490 Chinese Baby Names From Ancient Heritage

Rejoice in oriental delight with timeless treasures from the Land of Dragons.

Written by N Pravenchandra Singh, MA Specialty: Literature and RelationshipsExperience: 2 years

Praven is an English literature expert. He did his bachelors in English from Delhi University and masters in English from Manipur University. Besides, he holds a certificate in multimedia design and content creation from NIELIT Imphal and presented papers at various national and international conferences.

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Edited by Vidya Tadapatri, MSc (Biotechnology) Specialty: Health and WellnessExperience: 5 years

Vidya did her post-graduation in Biotechnology from Osmania University, Hyderabad. Her interest in scientific research and writing made her pursue a career in writing, in which she now has over five years of experience. She has done certified biotechnology-related training programs under renowned organizations such as Centre For Cellular & Molecular Biology and Department of Biotechnology.

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Fact-checked by Trisha Chakraborty, MA, BEd Specialty: Child development & educationExperience: 5 years

Trisha worked as a schoolteacher for three years before taking up professional writing in 2021. She completed her masters in English from the University of Calcutta and bachelors in Education from the University of Burdwan.

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Last Updated on Jul 24, 2024

Illustration: MomJunction Design Team

Are you looking for an offbeat baby name for your child? How about exploring some Chinese baby names? Like the years-old Chinese heritage and culture, even Chinese names symbolize virtue, ancient treasures, and serenity. There's an extreme diversity in Chinese names due to the different dynasties, religions like Taoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism, and, of course, Mandarin and Cantonese dialects. Chinese names are mainly made up of a few characters. The family name is the first character, followed by the given name. The characters should combine in such a way that it brings prosperity and good luck to the child, as the meanings of names are very significant to the Chinese people. They believe that a good name brings fame and respect to the bearer and a name with a bad meaning brings a hard life. Traditional Chinese male names connote prosperity, strength, and characteristics parents hope their babies inherit. On the other hand, baby girl names skew towards nature, beauty, and grace. Chinese naming convention follows a different order than the Western tradition. They add their given name after their surname or family name. And women typically do not alter their surnames after marriage (1). The titles often feature one or two characters with deep symbolic meaning and ideal characteristics that Chinese parents highly value, including beauty, intelligence, compassion, and strength. When naming their children, they adhere to this practice. Baby girls are frequently given delicate feminine names with calming overtones to complement their naturally masculine family names. Another historic naming custom in China is the milk name or small name, which is given to the child at birth (2). If you've decided to choose a Chinese name for your child, you've stumbled upon the perfect place. Our post has a rich resource of Chinese baby names with meanings. Have a look!

Name	Gender	Meaning
Kai	Boy	Sea; Keeper of the keys; Shell; Pier; From the sea
Ronin	Boy	Little seal; Masterless samurai; Anaconda
Mac	Boy	Son of; Great; Horse; Border; Guard; Screen; Curtain
Ty	Boy	Rock; Sharp; Silk
Lee	Boy	Clearing; Meadow
Vada	Girl	Famous ruler; Snow-capped; High cliff; Evening; Knowledge
Kye	Boy	Ocean; To rejoice; Triumph; Victory
Kaiya	Girl	Forgiveness; Yew tree; Pure; Elegant
Vayda	Unisex	High cliff; Snow-capped; Promise; Knowledge; Rule; Ruler
Liah	Unisex	Weary; Reason; Beautiful; Power

Elan	Boy	Oak tree; Torch; Light; Beautiful orchid
Zian	Unisex	Adornment; Strength; Life; Holy fairy; First
Zen	Unisex	Absorption; Meditative state
Jin	Boy	Gold; Compassionate
Mei	Girl	Beautiful; Chinese plum
Tai	Unisex	Very; Extreme; Talent; Ability; Tide; Large; Calm; Abandon; Enduring
Dejuan	Boy	Yahweh is gracious; Heart; Ethics; Beautiful
Jinora	Girl	Wisdom; Illuminated; Victory
Lian	Girl	Church; Lotus; Graceful willow tree
Mali	Girl	Jasmine; Industrious; Beloved; Bitter; Of Magdala; High tower; Vigorous; Brave; Ruler; Beautiful horse; The firstborn son; Strong; Queen

