How it works
- 1Family name first. One syllable, picked by how common it really is. Kim, Lee and Park cover about 44.6% of Koreans (2015 census).
- 2Two-syllable given name. Each syllable has a hanja character that carries a meaning, like 智 (wisdom) or 恩 (grace).
- 3Two English spellings. The common passport spelling (Kim) and the official Revised Romanization (Gim).
Examples
| Name | Hanja | English | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 김서연 | 金瑞姸 | Kim Seoyeon | good omen · beautiful |
| 박지훈 | 朴智勳 | Park Jihun | wisdom · merit |
| 이하은 | 李夏恩 | Lee Haeun | summer · grace |
FAQ
Can I use it as my Korean name?
For a class, a game or a story, yes. For a name you'll keep, ask a Korean friend too: some combinations sound old-fashioned or funny to native speakers.
Is one hanja the only option?
No. One sound can have many hanja (민 can be 敏 "clever" or 民 "people"). We show one common choice for each syllable.
Why do I see Kim so often?
Because it's realistic: about 1 in 5 Koreans is a Kim.