origin:Korean
- Meaning:"Art; Talent"
- Description:Eh is best understood as a transliteration of a syllable used in Korean names, with meaning dependent on the selected hanja character.
- Origin:Korean, Arabic
- Meaning:"Excellent; Good"
- Description:Sua occurs in multiple linguistic settings, including Korean usage, and is commonly associated with meanings of goodness or excellence.
- Origin:Korean
- Meaning:"Beautiful Forest"
- Description:Ayerim is a Korean name typically analyzed via hanja readings conveying beauty and forest imagery.
- Origin:Chinese, Korean, English
- Meaning:"From the meadow"
- Description:Used as a given name or surname in several cultures, often reflecting transliteration from East Asian languages.
- Origin:Korean
- Meaning:"To Gather; to Pluck"
- Description:Chae is a Korean given element whose meaning depends on the specific hanja characters chosen for the name.
- Origin:Korean, English
- Meaning:"Great; Big"
- Description:Often used as a transliteration element in Korean names meaning great, also adopted as a standalone modern short name.
- Origin:Korean
- Meaning:"Grace Kindness"
- Description:Eun is a Korean name element meaning grace, kindness, or silver and commonly appears in compound Korean personal names.
- Origin:Korean, Vietnamese
- Meaning:"Summer; River"
- Description:Ha occurs across East Asian naming systems as surname and given name, with meanings varying by language, including summer or river.
- Origin:Korean
- Meaning:"Virtuous; Bright"
- Description:Korean given-name element used in many compounds, typically conveying positive attributes depending on the chosen hanja.
- Origin:Korean
- Meaning:"Bright; Intelligent"
- Description:Commonly a transliteration element in Korean given names, often representing Sino-Korean meanings related to brightness or wisdom.
- Origin:Korean, Chinese
- Meaning:"Virtuous"
- Description:East Asian syllabic name element used in Korean and Chinese romanization, with meaning dependent on characters.
- Origin:Korean, German
- Meaning:"Brave warrior"
- Description:Used as a Korean given name element and as a German surname, with meanings dependent on language context.
- Origin:Korean, Chinese
- Meaning:"Talented Person"
- Description:A Korean given name element often written with Hanja, with meanings depending on the characters, frequently including talent or excellence.
- Origin:English, Korean
- Meaning:"Shortened Name Form"
- Description:Kimm functions as a short form in English naming, and also resembles Korean family name romanization without fixed given name meaning.
- Origin:Korean
- Meaning:"Fire"
- Description:Korean name element used in many compound names, with meanings determined by the selected hanja characters.
- Origin:Korean
- Meaning:"Respect; Brightness"
- Description:Kyong represents Korean name elements often glossed as respect or brightness, typically used as part of two-syllable given names.
- Origin:Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese
- Meaning:"Bright; Quick"
- Description:Min is a common East Asian name element whose meaning varies by language and character selection, often implying brightness or quickness.
- Origin:Korean, Modern
- Meaning:"Future"
- Description:Mirae is a Korean name meaning future, frequently used as a modern semantic given name.
- Origin:Korean
- Meaning:"Bright; Clear"
- Description:A Korean name element meaning bright or clear, appearing in compound given names and romanized in multiple ways.
- Origin:Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese
- Meaning:"Elegant and Graceful"
- Description:A short East Asian given name often linked to characters denoting elegance, it is widely used with tonal or script variation.
- Origin:Chinese, Korean
- Meaning:"Meaning Varies By Character"
- Description:Used as a standalone name or syllable, with meaning dependent on the underlying character or hanja.
- Origin:Korean, Chinese
- Meaning:"Excellent Long Life"
- Description:Short transliterated name found in Korean and Chinese contexts, with meanings dependent on the underlying hanja characters.
- Origin:Korean, Japanese
- Meaning:"Great; Excellent"
- Description:Tae is a short East Asian name element used in Korean and Japanese names, with meaning determined by the chosen characters.
