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Learn all about Korean Names

The famous Chinese philosopher Confucius stated, “A good name will lead to a good life (정명순행-正名順行).” Many Asian countries put an emphasis on names–Korea included. Names are important to Koreans. And for those of you interested in finding out more about Korean names, writing your name in the Korean alphabet, or even putting together your very own Korean name, well, don’t go anywhere, as this post is your one-stop guide regarding Korean names!

We’ll be honest with you—one of the questions we get asked the most on KoreanClass101 is on — yes, you guessed it — names. The most frequently asked questions include:

  • “How do you write an English name in Korean?”
  • “Is it possible to make a name up and ask native Koreans to use it?”
  • “Are there any Korean names that sound like English names?”
  • “How do you write my K-Pop bias name in Korean?”

Well, rest assured, because we’ve finally put together a post that will be the answer to all your questions.
 

Ask Us How to Write Your Name in Korean!

Write your name in Korean!

Want to know how to write your name in Korean? Just ask us! We’ll write your name in Korean.

  • Write your name in the English alphabet. Our Korean teachers might not be able to read it otherwise.
  • If your name is pronounced differently from the spelling, please let us know the pronunciation.

How can you ask? First, log in to KoreanClass101. Then, simply leave a comment on this page.
 

 

Related Lessons

How to Write in Korean
Writing in Korean
 
Introduction to Korean
Introduction to Korean
 
Korean Pronunciation
Korean Pronunciation
 
Learn Korean in Three Minutes
Korean in 3 Minutes
 

Table of Contents

  1. Essential Rules for Writing Your Name in Korean
  2. Some Korean Names Sound Like English Names
  3. Pick out a Korean Name for Yourself, Surname and All!
  4. How Are Korean Names Written?
  5. Related Lessons

 

1. Essential Rules for Writing Your Name in Korean

Top

 

A. Each Syllable Should Have One Consonant and One Vowel at Least.

One common mistake that we see people making while trying to figure out how to write their name in Korean is that they try to write their names according to the way it is spelled. But actually, you need to write it according to how your name is pronounced. Find Korean pronunciation that sounds similar to your actual name.

Let’s take the name Jane for example. If you try to romanize it in Korean as it is spelled (which would be ‘ja-ne’), it would be sound like ‘자-네’, which really doesn’t sound anything like ‘Jane’.

Here, you may fall into your first dilemma. Korean words must consist of a consonant and vowel sound. However, some names contains only a consonant sound. In this case, just add the Korean vowel ‘ㅡ
(eu)‘. For example, Chris sounds like ‘kris’ so it would become ‘크리스 (keu-ri-seu)’ by adding ‘eu’ to ‘k’ and ‘s’.

Chris sounds like Kris. It’s K + ri + s.
Add ㅡ (eu) to a consonant that doesn’t have a vowel sound.
It becomes Keu + ri + seu, which is 크리스 in Korean.

This rule also applies to names that contains a syllable that starts with ‘t’. For example, if you want to write the name Trina in Korean, just add ‘eu’ to the ‘t’ sound and you will get ‘트리나 (teu-ri-na)’.

Trina is T + ri + na.
Add ㅡ (eu) to a consonant that doesn’t have a vowel sound.
It becomes Teu + ri + na, which is 트리나 in Korean.

 

B. An ‘R’ at the End of the Syllable is Silent.

Now, you may have noticed that the ‘r’ sound at the end of ‘Trevor (트레버)’ does not show up in the Korean equivalent. This is because you do not need to add the consonant ‘ㄹ’ at the end of the syllable if it ends with ‘r’. Some say that this is because there are not so many hangul names with the batchim ‘ㄹ’ at the end. Others say that this is due to the rules set by the National Institute of Korean Language, which designates that borrowed words (외래어) and names be written in a certain way to avoid confusion.

No matter what the reason, remember not to add the batchim ‘ㄹ’ if the syllable ends with ‘r’. Here are some examples of names that should apply this rule:

  • The name Peter will be romanized as pi-teo and written in Korean as ‘피터 (pi-teo)’, not ‘피털’.
  • Alexander will be romanized as a-lek-san-deo and written as ‘알렉산더 (alreksandeo)’, not ‘알렉산덜’

 

C. An ‘H’ at the End of the Syllable is Silent.

If your name ends with an ‘h’, it will become silent.

  • Example: Hannah will be written as ‘한나 (hanna)’, not ‘한낳’.

 

D. A ‘SH’ at the End of the Syllable Can be Either ‘시’ or ‘쉬’.

Other tricky names to write in Korean would be those that end with ‘sh’. In this case, you could use either ‘시 (si)’ or ‘쉬
(swi)’. For example:

  • Josh could be written as ‘조시 (josi)’ or ‘조쉬 (joswi)’

 

E. A ‘P’ or an ‘PH’ at the End of the Syllable Can be Either ‘ㅂ’ or ‘프’.

If your name ends with a ‘p’ or ‘ph’, you can use either the batchim ‘ㅂ’ or ‘프’, depending on your preference.

