Korean names are gaining global popularity, driven by K-pop, K-drama, and a growing appreciation for Korean culture. Each Korean name is carefully chosen — parents often consult naming experts to find characters with auspicious meanings.
Here are 20 Korean names with their meanings and the cultural context behind them.
Korean Girl Names
- Jisoo (지수) — "Wisdom and beauty." Made globally famous by BLACKPINK's Jisoo. One of Korea's most popular names.
- Chaewon (채원) — "Gathering of beauty." LE SSERAFIM's Chaewon brought this name worldwide.
- Minji (민지) — "Clever and wise." NewJeans' Minji made it the hottest name in K-pop.
- Yuna (유나) — "To shine." Works beautifully in both Korean and English.
- Hana (하나) — "One" or "flower." Simple, meaningful, cross-cultural.
- Somi (소미) — "Star beauty." Short and memorable.
- Eunji (은지) — "Silver wisdom." Elegant and traditional.
- Soojin (수진) — "Excellent treasure." Classic Korean beauty.
- Hayoon (하윤) — "Summer" + "allow." Currently #1 for girls in South Korea.
- Nayeon (나연) — "Graceful beauty." TWICE's Nayeon made it iconic.
Korean Boy Names
- Seojun (서준) — "Auspicious and talented." #1 boy's name in South Korea for years.
- Minho (민호) — "Clever and bright." SHINee's Minho made it a classic.
- Jungkook (정국) — "National pillar." BTS made this name known to billions.
- Taehyung (태형) — "Great, prosperous." BTS's V carries this name.
- Jiho (지호) — "Wisdom and greatness." Strong and balanced.
- Dohyun (도현) — "Path of virtue." Modern and meaningful.
- Hajun (하준) — "Summer" + "talented." Consistently top 3 in Korea.
- Siwoo (시우) — "Beginning of the universe." Cosmic and poetic.
Unisex Korean Names
- Yoon (윤) — "Allow, consent." Works for any gender. Clean and modern.
- Haru (하루) — "Day" or "spring day." Borrowed from Japanese but used in Korean too.
How Korean Names Work
Most Korean names have three syllables: a one-syllable family name + a two-syllable given name. The given name characters are chosen for their meaning — parents often want a balance of virtues (wisdom + beauty, strength + kindness).
Some families use a generational character (돌림자) — one syllable shared by all siblings or cousins of the same generation.
Pronunciation Tips
Korean romanization can be tricky:
- eo sounds like "uh" (Seojun = Suh-joon)
- eu sounds like "oo" with lips spread
- ae sounds like "eh" (Chaewon = Cheh-won)
- Double consonants (jj, ss, kk) are tensed versions
Explore all Korean names and 1,600+ more at BabyNamePick.com.
Hana is my favorite — "one" and "flower" in the same word. What's yours?
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