Chinese female and male names and their meanings

In this article, we will share a list of Chinese male names with their meanings and also Chinese female names with meanings. We also have unisex names.

Unfortunately I'm no expert in Chinese to explain the meaning and pronunciation of ideograms, but it should be similar to Japanese ideograms, but with totally different pronunciation.

Hope you like the list of Chinese female and male names, perfect to put on your babies, characters or Pets.

Facts about Chinese Names

Like the Japanese, the Chinese speak their family name first and then their first name. Chinese names are also usually made up of just two names.

Chinese names can have similar pronunciations, especially in the family name. In these cases, we recommend paying attention to the ideograms that determine the meaning of the name.

Chinese girl names often use ideograms that mean beauty, flowers, purity, and the like. Chinese boy names use ideograms that mean bravery, power and courage.

As well as those of Ainu tribe, the Chinese of the past believed that ugly and frightening names could ward off evil spirits. Some strange names are Gou Sheng which means leftover dog food and Te Dan which means iron egg.

It is not so common to change names after marriage, some people usually like to mix up the names. For the Chinese, names are important and keep the origin of their families.

Main Chinese Names

Writing an article about Chinese names can be quite complicated, I get totally lost in deciding what names and what categories of names to put. I have selected the most popular ones below:

Today's Top Chinese Names

According to the most recent table, the most popular Chinese names placed on babies are:

MaleFeminine
Magnolia一诺 (Yīnuò): 24,820
宇轩 (Yǔxuān):14,479依诺 (Yīnuò): 19426
浩宇 (Hàoyǔ): 14,104欣怡 (Xīnyí): 17,623
亦辰 (Yìchén): 14,034梓涵 (Zǐhán): 14,626
宇辰 (Yǔchén): 13,234语桐 (Yǔtóng): 12,444
子墨 (Zǐmò): 12,534欣妍 (Xīnyán): 12,096
宇航 (Yǔháng): 11,609可欣 (Kěxīn): 12,022
浩然 (Hàorán): 11,557语汐 (Yǔxī): 11,969
梓豪 (Zǐháo): 10,895雨桐 (Yǔtóng): 11,637
亦宸 (Yìchén): 10,844梦瑶 (Mèngyáo): 11,128

Other common Chinese names are:

  • Fang means Fragrance, virtue;
  • Jing means peaceful or tranquil;
  • Lei means heap of stones, great, thunderous;
  • Li means handsome or strength;
  • Min means Fast or Smart;
  • Qiang means Strong, better;
  • Tao means big wave or peach;
  • Wei means Big;
  • Yan means Beautiful, swallow bird;
  • Xiuying means brave and beautiful;

cute chinese names

Below is a list of Chinese names that are considered cute:

  • Ah Kum means good as gold (feminine);
  • Chonglin means second brother and unicorn (male);
  • Fengge means Phoenix (male) pavilion;
  • Hong means swan or wild (masculine);
  • Jaw-Long means like a dragon (male);
  • Lian means the graceful (feminine) willow;
  • Mingxia means bright clouds of dawn (feminine);
  • Nuwa means goddess or mother (female);
  • Shoi-Ming means sunny life (masculine);
  • Suyin means sound or unadorned (feminine);
It is worth noting that usually Chinese names can have one or more meanings, because their writing in ideograms is different. 

Chinese male names

Below is a complete list of Chinese Male Names with their meanings:

Chinese nameMeaning
AmenCertainly
Bosephgood, valuable
Changprosperous
Floorovercome
Chentreasure
ChengConcluded
Cheng-GongSuccess
CheungHappiness
ChongAbundance
ChuThe stone base of a column
Congintelligent
cong minSmart
Deshigold
Deweivery noble
dishman of virtue
Dongthe east
EnlaiValuation
FanStart
dolighting
Fengtop
gainAdmirable
Ganginflexible
Guocountry
Haiheap of dough
HaoThe
Hengpermanent, constant
Huhspirit
JianWelfare
JiangRio
Jingjingperfect essence
JongBrilliant
Jugiant
JunSalary
KangWelfare
Kuanworry free
KuenThe first
Kuengthe universe
Kunexperienced in advice
Li-WeiBeautiful rose
LiangGreat
LokJoyful.
LongDragon.
LuanRevolt
mailpronounced beautiful my-lee
MaoFlourishing
MengSavage, energetic
MingBright moon
MuAdmired
nonePacific
OnPeace
Peiabundant
Piaopretty
PingKroos
Qilighting
Qiangsomeone who has the strength
Qiaobeautiful, beautiful
ShanGod is with us
Shenspirit
ShengTriumph
Syaoranlittle wolf
Taisomeone from thailand
Tai-YangSun
Viellaartistically and shy
Weivaluable – brilliant
Wenculture, literacy
WingHigh honor.
WuCourage
XuBrilliant rising sun
Yan-Taopretty
YangThe male principle of the universe
Vocêsomeone who kindly
ZhenExpensive
Zhiwisdom, healing
ZhongHalf
ZhuVertical
ZhuangStrong
ZiIncrease in the number of
Chinese female and male names and their meanings

The article is still halfway through, but we recommend also reading:

Chinese female names

Chinese nameMeaning
Ah-Kumtreasure
AnGraceful, sweet and bitter, sad
anchiincredible peace, angel
goodlook pretty / pretty
ChowSummer
ChyouAutumn.
Daiyujade black color
I wentsomeone who is rich
GenjiGold
HuanWith joy
Huangbrillant
HuiSun light
HuoFire
JiHappiness
Jiagood and beautiful
Jia-Ligood and beautiful
Jialigood, beautiful
Jiang-Lia beautiful river
Jiaonice and smooth
Jierise above the rest
JingCapital
Kuan-YinGod's Mercy Buddhist
readHappiness
Youlion
readbeautiful / powerful
Li-FenBeautiful
Li-Huapearl flower
Li-Mingbeautiful and bright
Li-NaWho has beauty and grace
Li-Yurainy day
LianThe youth, dedicated to Jupiter
Lienfree man who was not of noble
Limingsmart and brilliant
LingDawn
LiuFlow
sandBeautiful snow
Lu-Chupearl green
Mayleenbeautiful
MeeSausage
MeiThe
Mei-Fenplums
Mei-Lanbeautiful orchids
Mei Xiubeautiful
Meilingbeautiful and fine
Ming-Meithin and handsome
Ming-YueBright moon
Mingmeismart, beautiful
Mu-Lanmagnolia
MulanOrchid wood
Niu -> CowGirl
Rongadvice
Seyounglight up the world
Sharpaysand skin
Shuangbright, clear
ShuiWater
TaoPeach, Long Life
Teegangood, beautiful
TingSomeone who is fine and elegant
Ushiboi
WanEnrollment
Xi-WangHope
Xiasunrise glow
Xiangfragrant
Xiaoearly in the morning
Xiao-ChenMorning
XiaraSunrise glow
Xinga star
Xingtwo stars
Xiubeautiful, elegant
Xiu-JuanElegant
Xiu-Meibeautiful plum
Xuefragrant snow
Xue-Fangperfumed snow
Xunquick, sudden
Yanswallow (bird)
Yeinsoft type
YiHappy, shiny like a pearl
Yi MinSmart
This word remains unmodified.Pure, beautiful Jade
Yu-Jiepure, beautiful
Yuanround.
Yue-Yancheerful and beautiful

unisex chinese names

Below we have a list of Chinese names with their meanings, but that can be used by men and women, unisex Chinese names:

  • An means peace;
  • Bao means treasure, jewel;
  • Bo means wavy;
  • Chen means break of the day;
  • Chun means born in spring;
  • Guang means glorious;
  • Heng means eternal;
  • Huan means happiness;
  • Hui means intelligent;
  • Jiang means river;
  • Liu means willow;
  • Ming means enlightening;
  • Ping means peaceful, stable;
  • Chi means autumn;
  • Shan means moderate;
  • Shi means true;
  • Xiang means fragrant or circling in the air (like a bird);
  • Xiaosheng means little birth;
  • Xue means snow or scholar;
  • Yanlin means swallow forest or Beijing forest;

Videos about Chinese Names

If you want to delve deeper into Chinese names and their meanings, here are some videos in different languages that explain details about how some names work and what they mean:

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