  • For example, the name Joseph is more commonly written as ‘조셉 (josep)’ in Korean, but you will also see people writing it as ‘조세프 (josepeu)’.
  • Another example would be Phillip, ‘필립 (pillip)’, which is even used as a native Korean name. But you could write it as ‘필리프 (pillipeu)’. (Again, ‘필립’ is used more commonly.)

 

F. A ‘T’ at the End of the Syllable Can be Either ‘ㅅ’ or ‘트’.

Names that have a syllable that ends with ‘t’ can be written as either ‘ㅅ’ or ‘트’. For example:

  • Scott could be written as ‘스콧 (seukot)’ or ‘스코트 (seukoteu)’
  • Matt could be written as ‘맷 (maet)’ or ‘매트 (maeteu)’

 

G. ‘F’ is Pronounced as ‘P (ㅍ)’.

There is no ‘f’ sound in Korean, so names that start with ‘f’ will be written using the consonant ‘ㅍ’ , along with names that start with ‘p’. For example:

  • Felicity will be written in Korean as ‘펠리시티 (pellisiti)’
  • Pamela will be written in Korean as ‘파멜라 (pamella)’

 

H. ‘V’ is Pronounced as ‘B (ㅂ)’.

There is no ‘v’ sound in Korean, so syllables that start with ‘v’ will be written using the consonant ‘ㅂ’ , along with names that have ‘b’. For example:

  • Vanessa will be written in Korean as ‘바네사 (banesa)’.
  • Becky will be written in Korean as ‘베키 (beki)’.
  • Steve will be written in Korean as ‘스티브 (seutibeu)’.

 

I. ‘Z’ is Pronounced as ‘J (ㅈ)’.

Names that start with ‘j’ or ‘z’ will be written using the consonant ‘ㅈ’. For example:

  • Joe will be written in Korean as ‘조 (jo)’.
  • Jack and Zack will both be written in Korean as ‘잭 (jaek)’.

 

J. ‘One L + Vowel’ in the middle of the name Becomes ‘ㄹ + ㄹ + Vowel’.

One ‘l’ that comes before a vowel in the middle of the name often becomes ㄹ + ㄹ + vowel. For example:

  • Julia will be written in Korean as ‘줄리아 (jullia)’.
  • Nicolas will be written in Korean as ‘니콜라스 (nikollaseu)’.

But if ‘l’ comes at the beginning of the name, it doesn’t change to ㄹ + ㄹ. ‘Lena’ is just ‘레나 (rena)’. If there are two Ls in the middle of the name, write it as it is. You don’t need to add more ㄹ sounds. For that reason, both Gabriella and Gabriela are 가브리엘라.

 

K. A ‘K’ at the End of the Syllable Can be Either ‘ㄱ’ or ‘크’.

If the pronunciation of the name syllable ends with ‘k’, it’s ‘ㄱ’ or ‘크’ but ‘ㄱ’is more common. For example:

  • Patrick will be written in Korean as ‘패트릭 (paeteurik)’.
  • Eric will be written in Korean as ‘에릭 (erik)’.

 

2. Some Korean Names Sound Like English Names

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Some Korean Names Sound Like English Names!
 

We’ve gone through the basics of writing your name in Korean. However, if you’re feeling slightly lazy, don’t worry! There are some Korean names that sound exactly like names in English that you could use as your own, without worrying about how to write the consonants and vowels.

Here are some names that you can choose from–can you find your name on the list?

 

A. Female Names

  • 제인 (Je-In): Jane
  • 조안 (Jo-An): Joanne
  • 미나 (Mi-Na): Mina
  • 사라 (Sa-Ra): Sara
  • 한나 (Han-Na): Hannah
  • 하나 (Ha-Na): Hana
  • 진희 (Jin-Hui): Jeanie
  • 아라 (A-Ra): Ara
  • 진 (Jin): Jean (can be used as a male name)

 

B. Male Names

  • 제이 (Je-I): Jay
  • 태빈 (Tea-Bin): Tevin
  • 이안 (I-An): Ian
  • 유진 (Yu-Jin): Eugene
  • 노아 (No-A): Noah
  • 필립 (Pil-Lip): Phillip
  • 진 (Jin): Jean (can also be used as a female name)

 

3. Pick out a Korean Name for Yourself, Surname and All!

Top

Pick out a Korean Name!
 

Now if you really want a Korean sounding name, one fun way to do so would be to use popular Korean names. It will definitely be a great ice breaker if you do have a ‘Korean’ name.

