Chinese Boy Names
Popular Chinese boy names right now
These topped China's newborn name lists around 2019-2020. Popular names feel current to native speakers, but also common.
- yī一nuò诺
One promise, kept
- 一
- one, whole
- 诺
- promise
From the idiom 一诺千金: a promise worth a thousand pieces of gold.
UnisexModern - zǐ子hán涵
A child of inner depth
- 子
- child; master, scholar
- 涵
- to contain; inner depth
Among the most-registered names of the 2010s, for both girls and boys.
UnisexModern - ān安níng宁
Peaceful and tranquil
- 安
- peace, safety
- 宁
- tranquil
UnisexClassic - xīng星chén辰
Stars and celestial bodies
- 星
- star
- 辰
- celestial bodies; time
UnisexModern - hào浩rán然
Vast and upright
- 浩
- vast, mighty
- 然
- natural, so
From Mencius: 浩然之气, the "flood-like" moral energy of an upright person.
BoyLiterary - yǔ宇xuān轩
Lofty, with a broad outlook
- 宇
- universe; eaves
- 轩
- lofty; pavilion
Extremely popular for boys born after 2000.
BoyModern - míng明yuǎn远
Clear-sighted and far-reaching
- 明
- bright, clear
- 远
- far, far-reaching
BoyClassic - bó博wén文
Widely learned and cultured
- 博
- broad, learned
- 文
- culture, writing
BoyClassic - jùn俊jié杰
Talented and outstanding
- 俊
- handsome, talented
- 杰
- outstanding
BoyClassic - ruì睿zé泽
Insightful and generous
- 睿
- insightful
- 泽
- pool; grace, benefit
BoyModern - yī一háng航
A voyage forward, smooth sailing
- 一
- one, whole
- 航
- to sail, voyage
BoyModern - zhì志yuǎn远
Far-reaching ambition
- 志
- aspiration, will
- 远
- far, far-reaching
BoyClassic - jiā嘉shù树
A fine tree; growing up well
- 嘉
- excellent, praiseworthy
- 树
- tree; to cultivate
BoyLiterary - jǐng景xíng行
Admirable conduct
- 景
- scenery; great
- 行
- to walk; conduct
From the Book of Songs: 高山仰止，景行行止 ("high mountains are looked up to, admirable conduct is followed").
BoyLiterary - zhī知yuǎn远
Knowing what lies far ahead
- 知
- to know
- 远
- far, far-reaching
BoyLiterary - chén晨yáng阳
The morning sun
- 晨
- early morning
- 阳
- sun, sunlight
BoyModern - tiān天yòu佑
Blessed by heaven
- 天
- sky, heaven
- 佑
- to protect, to bless
BoyClassic - jiàn建guó国
To build the nation
- 建
- to build
- 国
- country
Very common for boys born around 1949; it signals a specific era.
BoyClassic - zǐ子mò墨
A scholar of ink: bookish and calm
- 子
- child; master, scholar
- 墨
- ink
BoyModern - lì立chéng诚
To build on sincerity
- 立
- to stand, to establish
- 诚
- sincere
From the Book of Changes: 修辞立其诚 ("let your words rest on sincerity").
BoyLiterary - yì逸zhōu舟
An unhurried boat on open water
- 逸
- free, unhurried
- 舟
- boat
BoyLiterary - sī思yuǎn远
Thinking far ahead
- 思
- to think, to miss
- 远
- far, far-reaching
BoyClassic - zé泽yǔ宇
Grace that reaches the whole world
- 泽
- pool; grace, benefit
- 宇
- universe; eaves
BoyModern - hào皓xuān轩
Bright and dignified
- 皓
- bright white, luminous
- 轩
- lofty; pavilion
BoyModern - yì毅chéng诚
Resolute and sincere
- 毅
- resolute
- 诚
- sincere
BoyClassic - míng明lǎng朗
Bright and open-hearted
- 明
- bright, clear
- 朗
- bright, open
BoyClassic - hào浩yǔ宇
Vast as the universe
- 浩
- vast, mighty
- 宇
- universe; eaves
Among the top names for newborns in China around 2019-2020.
BoyModern - yì奕chén辰
Radiant as the stars
- 奕
- radiant, spirited
- 辰
- celestial bodies; time
Among the top names for newborns in China around 2019-2020.
BoyModern - yǔ宇háng航
Sailing the universe
- 宇
- universe; eaves
- 航
- to sail, voyage
Among the top names for newborns in China around 2019-2020.
BoyModern - zǐ梓háo豪
Rooted and bold
- 梓
- catalpa tree; hometown
- 豪
- heroic, bold
Among the top names for newborns in China around 2019-2020.
BoyModern - yǔ宇zé泽
Grace as wide as the world
- 宇
- universe; eaves
- 泽
- pool; grace, benefit
Among the top names for newborns in China around 2019-2020.
BoyModern - zǐ子xuān轩
A dignified young man
- 子
- child; master, scholar
- 轩
- lofty; pavilion
Hugely popular for boys born after 2005.
BoyModern - zhì志qiáng强
Strong will
- 志
- aspiration, will
- 强
- strong
Very common for men born in the 1950s to 1970s.