- Origin:Chinese, Korean
- Meaning:"Brave or Eternal"
- Description:Yong is a common East Asian name element conveying bravery, strength, or enduring qualities depending on the character used.
- Origin:Chinese, Korean
- Meaning:"Cloud"
- Description:A common East Asian given name element, often meaning cloud in Chinese, and used with diverse readings across languages.
Korean Baby Names for Boys
- Origin:Hebrew, Korean
- Meaning:"The Lord Is Gracious"
- Description:International form related to John, from Hebrew expressing divine graciousness, used in diverse linguistic settings including Korean romanization.
- Origin:Chinese, Korean
- Meaning:"Gold or Truth"
- Description:As a transliterated East Asian name, its meaning varies by character choice, commonly involving concepts like gold or truth.
- Origin:Chinese, Japanese, Korean
- Meaning:"Truthful or Talented"
- Description:East Asian given name with multiple possible characters, yielding meanings such as truthful, talented, or obedient depending on language and writing.
- Origin:Korean, Chinese
- Meaning:"Talented Person"
- Description:A Korean given name element often written with Hanja, with meanings depending on the characters, frequently including talent or excellence.
- Origin:Korean
- Meaning:"Art; Talent"
- Description:Eh is best understood as a transliteration of a syllable used in Korean names, with meaning dependent on the selected hanja character.
- Origin:English, Korean
- Meaning:"Short Form; or Gold"
- Description:Used as a diminutive of Kimberly or Joachim in English; also a common Korean surname with separate etymology.
- Origin:Arabic, Korean
- Meaning:"Alive or White"
- Description:Occurs in multiple languages, with Arabic-linked senses of life and Korean-linked senses associated with whiteness, depending on origin.
- Origin:Vietnamese, Korean
- Meaning:"South"
- Description:Common element and given name in Vietnamese and Korean contexts, often glossed as south, with usage shaped by local naming conventions.
- Origin:Korean
- Meaning:"Wisdom and Quickness"
- Description:A Korean given name typically written with hanja conveying positive traits such as wisdom, intelligence, or quickness.
- Origin:Chinese, Korean, Hmong
- Meaning:"Virtuous"
- Description:Mung occurs as a transliterated name across several Asian language communities, with meanings varying by source language and character.
- Origin:Korean, Arabic, English
- Meaning:"Home"
- Description:Occurs across multiple linguistic contexts as a romanized form, producing mixed origin attributions and uncertain single-source meaning.
- Origin:Korean
- Meaning:"Talented and Bright"
- Description:Korean given name typically analyzed as combining Sino-Korean elements conveying talent and brightness in conventional name-meaning readings.
- Origin:Korean, Chinese
- Meaning:"Virtuous"
- Description:Common as a Korean name element and also present in Chinese romanization variants, its meaning depends on the underlying characters.
- Origin:Korean, Japanese
- Meaning:"Great; Excellent"
- Description:Tae is a short East Asian name element used in Korean and Japanese names, with meaning determined by the chosen characters.
- Origin:Korean, Chinese
- Meaning:"Virtuous"
- Description:East Asian syllabic name element used in Korean and Chinese romanization, with meaning dependent on characters.
- Origin:English, Korean
- Meaning:"Park Enclosure"
- Description:Functions as a surname and occasional given name, with English toponymic roots and prominent Korean family-name usage.
- Origin:Chinese, Korean, English
- Meaning:"From the meadow"
- Description:Used as a given name or surname in several cultures, often reflecting transliteration from East Asian languages.
- Origin:Korean, Chinese
- Meaning:"Tea"
- Description:Short name and surname in East Asia, also matching the Sino-Korean term for tea in some contexts.
- Origin:Korean, Chinese
- Meaning:"God/Anointed"
- Description:Chung appears in Korean and Chinese romanization systems, where meanings vary by underlying character and pronunciation.
- Origin:Korean
- Meaning:"To Gather; to Pluck"
- Description:Chae is a Korean given element whose meaning depends on the specific hanja characters chosen for the name.