 

A. Make One Using Your Birthday.

Try using your birthday to come up with a Korean name—here is a fun chart that you could use to come up with a name for yourself (and you can tell everyone that you came up with your name based on your date of birth and year!)

Korean Name Generator

For example, if you’re female and your birthday is September 1st, 1996, your full name would be 최진희 (Choe Jin-Hui).

최진희
Surname: 최 (Choe)
Given Name: 진희 (Jin-Hui)

If you’re male with the same birthday above, September 1st, 1996, it’d be 최진훈 (Choe Jin-Hun).

최진훈
Surname: 최 (Choe)
Given Name: 진훈 (Jin-Hun)

 

B. Pick One from the List of the Most Popular Names.

If you’d like to use a popular Korean name as your own, you can find the list of the most popular names for 2017 below.

 

Girl Boy
1. 하윤 (Ha-Yun) 도윤 (Do-Yun)
2. 지우 (Ji-Wu) 예준 (Ye-Jun)
3. 하린 (Ha-Rin) 주원 (Ju-Won)
4. 수아 (Su-A) 유준 (Yu-Jun)
5. 지아 (Ji-A) 지호 (Ji-Ho)
6. 서아 (Seo-A) 준우 (Jun-U)
7. 서윤 (Seo-Yun) 하준 (Ha-Jun)
8. 서연 (Seo-Yeon) 서준 (Seo-Jun)
9. 하은 (Ha-Eun) 시우 (Si-U)
10. 지유 (Ji-Yu) 민준 (Min-Jun)

 

You can put these names together with a surname that you think will work for you. You can find some of the most common surnames in Korea.

 

Rank Surname Pronunciation Population
1. 김 (金) Gim 9,925,949
2. 이 (李) I 6,794,637
3. 박 (朴) Bak 3,895,121
4. 최 (崔) Choe 2,169,704
5. 정 (鄭) Jeong 2,010,117
6. 강 (姜) Gang 1,044,386
7. 조 (趙) Jo 984,913
8. 윤 (尹) Yun 948,600
9. 장 (張) Jang 919,339
10. 임 (林) Im 762,767

 

4. How Are Korean Names Written?

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How Korean Names are Written

There is a famous Korean saying in Korea regarding names:

호랑이는 죽어서 가죽을 남기고 사람은 죽어서 이름이 남긴다.
“A tiger will die and leave its skin, and a person will die and leave his name”.

This is one saying that epitomizes the importance of names to Koreans.

Although some parents will forego the meaningful Chinese characters and opt for a pure Hangul name, you will still commonly see many parents with newborns asking advice from elders or even going to ‘naming gurus’ to get the name that will bring ‘prosperity’ or ‘luck’ to their children. Some parents even take the time to give their children fetal names ‘태명’ before they are born!

Having said that, how is a Korean name written?

Unlike in English, where the ‘given’ name comes first and the ‘surname’ at the end, you will write your ‘surname/family name/last name (성)’, usually one character (there are some surnames with two characters), first, then your ‘given name/first name (이름), which is usually two characters). For example:

권지용
Surname: 권 (Gwon)
Given Name: 지용 (Ji-Yong)

As you can see, it is actually not difficult to write your name in Korean. The fastest method would be to check how your name is written officially in Korean. You could also look for a Korean name that sounds similar to yours, or even make up a ‘Korean’ name.

Or you could ask us! We would be more than happy to give you a hand. Please try writing your name out in Hangul (and let us know how you write and pronounce it in English) in the submission form on the top, and we’ll get back to you.

Thank you for reading. 감사합니다 –It’s thank you in Korean.

 

5. Related Lessons

Top

How to Write in Korean
 
In this video series, you will learn the Korean alphabet, known as Hangul. We will teach you Hangul using simple steps, showing you the correct stroke order, helpful tricks for memorization, and proper usage in common Korean words. If you want to get started reading and writing Korean, this is THE place to start.

Go to Hangul Series

 

Introduction to Korean
 
Want to learn Korean? Don’t know where to start? This is it. The Introduction to Korean Video series is perfect for those who know zero Korean but want to take that first step. In this series, you’ll learn all about the Korean language, as well as grammar, writing and phrases to get you started.

Go to Introduction Series

 

Korean Pronunciation Guide
 
Ready to sound like a native Korean speaker? Join Alisha and Ara in the Ultimate Korean Pronunciation Series! You’ll learn the ins and outs of perfect Korean pronunciation. You’ll learn the common mistakes learners make, how to avoid them, and the nuances that only native speakers are aware of.

Go to Pronunciation Guide

 

Korean in 3 Minutes
 
Learn the basics you need to be polite while speaking Korean. Amy will take you step-by-step through must-know phrases and explain the grammar and composition. Plus, you’ll get some special tips on how to be extra authentic when interacting with native Korean speakers.

