In this article, we will learn about the general composition of Korean names and tips for calling them by name. Korean names usually consist of three letters. ( From personal experience, about 1 in 100 people have a 2- letter name ( excluding celebrities) , and about 1 in 99 people have a 4-letter name .)
For example . In Korean Let’s assume the name is Jimin Kim. Kim is the last name, Jimin is the first name. Unlike names in English-speaking countries, the surname is written first, followed by the given name.
About surname
Although there are many different types of surnames in Korea, More than half use “ Kim , ” “ Lee ,” or “ Park . ” Considering that Korea’s population is 50 million, if you look at the table below , you can see that almost half of them use the surnames Kim, Lee , and Park.
Let’s look at the real names of BTS members. You can see how many Kims there are.
- RM – Kim Namjoon
- Jin – Kim Seokjin
- Suga – Min Yoongi
- J-Hope – Jung Hoseok
- Jimin – Park Jimin
- V – Kim Taehyung
- Jungkook – Jeon Jungkook
About name
The name is Two-character names are mainly used, but only One-character names are sometimes used. ( For example , 구원(Koo won)from the K- drama Kingderland. 구원 actually means salvation in Korean. ) Since it is a country under the influence of Korean Chinese characters, the letters are written in Korean, but the meaning is often interpreted in Chinese characters. Recently, names composed entirely of Korean characters are often used. In the case of the BTS member’s name, Namjoon, Seokjin etc. are all made up of names with Chinese character meanings .
Naming culture
The name can be named in many ways, but usually: In most cases, it is often built by grandfather. I asked people around me who gave you the name, most people will say their grandfather. Whatever the monk at the temple makes , Only the name is professional ( including a good meaning ) You get a name from a place called “ Jakmyeongso ” . I also build it. ( My children also made their names at the naming center. ㅎㅎㅎ)
How to call the name
When you call someone by name in Korea, you don’t just call them by name. If your name is “Jimin,” you add “ah” and call it “Jimin-ah” Depending on the pronunciation, “ya” is sometimes added to after name.
And, characteristically, people in the Gyeongsang Province of Korea have a way of calling names, which involves calling only the last letter. This can be between family members or between lovers who are very dear. (Never use this when meeting for the first time or when addressing a formal name)
For example, in the case of “Jimin,” if I were Jimin’s father, I could call him “Min-ah~”. Calling it this way can be a very endearing nickname and can make you feel friendly. If you have a Korean person you love, be sure to call them that. That person will definitely be surprised.