- Origin:Chinese, Korean
- Meaning:"Spring; Pure"
- Description:A common transliteration used in multiple East Asian languages, with meanings varying by character choice and context.
- Origin:Korean, English
- Meaning:"Great Authority"
- Description:Name influenced by Korean elements often interpreted as great and authority, widely used in diaspora contexts with varied spellings.
- Origin:Korean, English
- Meaning:"Great; Big"
- Description:Often used as a transliteration element in Korean names meaning great, also adopted as a standalone modern short name.
- Origin:Korean
- Meaning:"Virtuous; Bright"
- Description:Korean given-name element used in many compounds, typically conveying positive attributes depending on the chosen hanja.
- Origin:Arabic, Korean
- Meaning:"Handsome or Good"
- Description:Used across languages as a transliterated form, it can convey praise meanings though spellings vary by system and region.
- Origin:Korean, Vietnamese
- Meaning:"Summer; River"
- Description:Ha occurs across East Asian naming systems as surname and given name, with meanings varying by language, including summer or river.
- Origin:Korean, German
- Meaning:"Brave warrior"
- Description:Used as a Korean given name element and as a German surname, with meanings dependent on language context.
- Origin:Korean, Modern English
- Meaning:"God gracious"
- Description:Commonly influenced by Korean name elements in Anglophone contexts, standardized through contemporary popular usage.
- Origin:Korean, Chinese
- Meaning:"Middle; Upright (varies)"
- Description:Romanization used across East Asian contexts where meanings depend on underlying hanja or characters, yielding multiple plausible glosses.
- Origin:English, Korean
- Meaning:"Shortened Name Form"
- Description:Kimm functions as a short form in English naming, and also resembles Korean family name romanization without fixed given name meaning.
- Origin:Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese
- Meaning:"Bright; Quick"
- Description:Min is a common East Asian name element whose meaning varies by language and character selection, often implying brightness or quickness.
- Origin:Korean, Japanese
- Meaning:"Beautiful"
- Description:Ryun is a short name found in Korean and Japanese contexts, with meanings varying according to character selection and transliteration.
- Origin:Korean, Vietnamese
- Meaning:"Mountain"
- Description:A short name used in several East and Southeast Asian contexts, often associated with mountain meanings in Vietnamese usage.
- Origin:Korean, Irish
- Meaning:"Virtuous; God Is Gracious"
- Description:Used in Korean contexts as a name element and also as a variant of Sean, yielding distinct meanings by origin.
- Origin:Korean, South Asian
- Meaning:"Excellent; Noble"
- Description:Appears in Korean name usage and also as a South Asian given name, typically interpreted with favorable virtue connotations.
- Origin:Korean
- Meaning:"To Win; Succeed"
- Description:A Korean given name element typically written with Hanja conveying victory or success, used in many compound Korean names.
- Origin:Korean, Sanskrit
- Meaning:"Love or Deer"
- Description:Used in different traditions, where Korean usage relates to affection and South Asian usage can align with Sanskrit-derived senses.
- Origin:Korean, English
- Meaning:"Origin First"
- Description:A Korean name element meaning origin or first, also used as a minimal standalone given name in romanization.
- Origin:English, Korean
- Meaning:"From the meadow"
- Description:Appears as an English short form and also as a transliteration in Korean romanization, with meanings varying by source.
- Origin:Chinese, Korean
- Meaning:"Brave or Eternal"
- Description:Yong is a common East Asian name element conveying bravery, strength, or enduring qualities depending on the character used.
- Origin:Hebrew, Korean
- Meaning:"God is gracious"
- Description:Short form that can appear as a romanization across languages, making a single origin and meaning assignment unreliable.
Why Choose Korean Baby Names?
Korean baby names are popular because they communicate values at first introduction. A thoughtful name can become a lifelong source of pride and confidence.
Written by
Marcus ChenMulticultural Naming Specialist
Multicultural naming expert with a UC Berkeley Anthropology background. Fluent in 4 languages.
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