Jun	Boy	Pure; Clean; Truth; Talented; Handsome; Ruler; King
Md	Unisex	Nonexistent; Nothing; Ink; Parrot
Masai	Unisex	Expected savior; Deliverer
Juna	Girl	Young person; Born in June
Kirin	Boy	Praiser; Poet; Light beam; One who praises; Sacred creature representing beauty, grace, and knowledge
Cing	Unisex	Blue; Green; Young
Mulani	Boy	Magnolia
Kylin	Girl	Keeper of the keys; Pure; Narrows; Channel; Strait
Aina	Girl	Always; The only one; Grace; Favor; Scene; Sight; Mirror; Difficult birth; Elegant love; Chaste
Tylee	Unisex	Big; Large; Beautiful; Lovely

Jiyan	Unisex	Life; Wisdom; Beautiful
Yan	Boy	God is gracious; Beautiful; Gorgeous; Cliffs; Rocks
Mailyn	Girl	Hawthorn flower; Greater; Jade
Zuko	Unisex	To regain consciousness, ancestor; Red water; Harmony; Glory
Jian	Boy	Build; Establish; Strong
Che	Boy	Hey!; Wagon; Chariot; Guy
Mulan	Unisex	Magnolia
Joon	Boy	King; Monarch; Ruler; Military; Talented; Handsome;
Tian	Unisex	Sweet; Sky; Calm; Quiet; Tranquil; Peaceful; Add; Increase
Lui	Boy	Light; From Lucania; Famous warrior; Thunder

Enna	Girl	Bird; Light; Pasture; Greens; Kindness; Elegance
Zeb	Boy	God has given; Exalted house; Honor; Dwell with; Rock; Stone
Lanah	Girl	Fawn; Orchid; Mountain mist
Raydon	Boy	One who was born to counsel; Sunshine; Protecting hands; Thunder
Xian	Boy	Present; String; First; Elegant; Virtuous; Admire
Lanna	Girl	Mountain mist; Graceful; Elegant; Precious; Awakening
Tae	Boy	Great; Exalted; Superior; Glory; Peaceful; Good; Very; Extreme; Many crystals
Saiyan	Unisex	Swallow; Jewel; Friend; Lover; Companion; Vegetable
Ailan	Unisex	Someone whose star sign is Aries; From Hadria; Noble
Elai	Unisex	Evil; Malevolence; To come; Swallow

Lanai	Girl	Porch; Open-sided veranda; Orchid love
Bong	Boy	Lotus; Ice
Hao	Boy	Vastness of sky; Straightforward; Open minded; Good; Perfect
Khoi	Boy	First; Chief; Leader; Precious; Funny; Strange
Nam	Boy	South
Sy	Boy	Contraction Of St. Denys; One who hears everything; Victory; Hearing; Listening; Summer; Great; Rosy clouds
Yang	Unisex	Sun; Ocean; Light
Mailee	Girl	Apricot; Beautiful dawn; Clearing; Vine
Goku	Boy	Awakened to emptiness
Ami	Boy	Trustworthy; Reliable; Beloved; Second and beautiful; My people; My nation; Flatter and honey; Hunt; Lovable

Shi	Boy	Time; Era; Season; Real; Stone; History; Tranquil
Tao	Unisex	Large waves; The way; Path
Yi	Unisex	Suitable; Harmony; Ceremony; Lustre; To laugh
Yue	Girl	Moon; Blessing; Pearl; Tall mountain; Fertile
Bento	Unisex	Blessed; Blessing; Convenience
Hai	Girl	Living; Sea; Ocean
Chi	Boy	Branch; God; Spiritual being; Will
Feng	Boy	One who is like a phoenix; Maple
Meili	Unisex	Beautiful; Gracious; Kinsman
Meilyn	Unisex	Beautiful; Smooth

Yazlin	Unisex	Asia; Inferior; Forest
Zanya	Unisex	Fairy queen; Help; Support; Elegance
Xiana	Girl	Downy-bearded; Summer; Rosy clouds; Elegant
Zisha	Unisex	Suicide
Daran	Boy	Orchid; Achieve; Great; Oaktree; Arrive at; Intelligent
Chin	Boy	Gold; Metal; Tapestry; Ferry
Fu	Boy	Abundant; Prosperous; Hibiscus; Lotus; Man
Erlin	Unisex	You; That; Those; Beautiful jade; Gem
Hoang	Boy	Expanse of water; Female phoenix; Bright; Yellow
Mak	Boy	Poppy flower

