Chinese American names
What are Chinese American names like?
Writer Amy Tan was born in the United States to parents from China. Journalist Connie Chung co-anchored CBS Evening News.
Chinese American families often give two names at once, an English name for school and everyday life, and a Chinese name, frequently placed as a middle name, that keeps a direct line to grandparents and heritage. Some parents pick English names that echo a Chinese name's sound, so the two front one identity.
Where these names rank todayUnited States
Part ofNames of America’s communities · Asian names
Across three placesHong Kong names in Britain and the US →
Alan little rock; handsome; a clean crossover sound common since mid-century
Albert noble and bright, from Germanic Adalbert
Alice noble; a graceful classic across generations
Amy beloved; famously borne by novelist Amy Tan, the quintessential 1980s-2000s ABC name
Andrew manly, brave; a dignified choice across generations of Chinese American families
Angela angelic, messenger; a warm classic since mid-century
Anna grace, favor; a crossover favorite that echoes Chinese 安 (ān, "peace"), common across generations
Arthur possibly Celtic artos "bear" with wiros "man" or rixs "king", the meaning unknown; a classic name carried across generations
Bernard brave as a bear; an early-generation classic carried by many Chinese American men
Betty diminutive of Elizabeth; a beloved earlier-generation name
Brandon from the broom-covered hill (place-name surname); a quintessential 1990s ABC favorite
Brian noble, strong; a common ABC pick since the 1960s
Bruce from a Scottish surname, probably from the town of Brix; forever tied to Bruce Lee, born in San Francisco and given an English name in the era's Chinese American hospital-naming custom
Carol song of joy; a mid-century favorite
Catherine pure; a dignified classic across generations
Christine the French form of Christina; a dignified mid-century classic
Cindy diminutive of Cynthia: moon; a warm, easy-to-pronounce name common in Chinese American families since the 1960s
Clarence clear, bright; a dignified early-20th-century classic
Connie diminutive of Constance: steadfast; famously borne by broadcaster Connie Chung, an iconic mid-century Chinese American name
Constance steadfastness, constancy; carried by actress and writer Constance Wu, a dignified virtue name
Daniel God is my judge; a steady, dignified favorite across every generation of Chinese American families
Derek ruler of the people; a common 1980s-90s ABC pick
Doris gift, from Doris (a region of ancient Greece); classic Chinatown-generation name carried by many early-20th-century Chinese American women, still cherished by elders today
Douglas dark river; a steady classic since mid-century
Edward wealthy guardian; a dignified classic across generations
Edwin wealthy friend; a steady classic presence with a small modern uptick
Ella also used as a short form of Eleanor, Ellen and names ending in -ella
Elsie diminutive of Elizabeth: God is my oath; common among early Chinatown-generation women, gentle and old-fashioned
Emily rival; a hugely popular ABC-generation pick since the 1990s
Eric eternal ruler; a steady ABC favorite since the 1960s-70s
Felix happy, fortunate; a rising modern pick that sounds sharp alongside Chinese surnames
Florence flourishing, blossoming (from the Italian city name); a beloved elder-generation Chinese American name from the mission-school English-naming tradition
Frank from the name of the Franks, the Germanic tribe; in modern use often a short form of Francis or Franklin; a warm classic across generations
Franklin free landholder; a dignified classic often given during the Roosevelt era
Gary spear; a common mid-century ABC-generation pick
Gilbert bright pledge; a classic Chinatown-generation name carried by many early Chinese American men
Gladys traditionally linked to sovereignty; princess; part of the early-20th-century wave of English names taken up by Chinese immigrant families
Grace grace, God's favor; a defining Chinese American virtue name, frequently paired with characters like 恩 or 雅 meaning grace or refinement
Gregory watchful, alert; a dignified mid-century classic
Han vast, expansive (涵); also the name of the majority Chinese ethnic group (汉/漢); used standalone by some Chinese American parents; its overlap with the Western name "Han" gives it easy crossover appeal
Harold army ruler; a dignified mission-school-era name for Chinese American men
Helen light; famously borne by pioneering journalist Helen Zia, a mission-school-era classic among Chinese American women
Herbert bright army; a mission-school-era classic, common among grandfathers in the community
Howard guardian; a steady early-to-mid-century pick
Iris rainbow; the Greek messenger goddess; resonant in the community through writer Iris Chang, with a natural floral, luminous feel
Ivy the ivy plant; a modern ABC favorite prized for its clean, easy sound in both English and Mandarin
Jason healer; a defining 1970s-80s ABC classic
Jennifer fair one, white wave; ubiquitous among 1970s-80s ABC girls
Jeremy God will exalt; famously borne by basketball star Jeremy Lin, a popular 1980s-90s ABC pick
Jessica probably adapted by Shakespeare from Hebrew Iscah, meaning to behold