BoyClassic - jiàn建huá华
To build China
- 建
- to build
- 华
- splendid; blossom
Typical of men born in the 1950s to 1970s.
BoyClassic - guó国qiáng强
A strong nation
- 国
- country
- 强
- strong
Typical of men born in the 1950s to 1970s.
BoyClassic - wén文jié杰
Outstanding in learning
- 文
- culture, writing
- 杰
- outstanding
BoyClassic - zhì志míng明
A clear and bright aim
- 志
- aspiration, will
- 明
- bright, clear
Especially common in Taiwan; the film Love in a Puff made 志明 an everyman name.
BoyClassic - jiā家háo豪
Pride of the family
- 家
- family, home
- 豪
- heroic, bold
Very popular in Hong Kong in the 1980s and 1990s.
BoyClassic - jùn俊hóng宏
Talented and broad-minded
- 俊
- handsome, talented
- 宏
- grand, vast
BoyClassic - zhèn振yǔ宇
To rouse the world
- 振
- to rouse, to invigorate
- 宇
- universe; eaves
BoyClassic - péng鹏chéng程
The flight of the roc: a great future
- 鹏
- roc, a giant mythical bird
- 程
- journey; rule
From the idiom 鹏程万里, "a roc’s journey of ten thousand li".
BoyClassic - tiān天yǔ宇
Sky and universe
- 天
- sky, heaven
- 宇
- universe; eaves
BoyClassic - wén文xuān轩
Cultured and dignified
- 文
- culture, writing
- 轩
- lofty; pavilion
BoyModern - shào少huá华
Splendid youth
- 少
- young
- 华
- splendid; blossom
BoyClassic - zǐ子ān安
A child of peace
- 子
- child; master, scholar
- 安
- peace, safety
BoyModern - chéng承zé泽
Carrying on blessings
- 承
- to carry on, to inherit
- 泽
- pool; grace, benefit
BoyModern - jūn君hào浩
A gentleman of great spirit
- 君
- gentleman; lord
- 浩
- vast, mighty
BoyModern - yún云fān帆
Sails into the clouds
- 云
- cloud
- 帆
- sail
Echoes Li Bai: 直挂云帆济沧海 ("hoist the sail high and cross the vast sea").
BoyModern - zhuó卓rán然
Outstanding and distinct
- 卓
- outstanding
- 然
- natural, so
BoyModern - zǐ子qiān谦
A modest young man
- 子
- child; master, scholar
- 谦
- modest
BoyModern - hóng鸿fēi飞
A soaring wild swan
- 鸿
- wild swan; great
- 飞
- to fly
BoyModern - zhì致yuǎn远
Reaching far through calm
- 致
- to reach, to devote
- 远
- far, far-reaching
From Zhuge Liang: 宁静致远 ("only in tranquility can one go far").
BoyLiterary - xiū修yuǎn远
A long road of self-improvement
- 修
- long; to cultivate
- 远
- far, far-reaching
From Qu Yuan: 路漫漫其修远兮 ("the road ahead is long").
BoyLiterary - huái怀jǐn瑾
Holding fine jade: virtue within
- 怀
- to embrace, to cherish
- 瑾
- fine jade; virtue
From Qu Yuan: 怀瑾握瑜, a symbol of noble character.
BoyLiterary - sī思qí齐
Striving to match the worthy
- 思
- to think, to miss
- 齐
- equal; to keep pace with
From Confucius: 见贤思齐 ("seeing the worthy, strive to equal them").
BoyLiterary - mù慕bái白
Admiring purity (or the poet Li Bai)
- 慕
- to admire
- 白
- white; pure
BoyLiterary - wěi伟
Great
- 伟
- great
张伟 (Zhang Wei) is often cited as one of the most common full names in China.
BoyClassic - qiáng强
Strong
- 强
- strong
A one-character given name, common in the 1970s and 1980s.
BoyClassic - lěi磊
Open and upright
- 磊
- heap of stones; open-hearted
A one-character given name, common in the 1980s.
BoyClassic - jūn军
Army; soldier
- 军
- army
Typical of men born in the 1960s and 1970s.
BoyClassic - péng鹏
The roc, a giant bird of legend
- 鹏
- roc, a giant mythical bird
BoyClassic - tāo涛
Great waves
- 涛
- great waves
BoyClassic
Frequently asked questions
- What is the most popular Chinese boy name?
- In China's newborn name statistics around 2019-2020, 奕辰 (Yìchén), 宇轩 (Yǔxuān), 浩宇 (Hàoyǔ) and 子墨 (Zǐmò) were among the most registered boy names. 张伟 (Zhāng Wěi) is often cited as one of the most common full names in China.
- What makes a Chinese name sound masculine?
- Characters for strength and ambition (强, 伟, 豪, 志), vastness (浩, 宇, 远) and achievement (杰, 鹏, 航) read as masculine. Many characters, such as 安, 明 or 一, are neutral.
- Can I use one of these as my own Chinese name?
- Yes, but add a Chinese family name, and check the era and popularity notes: names like 建国 or 国强 date a person to the 1950s-70s, while 宇轩 sounds like a child born after 2000. Our generator can combine names with surnames for you.
Looking for your own Chinese name?
These are given names. A complete Chinese name also needs a family name, and a name that suits a baby born in China can read differently on an adult from abroad.