Quan	Boy	Spring; Fountain; Power; Whole; Fine cloth; Army
Yu	Unisex	Jade; Precious stone; Pleasant; The elegant one; To oppose
Zai	Unisex	Control; In charge of; Rule; Govern; Year; Record
Vu	Unisex	Military; Martial
Hong	Boy	Rainbow; Enlarge; Wild Swan; Chicken
Chea	Boy	To be healthy; Thank; Apologize
Haoyu	Boy	Brilliant; Courageous; Ambitious
Kyelle	Girl	A narrow strait of a water
Chung	Boy	Gentle; Virtuous; Chaste; Goblet
Jordell	Boy	Unique thinkers; Beekeepers

Ko	Boy	Holder of the heel; Supplanter; Amber; Tall or high
Kiet	Boy	Honor; Hero
Nishan	Boy	A sign; Remarkable; Marked man; Distinct; Fluttering of flag; Romantic; Coral
Ai	Girl	Love; Affection; Indigo; Friendly
Amoy	Girl	Mansion; Large building
Suan	Unisex	White silk; Quiet; Calm
Bo	Girl	To live; Exist; Reside; Wave
Xuan	Unisex	Yahweh is gracious; Beautiful jade; Deep black; Day lily
Wei	Unisex	Power; Lofty; Great; Rose; Small; Future; Only
Yao	Unisex	Born on Thursday; Jade; Mother of pearl; Friday

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As one of the most populous nations in the world, China has a lot to offer when it comes to beautiful and thoughtful baby names. Shaped by their rich historical culture and philosophies, Chinese baby names are a fine balance of refinement and aspired human attributes combined with their reverence towards their ancestor. These names are coupled with modern influence and are vibrant examples of symbolic meanings, historical traditions, and the contemporary social fabric of Chinese society.

Infographic: Delightful Chinese Baby Names With Meanings

Chinese baby names are symbols of the country’s vibrant culture and long history. They often reflect vital virtues such as power, beauty, and wisdom. Western and traditional naming cultures have been combined in recent years, radiating a special fusion of tradition and modernity in their naming patterns. Go through the infographic below for some highly adored Chinese names for your baby.

classic chinese baby names for your charming baby (infographic)

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Which are some classic Chinese names?

Modern Chinese names have a mono-symbolic surname. It is followed by a given name with two characters. Some classic names are Xiu, meaning elegant, Zihan, meaning child, Shi, meaning honest, and Tao, meaning large waves.

2. Which Chinese names mean beautiful and elegant?

Many sweet names in Chinese imply beauty and elegance. Fang, a girl's name, means beautiful. Mei also means beauty. Xiù means elegant and beautiful. Wan is another short name that implies grace.

3. Which Chinese names mean flower and rose?

Many pretty Chinese names symbolize flowers and roses. Li Mei is a Chinese name that means 'pretty rose.' Hua means 'flower,' while Lan means 'orchid flower. Sai also means 'a friend and a flower.'

4. Which Chinese names mean lucky?

There are not many names that mean lucky in Chinese. Jiayi, pronounced as CHYA-EE, means auspicious.' Wei Qi is a male name in Chinese that means 'very lucky.'

5. Which Chinese names mean love?

Many Chinese names are symbolic of love. For example, Aibing means love, Ài means love and affection, and Mei is another name that means love.

6. Which Chinese names mean moon and star?

Many names in China refer to celestial bodies. The popular Chinese name Yue means moon, Sying means star, and Mei xing means beautiful star. You can use them for little girls.

7. How do Chinese names differ from Western names?

Chinese names are different from Western ones as they start with the family name. It is followed by the given name. The family name consists of one syllable. When deciding the name of a child, you will often find that males of the same generation in a traditional family have the first character of their given names in common (1).

References

MomJunction's articles are written after analyzing the research works of expert authors and institutions. Our references consist of resources established by authorities in their respective fields. You can learn more about the authenticity of the information we present in our editorial policy.

A basic guide to Chinese names.
https://www.asiamediacentre.org.nz/features/explainer-chinese-names/
T. Leo Schmitt; (2019); The Practice of Mainland Chinese Students Adopting English Names and Its Motivations.
https://academicworks.cuny.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=4210&context=gc_etds

Look Up For Many More Names

Do you have a name in mind and want to know more about it? Or want to find names belonging to a particular origin, religion, or having a specific meaning? Use our search tool below to explore more baby names with different combinations.