Overview
In Korean culture, babies get two names (or one name with two syllables) at birth.
The first one is usually the generational name syllable shared by siblings or everyone in the same generation of one extended family. Although it’s the same for all the siblings, this generational name is different from the surname.
The second name is often the one chosen by the parents.
For example, in a family whose father is surnamed Lee, all the kids will use the surname Lee. Plus, they also get a special generational name syllable that all of them have to share.
So, if the generational name syllable is Yu, then three kids named Min, Yeong, and Cheol will have these full names: Lee Yu-min, Lee Yu-yeong, and Lee Yu-cheol.
Note that surnames are written first instead of the given names.
If you’re looking for Korean girl names, you can pick from our 100 top choices for beautiful names for your baby girl below:
Popular Korean Baby Names for Girls
Korean names are usually based on nature, spirituality, and nice virtues or morals.
Many of these names have similar spellings or sounds but could mean entirely different things, depending on how they are written in hanja (a Korean writing system based on Chinese characters).
The following are 100 popular Korean baby girl names and their meanings:
A-yeong
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Graceful and refined
- Variations/Synonyms: A-yong, Ah-young, and A-young
- Description: It’s a combination of “a” (elegant, graceful, refined, and beautiful) and “yeong” (petal and flower).
- This name is typically used only for baby girls.
Ae-cha
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Loving daughter
- Variations/Synonyms: Aecha or Ae Cha
- Description: It’s from the combination of “ae” (love) and “cha” (daughter).
Aera
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Love
- Variations/Synonyms: Ae Ra and Ae-ra
- Description: It’s a primarily feminine Korean name.
Ah-reum
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Beauty
- Variations/Synonyms: Areum
- Description: It’s written in one hanja “areum” (beauty).
- This name is only used for baby girls.
Bae
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Inspiration
- Variations/Synonyms: Pae
- Description: It can also mean “baby” (used as endearment) and can be a unisex name.
What Is A Unique Girl Name? Baram
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Wind, desire, expectation, and hope
- Variations/Synonyms: Ba-ram
- Description: It can also be written in a hanja that means “wind or breeze.”
Bitna
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: To shine
- Variations/Synonyms: Bit-na and Bin-na
- Description: It’s from the hangul (native Korean alphabet), “binnada” (to shine).
Bom
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Spring
- Variations/Synonyms: Pom and Bo-da
- Description: It’s from the Korean term “bom” (spring) and can also be used for baby boys.
Bon-hwa
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Glorious
- Variations/Synonyms: Bonhwa
- Description: It can also mean “utmost glory.”
Bong-cha
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Ultimate girl
- Variations/Synonyms: Bong and Bongcha
- Description: It’s a primarily female name.
Bora
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Purple
- Variations/Synonyms: Pora
- Description: It comes from one hangul, “bora” (purple).
Byeol
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Star or spring
- Variations/Synonyms: Byul and Byol
- Description: It can also mean “beautiful” or “truth and goodness.”
Chan-mi
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Praise or beautiful
- Variations/Synonyms: Chanmi
- Description: It’s from the combination of “chan” (praise) and “mi” (beautiful).
- It’s a primarily feminine given name.
Chin-sun
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Truth and goodness
- Variations/Synonyms: Chinsun
- Description: The name can also be interpreted as “precious goodness.”
Cho
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Beautiful
- Variations/Synonyms: Jo
- Description: It’s from “cho” (beautiful) in Korean, but the name also means “butterfly” in Japanese.
Cho-hee
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Beautiful joy
- Variations/Synonyms: Chohee
- Description: It’s a primarily female name in Korea.
Choon-hee
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Spring girl
- Variations/Synonyms: Choonhee
- Description: It can be a good pick for a baby girl born during springtime.
Chun-hee
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Justice and grace
- Variations/Synonyms: Chun-hei
- Description: It’s a unisex name.
What Is A Good Korean Name? Chung-ha
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Righteous girl
- Variations/Synonyms: Cheongha and Chungcha
- Description: It’s considered a primarily feminine name.
Dae
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Greatness
- Variations/Synonyms: Tae, Dai, and Day
- Description: It can also be used as a title or honorific, such as “Dae Jang-geum” (the Great Jang-geum, the title given to Joseon Dynasty’s first female royal physician).
- This name is unisex and usually considered masculine.
Da-som
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Love
- Variations/Synonyms: Sa-rang and Dasom
- Description: It’s an older (but still used) version of “Sa-rang” (love).
- It’s usually used for baby girls but can also be given to boys.
Dei-ji
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Daisy flower
- Variations/Synonyms: Deiji
- Description: This nature-inspired name is popular for baby girls.
