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:
Well, rest assured, because we’ve finally put together a post that will be the answer to all your questions.
Want to know how to write your name in Korean? Just ask us! We’ll write your name in Korean.
How can you ask? First, log in to KoreanClass101. Then, simply leave a comment on this page.
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’.
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)’.
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:
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.
Here are some names that you can choose from–can you find your name on the list?
For example, if you’re female and your birthday is September 1st, 1996, your full name would be 최진희 (Choe Jin-Hui).
If you’re male with the same birthday above, September 1st, 1996, it’d be 최진훈 (Choe Jin-Hun).
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) |
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 |
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:
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.
hello,
I would like to know what the Paula is in Hangul, please.
Thank you.
Hi Shannon!
Thank you for your comment.
Your name in Hangul would be 섀넌(sheh-neon).
Hi Katherine!
Thank you for your comment.
Your name in Hangul would be 캐더린(ke-deo-rin).
Hi Zhansaya!
Thank you for your comment.
Your name in Hangul would be 잔사야(jan-sa-ya).
Hi Eesha!
Thank you for your comment.
Your name in Hangul would be 이샤(i-sah).
Hi Geno!
Thank you for your comment.
Your name in Hangul would be 제노(je-no).
Hi Chrysa!
Thank you for your comment.
Your name in Hangul would be 크리사(keu-ri-sa).
Hi Vikas yadav!
Thank you for your comment.
Your name in Hangul would be 비카스(bi-ka-seu) 야다브(ya-da-beu).
Regarding 'V' sound, please see this lesson: 'F and V in Korean'.
(https://www.koreanclass101.com/lesson/absolute-beginner-questions-answered-by-jae-11-how-do-i-say-f-and-v-in-korean/)
Hi Mmapula!
Thank you for your comment.
Your name in Hangul would be 마풀라(ma-pul-la).
Hi Catarina!
Thank you for your comment.
Your name in Hangul would be 카타리나(ka-ta-ri-na).
And Cat would be 캣(ket).
Hi Mariya!
Thank you for your comment.
Your name in Hangul would be 마리야(ma-ri-ya).
Hi Natalie!
Thank you for your comment.
Your name in Hangul would be 나탈리(na-tal-li).
Hi Jennifer!
Thank you for your comment.
Your name in Hangul would be 제니퍼(je-ni-peo).
Regarding 'F' sound, please see this lesson: 'F and V in Korean'.
(https://www.koreanclass101.com/lesson/absolute-beginner-questions-answered-by-jae-11-how-do-i-say-f-and-v-in-korean/)
Hi Alexandra
Thank you for your comment.
Your name in Hangul would be 알렉산드라(al-lek-san-deu-ra).
Hi Lorna Dee Willoughby!
Thank you for your comment.
Your name in Hangul would be 로르나(lo-reu-na) 디(di) 윌로바이(wil-lo-ba-i).
Hi Steven!
Thank you for your comment.
Your name in Hangul would be 스티븐(seu-ti-beun).
Regarding 'V' sound, please see this lesson: 'F and V in Korean'.
(https://www.koreanclass101.com/lesson/absolute-beginner-questions-answered-by-jae-11-how-do-i-say-f-and-v-in-korean/)
Hope it helps you.
Please let us know if you have any other question. Thanks!
Best,
Jiye
Team KoreanClass101.com
Hey guys, could you give me my name in korean please!!
Thanks!!
hey
Hi my name is Rebbekka, its a unique spelling, i was hoping to know how it's translated, pronounced and in Hangul? in english its pronounced RAH BEK HA.
Sinnah
my name in korean pls
Hi Jennifer Renee Allen!
Thank you for your comment.
Your name in Hangul would be 제니퍼(je-ni-peo) 리네(ri-ne) 앨런(el-leon).
Regarding 'F' sound, please see this lesson: 'F and V in Korean'.
(https://www.koreanclass101.com/lesson/absolute-beginner-questions-answered-by-jae-11-how-do-i-say-f-and-v-in-korean/)
Hi Ketty!
Thank you for your comment.
Your name in Hangul would be 케티(ke-ti).
Hi Georgia!
Thank you for your comment.
Your name in Hangul would be 조지아(jo-ji-a).
Hi Sonia!
Thank you for your comment.
Your name in Hangul would be 소냐(so-nia).
Hi Elisabetta!
Thank you for your comment.
Your name in Hangul would be 엘리사베타(el-li-sa-be-ta).
Hi Tessa Barone!
Thank you for your comment.
Your name in Hangul would be 테사(te-sa) 바론(ba-ron).
Hi Imee Luna!
Thank you for your comment.
Yes, 아이미 루나 is good. There you go!
Hi Amber!
Thank you for your comment.
Your name in Hangul would be 앰버(em-beo).
Hi Christian!
Thank you for your comment.
Your name in Hangul would be 크리스찬(keu-ri-seu-chan).
Hi Anastacia!
Thank you for your comment.
Your name in Hangul would be 아나스타샤(a-na-seu-ta-sia).
Hi Camden!
Thank you for your comment.
Your name in Hangul would be 캠든(kem-deun).
Hi Brittney!
Thank you for your comment.
Your name in Hangul would be 브리트니(beu-ri-teu-ni).
Hi Koparde Akshitha Sanjeev!
Thank you for your comment.
Your name in Hangul would be 코파드(ko-la-deu) 아크시타(a-keu-shi-ta) 산지브(san-ji-beu).
Regarding 'V' sound, please see this lesson: 'F and V in Korean'.
(https://www.koreanclass101.com/lesson/absolute-beginner-questions-answered-by-jae-11-how-do-i-say-f-and-v-in-korean/)
Hi Chloe!
Thank you for your comment.
Your name in Hangul would be 클로이(keul-lo-i).
And Dandelion would be 댄들라이언(den-deul-la-i-eon).
Hi Albert Anthony Walles!
Thank you for your comment.
Your name in Hangul would be 알버트(al-beo-teu) 안토니(an-to-ni) 발레스(bal-le-seu).
Regarding 'V' sound, please see this lesson: 'F and V in Korean'.
(https://www.koreanclass101.com/lesson/absolute-beginner-questions-answered-by-jae-11-how-do-i-say-f-and-v-in-korean/)
Hi Lucius!
Thank you for your comment.
Your name in Hangul would be 루시우스(lu-si-u-seu).
Hope this helps you.
Feel free to ask if you have any other question. Thanks!
Best,
Jiye
Team KoreanClass101.com
Guadalupe
Cassie Larsen
It is pronounced (KAS-ee) (LAR-sen)
What's your name? Leave a comment. We'll write your name in the Korean alphabet 😄