Chinese NamesHow they work, the most popular names and what they mean
A Chinese name is short — usually three characters — and almost always chosen for its meaning. Here is how names are built, the names you will meet most often, the most popular baby names in China today, and how to address people politely. Every name has pinyin and native audio.
How Chinese names work
- Surname first, then the given name. In 王宇轩 (Wáng Yǔxuān), 王 is the surname and 宇轩 the given name.
- Most names have three characters: a one-character surname and a two-character given name. In 2019, 84.3% of names in China had three characters and 14.0% had two.
- There are no middle names. Some families give all children of one generation the same first character (a generation name, 字辈).
- Women keep their own surname when they marry. Children usually take the father's surname, though the law allows either parent's.
- Names are chosen for meaning and sound. Parents look for characters that carry a wish — brightness, strength, beauty, learning — and that sound good with the surname.
The 10 most common full names in China
Because a few surnames are so common, some full names are shared by hundreds of thousands of people. This is the official 2019 list from China's Ministry of Public Security.
| Name | Pinyin | Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 张伟 | Zhāng Wěi | Meaning Zhang + "great" | Note The most common full name in China: almost 300,000 people (2019). |
| 王伟 | Wáng Wěi | Meaning Wang + "great" | Note 伟 (great, mighty) is so common that 王伟, 李伟 and 刘伟 are all in the top 10. |
| 李娜 | Lǐ Nà | Meaning Li + "graceful" | Note Also the name of the tennis champion Li Na, the first Asian player to win a Grand Slam singles title. |
| 王芳 | Wáng Fāng | Meaning Wang + "fragrant" | Note 芳 (fragrant, beautiful) is a classic girl's name. |
| 李伟 | Lǐ Wěi | Meaning Li + "great" | Note |
| 王静 | Wáng Jìng | Meaning Wang + "quiet, calm" | Note The character 静 expresses the wish for a calm, gentle temperament. |
| 李静 | Lǐ Jìng | Meaning Li + "quiet, calm" | Note |
| 张敏 | Zhāng Mǐn | Meaning Zhang + "quick, clever" | Note 敏 is used for both girls and boys. |
| 刘伟 | Liú Wěi | Meaning Liu + "great" | Note |
| 张静 | Zhāng Jìng | Meaning Zhang + "quiet, calm" | Note |
Most popular names for baby boys
The top 10 names given to newborn boys in China in 2020. Space and the universe (宇, 浩, 辰) are the big theme.
| Name | Pinyin | Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 奕辰 | Yìchén | Meaning radiant + stars | Note 奕 means bright and full of energy; 辰 means the celestial bodies, or time. |
| 宇轩 | Yǔxuān | Meaning universe + lofty | Note A big, open name: 宇 is the universe, 轩 means high and dignified. |
| 浩宇 | Hàoyǔ | Meaning vast + universe | Note Number 1 in 2019. 浩 is vast like the sea. |
| 亦辰 | Yìchén | Meaning also + stars | Note Sounds exactly like 奕辰: parents love the sound Yìchén and pick different characters. |
| 宇辰 | Yǔchén | Meaning universe + stars | Note |
| 子墨 | Zǐmò | Meaning child + ink | Note A bookish, literary name: ink stands for writing and learning. |
| 宇航 | Yǔháng | Meaning universe + sail | Note 宇航 is also the word for spaceflight. |
| 浩然 | Hàorán | Meaning vast and upright | Note From Mencius' 浩然之气, a noble, upright spirit. |
| 梓豪 | Zǐháo | Meaning catalpa tree + heroic | Note 梓 (the catalpa tree) also stands for one's home town. |
| 亦宸 | Yìchén | Meaning also + palace | Note The third Yìchén in the top 10. 宸 is the emperor's palace. |
Most popular names for baby girls
The top 10 names given to newborn girls in China in 2020. Promise, joy and nature (trees, rain, the tide) are favourite themes.
| Name | Pinyin | Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 一诺 | Yīnuò | Meaning one promise | Note From 一诺千金, "a promise worth a thousand gold": someone who keeps their word. Number 1 in both 2019 and 2020. |
| 依诺 | Yīnuò | Meaning rely on + promise | Note The same sound as 一诺 with softer-looking characters. |
| 欣怡 | Xīnyí | Meaning joyful + happy | Note Two characters that both mean happiness. |
| 梓涵 | Zǐhán | Meaning catalpa tree + inner depth | Note 涵 suggests depth of character and good upbringing. |
| 语桐 | Yǔtóng | Meaning speech + parasol tree | Note 桐 here is the wutong (Chinese parasol tree), said to attract the phoenix. |
| 欣妍 | Xīnyán | Meaning joyful + beautiful | Note |
| 可欣 | Kěxīn | Meaning pleasing + joyful | Note |
| 语汐 | Yǔxī | Meaning speech + evening tide | Note 汐 is the evening tide, a soft, poetic character. |
| 雨桐 | Yǔtóng | Meaning rain + parasol tree | Note Another popular way to write the sound Yǔtóng. |
| 梦瑶 | Mèngyáo | Meaning dream + precious jade | Note |
How names changed over the decades
You can often guess roughly when someone was born from their name. In the 1950s and 60s many names expressed hopes for the new country; from the 1980s, names turned to personal qualities like strength and beauty; today's parents prefer rarer, poetic characters. These are typical examples of each era, not official rankings.