Eui
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Righteousness
- Variations/Synonyms: Ewa, Ea, Ei, and Ehawee
- Description: It’s a unisex name.
Eun
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Kindness, beautiful, and money
- Variations/Synonyms: Ehn, Un, En, Unn, and Enn
- Description: It’s from “eun” (kindness, mercy, and charity).
- It also means “beautiful or pretty” and is usually given to baby girls.
Eun-ae
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Grace with love
- Variations/Synonyms: Eunae
- Description: It’s a primarily female name.
Eun-jeong
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Graceful and kind
- Variations/Synonyms: Eun-joong, Eun-jung, Eun-jeong, and Eunjeong
- Description: It’s from “eun” (kindness, mercy, and charity) and “jeong” (pretty and graceful).
- It’s a primarily female given name.
Eun-ji
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Kindness, intellect, and mercy
- Variations/Synonyms: Eunji
- Description: It’s from “eun” (kindness, mercy, and charity) and “ji” (wisdom and intellect).
Eun-joo
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Little flower
- Variations/Synonyms: Eun-ju, Un-ju, and Un-joo
- Description: It can also mean “jewel and pearl.”
- It’s a feminine given name in Korean.
Eun-kyung
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Kindness and respect with grace and honor
- Variations/Synonyms: Un-kyong, Eun-kyeong, and Un-gyong
- Description: It can also mean “silver.”
- This is a unisex name.
Eunji
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Wisdom and kindness
- Variations/Synonyms: Un-ji, Eun-ji, and Unn-ji
- Description: It’s from “eun” (kindness, mercy, and charity) and “ji” (wisdom and intellect).
Ga-eun
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Kind and beautiful
- Variations/Synonyms: Ka-eun, Ka-un, Ga-oon, and Gaeun
- Description: It can also mean nice music.
- It’s also a unisex name.
Gi
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Brave one
- Variations/Synonyms: Ki
- Description: It also means “foundation.”
- It’s considered as a unisex name.
Goo
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Someone to make you complete
- Variations/Synonyms: Gu
- Description: This name can also be written with a hanja that means “independent.”
- It can also be given to baby boys.
Gyeong
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Honor and respect
- Variations/Synonyms: Kyoung, Kyung, and Kyong
- Description: It can also mean “scenery or view,” depending on the hanja used.
- This is a unisex name.
Gyeong-hui
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Respect and honor
- Variations/Synonyms: Gyeonghui and Gyung-hui
- Description: It’s from the combination of “gyeong” (respect and honor) and “hui” “beauty.”
- This is usually considered a female name.
Ha-eun
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Summer and grand
- Variations/Synonyms: Haeun, Ha-un, and Ha-yoon
- Description: It’s popular for baby girls born in summer.
Hae
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Sun or happiness
- Variations/Synonyms: Hye
- Description: It can also mean “sun” or “to be happy,” depending on the hanja used.
- It’s a unisex name.
Hae-won
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Graceful garden
- Variations/Synonyms: Hay-won
- Description: It’s from “hay” (graceful) and “won” (head or garden).
Hana
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: The number one
- Variations/Synonyms: Han-na
- Description: It can also mean “my favorite.”
- It’s usually just used for girls.
Haneul
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Sky or heaven
- Variations/Synonyms: Han-eul
- Description: It can also mean “spread your dreams high like the sky.”
Hee-young
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Joy and prosperity
- Variations/Synonyms: Hee-yong, Hee-yeong, and Hee-yung
- Description: It’s a popular unisex name in Korea.
Hei-ran
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Grace and orchid
- Variations/Synonyms: Hee-ran
- Description: This one’s a given name that’s only given to girls.
Hiah
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Glad or happy
- Variations/Synonyms: Jiah, Heija, Heijab, Hy, and Hia
- Description: This name is used primarily by girls.
Hwa
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Harmony or peace
- Variations/Synonyms: Hua
- Description: It’s a unisex name that can also mean “flower.”
Hwa-young
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Beautiful flower
- Variations/Synonyms: Hwa-yong and Hwa-yeong
- Description: Although “Hwa” is a unisex name, “Hwa-young” is a primarily feminine name.
Hye
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Brilliant woman
- Variations/Synonyms: Hay and Hae
- Description: It comes from “hye” (bright and intelligent).
- It’s often given to girls.
Hye-rin
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Bright and clear water
- Variations/Synonyms: Hyerin, Ai-rin, and Aerin
- Description: It’s from the combination of “hye” (bright and intelligent) and “rin” (luster of jade or clear water).
- This is a unisex name.