Jia beautiful, fine; also home, family (佳/家); a soft, two-syllable pinyin name popular for ABC daughters as a standalone US given name
Joyce from the medieval name Josse, ultimately Breton Iudoc, traditionally 'lord'; long associated by sound with the English word joy; a graceful mid-century classic
Julia youthful; a graceful crossover classic favored across generations
Justin just, fair; a hugely popular 1990s ABC pick
Karen Danish short form of Katherine, traditionally associated with "pure"; the original etymology is uncertain; a common mid-century pick
Kenneth born of fire; handsome; a dignified mid-century classic still common today
Kevin handsome, beloved; so common among Chinese American men it has become a cultural touchstone of the ABC generation
Lan orchid (兰/蘭); a pinyin name occasionally chosen as a standalone American given name for its elegant simplicity
Leon lion; a classic-into-modern crossover pick that echoes 良 (liáng, "good, fine")
Linda beautiful; hugely popular for mid-century Chinese American daughters
Lucy light; carried by actress Lucy Liu, a classic-turned-modern crossover, warm and simple to say in any language
Mabel lovable, dear (from Latin Amabel); a mission-school-era Victorian name still found among Chinese American grandmothers, warm and old-fashioned
May the month of May; an iconic Chinese American crossover name (as in Anna May Wong), doubling as a phonetic echo of 美 (měi, "beautiful") or 梅 (méi, "plum")
Maya traditionally linked to Maria; also water in some traditions; famously borne by architect Maya Lin, a modern favorite
Mia a short form of Maria, ultimately from Hebrew Miryam, whose meaning is uncertain; it coincides with Italian mia and Spanish mía, "mine"
Michelle who is like God; carried by Olympic skater Michelle Kwan, beloved across Chinese American families for decades
Milton from the mill town (place-name surname); a dignified early-generation pick, common among Chinatown professionals
Ming bright, brilliant (明); a pinyin name increasingly chosen outright as an American given name
Nelson son of Neil; a steady surname-style presence across generations
Nicole victory of the people; a popular 1980s-90s ABC choice
Ning peaceful, tranquil (宁/寧); a pinyin name increasingly chosen outright as an American given name rather than a middle name
Nora honor (short form of Honora); famously borne by performer Nora Lum, known as Awkwafina, a modern revival pick
Norman man from the north; common among early-to-mid 20th-century Chinese American men
Pearl pearl, the gem; a classic across generations, its warmth echoes 珍珠 (zhēnzhū, "pearl") in Chinese
Peter rock; a dignified biblical classic across generations
Philip lover of horses; a steady classic across generations
Priscilla ancient, venerable; a distinguished older-generation name
Rachel ewe; a steady biblical classic across generations
Raymond wise protector; an enduring classic across generations of Chinese American men
Rebecca to bind, join; a devoted biblical classic
Roger famous spear; a solid mid-century classic
Ronald ruler's counselor; a steady mid-century pick
Rong glory, honor (荣/榮); a pinyin virtue name occasionally given directly as an American first name
Ruby ruby, the red gem; a Chinese American classic enjoying a strong modern ABC revival alongside other gem names
Sherman from the shire, or shear-man (occupational surname); an old-school surname-style choice from the Victorian-name wave
Shu kind, gentle, virtuous (淑); a short pinyin name occasionally chosen as a US given name for its gentle sound
Stanley from the stony field; a steady early-generation classic
Stella star; a graceful older name enjoying a modern ABC revival
Steven crown; a popular pick since the 1970s
Susan lily; a steady mid-century classic
Tiffany manifestation of God (from Theophania); hugely popular with Chinese American families in the 1980s-90s, a defining ABC-generation name
Timothy honoring God; a warm classic since mid-century
Vera faith; an elegant crossover pick echoing sounds like 薇拉 (Wēilā); a steady presence in Chinese American families
Vincent conquering; famously borne by Vincent Chin, whose 1982 killing galvanized the Asian American civil rights movement
Vivian in its Latin history, from the name Vivianus, which comes from vivus, "alive"
Wallace foreigner, Welshman; an early-generation surname-style pick
Walter ruler of the army; a mid-century classic still carried with pride
Warren a surname with several recorded origins, including a word for an animal enclosure, a Norman place name and an English form of the Irish surname Ó Murnáin
Wen culture, refinement, literary elegance (文); increasingly used by Chinese American parents as a child's sole US given name rather than an English name, especially among Bay Area tech-immigrant families
Wendy a literary coinage from Peter Pan; a friendly mid-century pick
Winston from Wine's town (English place-name surname); a hallmark old-school Chinese American name, dignified and distinctly English in feel
Xia summer; rosy dawn clouds (夏/霞); a pinyin name with a bright, seasonal feel, sometimes used as a standalone American first name
Xin heart, or new (心/新); a short pinyin name sometimes used directly as a US given name
Yun cloud (云/雲); a soft, airy pinyin name used as a standalone American first name by some Chinese American parents
Which of these fits YOUR family? →