| Name | Pinyin | Meaning | Typical of | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 建国 | Jiànguó | Meaning build the nation | Typical of 1950s | Note Typical of babies born around the founding of the People's Republic in 1949. |
| 卫国 | Wèiguó | Meaning defend the country | Typical of 1950s–60s | Note |
| 红梅 | Hóngméi | Meaning red plum blossom | Typical of 1950s–60s | Note The plum blooms in the snow: a symbol of strength. A classic women's name of the time. |
| 秀英 | Xiùyīng | Meaning elegant + outstanding | Typical of 1950s–60s | Note |
| 志强 | Zhìqiáng | Meaning strong will | Typical of 1970s–80s | Note |
| 丽华 | Lìhuá | Meaning beautiful + splendid | Typical of 1970s–80s | Note |
| 俊杰 | Jùnjié | Meaning handsome + outstanding | Typical of 1990s | Note |
| 诗涵 | Shīhán | Meaning poetry + inner depth | Typical of 2000s–10s | Note Number 5 for girls in 2019. |
Characters you will see in names
The 10 characters used most often in Chinese names (2019). Many of them belong to older generations — 秀, 兰 and 红 are typical of women born before the 1980s.
| Character | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 英 | yīng | Meaning heroic, outstanding |
| 华 | huá | Meaning splendid; China (as a surname, read Huà) |
| 文 | wén | Meaning culture, writing |
| 玉 | yù | Meaning jade |
| 秀 | xiù | Meaning elegant, graceful |
| 明 | míng | Meaning bright, clear |
| 丽 | lì | Meaning beautiful |
| 兰 | lán | Meaning orchid |
| 红 | hóng | Meaning red (luck, joy) |
| 金 | jīn | Meaning gold |
And the favourites of today's parents, from the newborn lists above:
| Character | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 子 | zǐ | Meaning child; an old title of respect for a master, as in 孔子 |
| 梓 | zǐ | Meaning catalpa tree; home town |
| 宇 | yǔ | Meaning universe |
| 浩 | hào | Meaning vast |
| 辰 | chén | Meaning celestial bodies; time |
| 涵 | hán | Meaning inner depth |
| 欣 | xīn | Meaning joyful |
| 诺 | nuò | Meaning promise |
How to address Chinese people
Use the surname with a title until you are told otherwise. Calling someone by their given name alone is reserved for family, partners and close friends.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | When to use it |
|---|---|---|---|
| 小王 | Xiǎo Wáng | English "Little Wang" | When to use it Friendly way to call someone younger than you, or a junior colleague. |
| 老李 | Lǎo Lǐ | English "Old Li" | When to use it For a friend or colleague your age or older. Warm and informal, not rude. |
| 王老师 | Wáng lǎoshī | English Teacher Wang | When to use it Surname + title is the polite default. |
| 王先生 | Wáng xiānsheng | English Mr Wang | When to use it |
| 李女士 | Lǐ nǚshì | English Ms Li | When to use it Polite for any adult woman. 小姐 (miss) is avoided by many people today. |
| 王总 | Wáng zǒng | English Boss Wang | When to use it Short for titles like 总经理 (general manager) or 总裁 (president): used for any senior manager. |
| 婷婷 | Tíngtíng | English doubled name (nickname) | When to use it Family and close friends often double one character of the given name. |
| 王宇轩 | Wáng Yǔxuān | English full name | When to use it Classmates and colleagues often use the full name, with the surname: it is not cold or rude in Chinese. |
Getting a Chinese name for yourself
There are two ways. A transliteration copies the sound of your name (Smith → 史密斯) — it is what newspapers use for foreigners. A real Chinese name picks a common surname that sounds like yours and a two-character given name with a good meaning, so it sounds like a Chinese person's name. If you will live, study or work in China, the second kind is friendlier. Ask a native speaker to check it before you put it on a business card — or a tattoo.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 史密斯 | Shǐmìsī | English Smith (by sound) | Note A sound-based translation: fine on paper, but no Chinese person has a name like this. |
| 我叫史大卫。 | Wǒ jiào Shǐ Dàwèi. | English My name is Shi Dawei. | Note A real-looking Chinese name for David Smith: surname 史 (like Smith) + given name 大卫 (David). |
| 你叫什么名字？ | Nǐ jiào shénme míngzi? | English What's your name? | Note |
| 您贵姓？ | Nín guìxìng? | English May I ask your surname? | Note The polite way to ask, used with older people and in business. |
Frequently asked questions
What is the most common name in China?
The most common full name is 张伟 (Zhāng Wěi), shared by almost 300,000 people according to the Ministry of Public Security's 2019 report. The most common surname is 王 (Wáng).
What are the most popular Chinese baby names?
In 2020 the top names for boys were 奕辰 (Yìchén), 宇轩 (Yǔxuān) and 浩宇 (Hàoyǔ); for girls they were 一诺 (Yīnuò), 依诺 (Yīnuò) and 欣怡 (Xīnyí).
Why does the surname come first in Chinese names?
In Chinese the family comes before the individual, so the surname is written and said first: in 王芳 (Wáng Fāng), 王 is the surname. Many Chinese people reverse the order when they write their name in English.
Do Chinese women change their surname when they marry?
No. Women in mainland China, Taiwan and most Chinese communities keep their own surname after marriage.
How many characters does a Chinese name have?
Usually three: a one-character surname and a two-character given name. Two-character names (like 李娜) are the next most common; four-character names usually come from a two-character surname such as 欧阳.