Hyeon-jeong
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Virtuous and pure
- Variations/Synonyms: Hyun-jeong, Hyun-jung, and Hyeon-jung
- Description: It comes from the combination of “hyeon” (virtuous, able, and worthy) and “jeong” (courtyard or chaste and loyal).
- The name can also be given to boys.
Hyo
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Filial duty
- Variations/Synonyms: Hyu
- Description: It can also mean “obedience.”
Hyun-a
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Shining and elegant
- Variations/Synonyms: Hyuna, Hyun-ah, and Hyeon-a
- Description: It’s a given name from “hyeon” (shine and glisten) and “a” (refined and elegant).
- It’s also used for baby boys.
Iseul
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: The morning dew or the sky
- Variations/Synonyms: Isseul
- Description: It can also mean “to be happy.”
Jae
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Respect
- Variations/Synonyms: Jai
- Description: It comes from jae” (talent and ability).
- It’s used for both boys and girls.
Jang
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Archer
- Variations/Synonyms: Chang, Jahng, and Zang
- Description: It comes from the hangul “jang” (war or battle).
Jang-mi
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Rose
- Variations/Synonyms: Jiang-mi
- Description: It can also mean “spread” or “stretch,” depending on the hanja used.
- The name is unisex.
Ji
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Wisdom or intellect
- Variations/Synonyms: Jee
- Description: It can also be written with the hanja for “pond.”
Ji-ah
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Wisdom, graceful, and purpose
- Variations/Synonyms: Jiah, Jee-ah, and Chi-ah
- Description: It can also mean “heart, spirit, and soul.”
Ji-woo
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Ambition, purpose, intellect, and universe
- Variations/Synonyms: Jee-woo and Chi-woo
- Description: It can also mean “will,” “comprehend,” and “rain.”
Ji-yoon
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Good luck, purpose, and posterity
- Variations/Synonyms: Jee-yoon, Ji-yun, and Ji-youn
- Description: It’s a unisex name for your baby who might excel in arts and music.
Jia
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Beautiful and good
- Variations/Synonyms: Ji-a
- Description: It can also mean “outstanding.”
Joo
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Red and around
- Variations/Synonyms: Chu, Ju, and Jeo
- Description: It’s a unisex name and can also mean “precious.”
Joo-won
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Silver pearl
- Variations/Synonyms: Jeo-won and Ju-won
- Description: It comes from the combination of “ju” (around) and “won” (beautiful woman).
Joon
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Talented
- Variations/Synonyms: Jeon
- Description: It can also mean “standard.”
- It’s a unisex name.
Kwan
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Strong and powerful girl
- Variations/Synonyms: Kwahn and Kwon
- Description: It’s a unisex name.
Kyong
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Shining and brightness
- Variations/Synonyms: Kyoung, Kyung, Kyeong, and Gyeong
- Description: It’s from “kyong” (brightness).
- It can also be used for boys.
Kyung Mi
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Honored and beauty
- Variations/Synonyms: Kyung-mi, Kyeong-mi, and Kyong-mi
- Description: It’s a sweet name for a baby girl.
Kyung-soon
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Honored, beautiful, and mild
- Variations/Synonyms: Kyeong-soon
- Description: It’s a primarily feminine name in Korea.
Mi Cha
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Beautiful daughter
- Variations/Synonyms: Mee Cha, Mi Chae, and Micha
- Description: It’s from a combination of mi” (gorgeous or beautiful) and “cha” (daughter).
Mi-ok
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Beautiful pearl
- Variations/Synonyms: Mee-ok
- Description: It can also be written in the hanja for “jade.”
- This is usually given to girls.
Mi-sun
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Goodness and beauty
- Variations/Synonyms: Mi-seon and Mee-sun
- Description: It’s from the combination of “mi” (beautiful and gorgeous) and “sun” (goodness).
- This is a feminine name.
Mi-young
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Everlasting beauty
- Variations/Synonyms: Mi-yeong, Mi-yong, Miyeong, and Mi-yung
- Description: It’s usually a given name for a girl.
Min-ji
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Clever and sharp
- Variations/Synonyms: Min-jee
- Description: It’s considered a female name only.
Min-seo
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Clever and calm
- Variations/Synonyms: Min-suh
- Description: It’s from the combination of “min” (quick, clever, and sharp) and “seo” (slowly, composed, calmly, and dignified).
- It can be considered as a unisex name.
Moon
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Smart one
- Variations/Synonyms: Mun
- Description: This name actually means “smart one,” despite having the same spelling as the English moon.
Myeong
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Brilliance
- Variations/Synonyms: Myeong, Myoung, and Myong
- Description: This given name is also a popular surname.
Myung-hee
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Cheerful joy
- Variations/Synonyms: Myeong-hee
- Description: It can also mean “brightness and pleasure.”
