What is my Korean name?
Enter your name and birthday, pick the feeling you want your name to carry, and get a complete Korean name — a real surname from the 2015 census and a two-syllable given name with its Hanja meaning, written in Hangul. Every result links to the surname’s own page so you can see its history.
How your Korean name is chosen
A Korean name is a one-syllable surname followed by a two-syllable given name. The generator picks your surname from the 40 most common Korean family names, weighted by your name and birthday so the result is stable — the same inputs always give the same name. The given name comes from a curated pool of real Korean names, each with its Hangul and the meaning of its Hanja, sorted by theme (nature, virtue, light and sky, fortune) and by masculine, feminine or unisex style. “Try another” reshuffles within your theme.
Are these real Korean names?
Yes. Every given name in the pool is one Koreans actually use: Ha-eun, Seo-yeon, Ji-woo, Min-jun, Do-yun and Ye-jun have all ranked in the top ten baby names in South Korea in the past decade, and the rest are established names with standard Hanja. Pure-Korean names without Hanja (Ha-neul “sky”, Byeol “star”, Ba-da “sea”) are marked as such — they became popular from the 1980s and are especially common among younger Koreans.
How Koreans actually choose names
Traditionally, parents choose two Hanja for the given name, balancing meaning, sound and the five-element theory (oheng): a naming specialist looks at the child’s birth date, works out which elements are weak, and recommends characters whose element compensates. One of the two syllables may be a generation name shared with cousins. Most modern parents skip the specialist but still weigh meaning heavily — which is why “wise” (지), “grace” (은), “beautiful” (예) and “talented” (준) appear in so many names. Our guide to how Korean names work goes into the structure in detail.
Understanding your surname
The surname you receive is real and carries a real history. Kim descends from the Silla and Gaya royal houses; Lee from the Joseon royal family; Park from the founder of Silla; Choi from the scholar Choi Chi-won. Click through to the surname’s page to see its Hanja, meaning, clans, population and rank. If you would rather have a rare surname, browse the rare Korean last names list and pair one with a given name from your result.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find my Korean name?
Use the generator above: enter your name and birthday and choose a style and theme. You will receive a real Korean surname and a two-syllable given name with its Hangul and Hanja meaning.
Can I choose my own Korean name?
Yes — many foreigners living in Korea do. Pick a surname you like (or one that sounds like your own — Lee for Leah, Han for Hannah, Min for Minnie), then a given name whose meaning matters to you. Koreans appreciate a name chosen for meaning.
Is my Korean name based on my birthday?
Traditionally Korean names take the birth date into account through the five-element theory. The generator uses your birthday to select the surname and to keep results stable; the meaning theme comes from your own choice.
What is the difference between this and writing my name in Korean?
Writing your name in Korean (에밀리 for Emily) transcribes your existing name. A Korean name (Kim Ha-eun) is a new name built the way Korean names are built. Use the name writer for the first and this page for the second.