Search results
Based on your many encounters with Koreans, one may wonder if all Korean’s have the surname Kim, Lee, Park, Jeong, or Choi. Indeed, these five are the most common family names among Koreans. However, not all of the Kims, Lees, Parks, Jeongs, and Chois are the same.
The structure, meaning, and evolution of male and female names in Korea reveal fascinating differences shaped by history, language, and modern trends. This article explores these distinctions and highlights popular names based on year of birth.
- Naming Conventions
- Names
- Addressing Others
Korean naming conventions arrange names as follows: [FAMILY NAME] [personal name]. For example, KIM Min Su (male) or LEE Hyori(female).Each Korean name usually consists of three syllables. The first is the family name while the second and third are the given name. For example, in the name KIM Min Su (김민수), KIMis the family name.The family name (or ‘surname’) is inherited patrilineally from one’s father and shared with other siblings. It always comes before the given name and is usually a single syllable/character.The given name (or ‘personal name’) usually contains two syllables/characters. Both components of the personal name are considered to be a single unit. The concept of a ‘middle name’ is not followe...It is common belief that a good name brings luck, and an unfit name may bring bad luck. Therefore, Korean parents generally prefer to choose names that embody goodwill, prosperousness and have posi...Names may be chosen in accordance with a child’s birth date and time, as well as the number of strokes of the name in Korean characters, to assure it is auspicious.Some parents may consult a shaman/fortune teller to find the luckiest name for a child.Many Korean given names are instilled with some significant meaning that symbolises aspirations and wishes for the child, e.g. Kyong (brightness), Geon (strong), Cho (beautiful), Young(valiant).It is appropriate to address friends and acquaintances who are the same age or younger than one’s self using their first name alone. However, this only applies to casual relationships.Most of the time, Koreans use the titles to indicate polite speech based on people’s age and social relationship to one another.Titles come after a person’s full name in Korean: [family name] [personal name] [title]. For example, KIM Minsu Ssi (Mr. Minsu KIM). However, one may use a title with the given name alone if wishin...It is incorrect and uncommon to refer to anyone by their family name alone (either with a title or without).4Aug 20, 2024 · Why Korean Names in English Are Confusing. Let’s say you see a name in Korean written in Romanized Korean that looks like this: JaeHun. Does this mean 재훈 (JaeHoon) or 재헌 (JaeHeon)? This is a common problem that most Korean learners face with writing names in Korean using English letters.
Korean names are used in South and North Korea. Note that depending on the Korean characters used these names can have many other meanings besides those listed here. See also about Korean names.
Jun 23, 2018 · Because of archaic attitudes in Korea, the names used for girls are typically about beauty, flowers, loyalty and goodness while male names tend to be about strength, winning, prosperity...
Nov 10, 2016 · Source: Twitter. Over half of South Koreans are named Park, Lee, or Kim. But why is there such little disparity in Korean surnames? South Korea is home to over 50 million people. Of those 50 million, around 10 million have the surname Kim.