- It may also be used for boys.
Nari
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Lily flower
- Variations/Synonyms: Na-ri and Naree
- Description: It’s an indigenous Korean name that means “lily.”
Ok
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Treasured
- Variations/Synonyms: Oak and Ock
- Description: It can also mean “jade.”
Sae
- Origin:
- Meaning: Wonderful
- Variations/Synonyms: Sai
- Description: It can also mean “bird.”
Sae-Rom
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Bamboo
- Variations/Synonyms: Sae-roum and Saerom
- Description: It also means “a person who’s always young and fresh.”
Sang-hee
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Benevolent and pleasant one
- Variations/Synonyms: Seong-hui
- Description: It can also mean “delight.”
Sarang
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Affection and love
- Variations/Synonyms: Sa-rang, Saryang, Salang, Sa-lang, Sar-yang, and Dasom
- Description: It’s an indigenous Korean name that uses only one hangul, “sarang” (love).
Seo
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Like a rock
- Variations/Synonyms: Su
- Description: It can also mean “calm and composed.”
- It’s a unisex name.
Seo-yeon
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Beautiful and graceful
- Variations/Synonyms: Seo-yun
- Description: It’s from “seo” (auspicious or promising) and “yeon” (beautiful and graceful).
Seong
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Complete, accomplish, and succeed
- Variations/Synonyms: Song
- Description: It’s from “seong” (accomplish or succeed).
- It’s a popular name for boys and girls.
Seung
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Victory and excel
- Variations/Synonyms: Sung
- Description: The name can also mean “inherit” or “rise and ascent” when written in other hanja.
Soo
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Water, long life, and excellence
- Variations/Synonyms: Su and Seo
- Description: It can mean “excellence or magnificence,” “water,” and “long life,” depending on the hanja used for writing.
- This primarily feminine name can also mean “to be happy.”
What Is A Beautiful Name In Korean? Soo-ah
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Beautiful, long life, water, and excellence
- Variations/Synonyms: Su-ah, Su-a, and Soo-a
- Description: It comes from the combination of “soo” (water, bank, and excellence) and “ah” (beautiful, elegant, and graceful).
Soo-gook
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Hydrangea flower
- Variations/Synonyms: Seo-guk
- Description: This is a primarily feminine given name in Korea.
Soo-min
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Clever and excellence
- Variations/Synonyms: Su-min, Soomin, Seo-min
- Description: It can also mean “gentle and affable,” depending on the hanja used.
Sook
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Light and pure
- Variations/Synonyms: Suk and Seok
- Description: It’s a primarily gender-neutral Korean name but is usually chosen for baby girls.
Tae-yeon
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Proud, kindhearted, and great
- Variations/Synonyms: Taeyeon, Tae-yun, and Taeyun
- Description: This unisex name can be written in different hanja, including one that means “greatest beauty.”
Wook
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Sunrise
- Variations/Synonyms: Wok, Wuk, and Weok
- Description: It can also mean “one who is always healthy.”
- It’s a gender-neutral name in Korea.
Woong
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Grand and magnificent
- Variations/Synonyms: Ung
- Description: It’s a unisex name that can also mean “hero” and “bear.”
Yeo-na
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: One who has a heart of gold
- Variations/Synonyms: Yu-na
- Description: This name is typically used only for baby girls.
Yeon-Ah
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Better or beauty
- Variations/Synonyms: Yeon-a and Yeonah
- Description: It’s from the combination of Sino-Korean words “yeon” (beautiful or gorgeous) and “ah” (elegant, graceful, and refined).
Yon
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Beautiful lotus blossom
- Variations/Synonyms: Yeon and Yun
- Description: It’s a popular Korean girls’ name from “yon” (lotus blossom).
Yoon-ah
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: The one who is the light of God
- Variations/Synonyms: Yun-ah
- Description: It’s a spiritual name that’s typically picked for Christian baby girls.
Young-mi
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Good-looking, prosperity, and eternal
- Variations/Synonyms: Yung-mi and Youngmi
- Description: You can also write this in hanja that means “beautiful flower petals.”
Yu-jin
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Possess, abundant, and valuable
- Variations/Synonyms: Yoo-jin
- Description: It comes from the combination of Sino-Korean words “yu” (abundant, rich, and plentiful) with “jin” (precious, valuable, rare, and truth).
Yuri
- Origin: Korean
- Meaning: Glass bead or comfortable
- Variations/Synonyms: Yoo-ri, Yu-ri, Yeo-ri, Yeori, and You-ri
- Description: Alternate hanja characters can also give different meanings: “yu” (forgive, pardon, and indulge) and “ri” (gains, advantage, profit, and merit).