Go to 3 Minute Series
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Tuesday at 05:24 PM
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What's your name? Leave a comment. We'll write your name in the Korean alphabet 😄

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Friday at 11:33 AM
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Hi! Itzel.


Your name in Korean can be written as 이첼 (I-chel). It's great that you're learning how to write your name in Korean. Keep up the good work!


Let us know if you have any questions.

감사합니다! (Gamsahamnida! "Thank you!")

Team KoreanClass101.com

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Friday at 11:15 AM
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Hi Sonia!


Your name can be written in Korean as 소니아 (Sonia). It sounds very similar to your English name, doesn't it? Keep practicing writing it, and you'll get the hang of it in no time!


Let us know if you have any questions.


감사합니다 (Gamsahamnida, "Thank you")

Team KoreanClass101.com

KoreanClass101.com Verified
Thursday at 10:38 AM
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Hi! Raezel Villamena,


Your name in Korean would be 레이젤 빌라메나 (Re-i-jel Bil-la-me-na).


To read and write in Korean, you need to start with learning Hangul (한글), the Korean alphabet. Hangul is composed of consonants and vowels, and it's phonetic, which means once you learn the letters, you can read Korean words easily.


Here are the basic steps to get you started:

1. Learn the basic consonants: ㄱ, ㄴ, ㄷ, ㄹ, ㅁ, ㅂ, ㅅ, ㅇ, ㅈ, ㅊ, ㅋ, ㅌ, ㅍ, ㅎ

2. Learn the basic vowels: ㅏ, ㅑ, ㅓ, ㅕ, ㅗ, ㅛ, ㅜ, ㅠ, ㅡ, ㅣ

3. Practice combining the consonants and vowels to form syllables, like 가 (ga), 나 (na), 다 (da).


We offer lessons on Hangul that can help you get started.


Feel free to let us know if you have any questions.

감사합니다! (Gam-sa-ham-ni-da! "Thank you!")

Team KoreanClass101.com

kaitlyn
Thursday at 12:45 AM
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what’s my korean name?

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Wednesday at 08:44 AM
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Hi Avalyn Ludlow!


Thank you for sharing your name with us! In Korean, your name can be written as 아발린 러들로 (Aballin Reodeullo). Your Chinese name, Lou Wei Lin, can be written in Korean as 루 웨이 린 (Ru Wei Rin). It's great to know the meaning of your name as well. "Lively and aggressive" sounds very energetic and strong!


If you have any questions or need further assistance, feel free to let us know.


감사합니다! (Gamsahamnida! "Thank you!")

Team KoreanClass101.com

KoreanClass101.com Verified
Wednesday at 08:23 AM
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Hi Dakoda!


Welcome to the world of Korean learning! It's exciting to hear that you're learning Korean to become a K-pop dancer. In Korean, your name "Dakoda" can be written as 다코다 (Dakoda).


If you have any questions or need any help with your Korean studies, feel free to let us know. We’re here to support you on your journey.


Thank you (감사합니다 / gamsahamnida).

Team KoreanClass101.com

KoreanClass101.com Verified
Wednesday at 08:21 AM
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Hi Kimberley Hill!


Your name can be translated into Korean as 킴벌리 힐 (Kimeobeolli Hil) for Kimberley Hill. The name Kim (김) is indeed a very common family name in Korea, but it's perfectly fine to use Kim as a nickname. Many people will understand that it's your nickname and not related to the family name.


If you have any questions, please let us know.

감사합니다! (Gamsahamnida! "Thank you!")

Team KoreanClass101.com

KoreanClass101.com Verified
Wednesday at 08:10 AM
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Hi Jim Dudek!


Your name in Korean would be written as 짐 두덱 (Jim Dudek). It's great to see you taking an interest in learning how to say your name in Korean! Keep practicing, and you'll be speaking Korean fluently in no time.


Let us know if you have any questions.

감사합니다! (Gamsahamnida! "Thank you!")

Team KoreanClass101.com

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Wednesday at 08:00 AM
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Hi Malcolm Frame!


Thank you for sharing your name with us. In Korean, your name can be written as 말콤 프레임 (Malkom Peureim).


If you have any questions, please let us know.

감사합니다! (Gamsahamnida! "Thank you!")

Team KoreanClass101.com

KoreanClass101.com Verified
Wednesday at 07:59 AM
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Hi! Andy Brophy (Andrew),


안녕하세요! (Annyeonghaseyo! "Hello!")


Your name "Andy Brophy" can be translated into Korean as "앤디 브로피" (Aendi Beuropi). If you prefer using "Andrew," it would be "안드루" (Andeu).


Feel free to let us know if you have any questions.


감사합니다! (Gamsahamnida! "Thank you!")

Team KoreanClass101.com