Chinese names balance sound, meaning, and visual elegance. Most have a one-character surname followed by a one- or two-character given name. This guide focuses on Traditional Chinese usage common in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and many overseas communities, with a large bank of girl names in Traditional Chinese with pinyin immediately after and concise meaning notes.
How Chinese Names Work (Essentials)
- Order: Surname first, given name after. Example: 陳怡君 Chén Yíjūn.
- Length: One- or two-character given names (two is most common).
- Meaning: Each character carries meaning; together they create a small poem.
- Sound: Tones and rhythm matter; many families prefer smooth, bright syllables.
- Script: Use Traditional characters for Taiwan/HK/overseas contexts.
- Romanization: Modern documents often use Hanyu Pinyin (e.g., Chen Yijun).
Common Surnames That Pair Well With Girl Names
陳 Chén, 林 Lín, 黃 Huáng, 張 Zhāng, 李 Lǐ, 王 Wáng, 吳 Wú, 劉 Liú, 楊 Yáng, 蔡 Cài, 許 Xǔ, 鄭 Zhèng, 謝 Xiè, 郭 Guō, 邱 Qiū, 曾 Zēng, 洪 Hóng, 吳 Wú, 吳 Wú（重複常見）, 吳/邱/蔡等皆常見
Tip: Check the melody of surname + given name; mix rising and level tones for easier everyday use.
Evergreen Feminine Name Elements (High-Frequency Characters)
- Grace & character: 雅 Yǎ (elegant), 靜 Jìng (quiet), 淑 Shū (virtuous), 俐 Lì (nimble), 敏 Mǐn (quick, bright)
- Beauty & brightness: 美 Měi (beauty), 艷 Yàn (brilliant), 采 Cǎi (colorful), 采䔥 variants rare, 曦 Xī (sunshine), 晴 Qíng (clear)
- Nature & flowers: 蓉 Róng (lotus), 芸 Yún (herb/aroma), 芸芸 common, 芬 Fēn (fragrant), 苓 Líng (mushroom/dainty), 茹 Rú (tender), 櫻 Yīng (cherry), 柳 Liǔ (willow), 竹 Zhú (bamboo)
- Gems & light: 瑩/熒 Yíng (luster), 瑤 Yáo (precious jade), 琳 Lín (beautiful jade), 瑜 Yú (fine jade), 采瑤 variants, 晶 Jīng (sparkling)
- Talent & learning: 書 Shū (books), 文 Wén (letters), 慧 Huì (intelligent), 睿 Ruì (wise), 芷 Zhǐ (angelica; refined)
- Freshness & vitality: 琪 Qí (fine jade), 霙/霏 rare, 霈 Pèi (abundant rain), 霏 Fēi (light rain), 沛 Pèi (abundant), 涵 Hán (contain; cultured)
One-Character Given Names (Clean And Classic)
婷 Tíng “graceful stance”; 妍 Yán “beautiful”; 倩 Qiàn “pretty”; 媛 Yuàn “elegant lady”; 婉 Wǎn “gentle”; 玥 Yuè “sacred pearl”; 珊 Shān “coral”; 瑜 Yú “fine jade”; 瑩 Yíng “shimmering”; 芷 Zhǐ “refined herb”; 蓉 Róng “lotus”; 櫻 Yīng “cherry”; 雯 Wén “cloud patterns”; 曦 Xī “sunshine”; 凝 Níng “to congeal; serene”
Popular Two-Character Patterns (Natural In Taiwanese Usage)
- X + 妍/婷/嫻: 怡婷 Yítíng, 采妍 Cǎiyán, 雅嫻 Yǎxián
- X + 儀/宜/怡: 淑怡 Shūyí, 芳儀 Fāngyí, 曉怡 Xiǎoyí
- X + 萱/蓉/菁: 子萱 Zǐxuān, 雅蓉 Yǎróng, 曉菁 Xiǎojīng
- X + 媛/婉/柔: 雅媛 Yǎyuán, 曼婉 Mànwǎn, 思柔 Sīróu
- Jade/Light line: 琳瑜 Línyú, 瑤瑩 Yáoyíng, 晶瑩 Jīngyíng
- Virtue/Talent line: 慧君 Huìjūn, 睿涵 Ruìhán, 文馨 Wénxīn
140+ Popular Girl Names (Traditional → pinyin → concise meaning)
Meanings are compact, interpretive glosses; many characters carry rich cultural senses.
- 怡婷 Yítíng — harmonious + graceful
- 怡君 Yíjūn — harmonious + refined leaderly poise
- 怡蓉 Yíróng — harmonious + lotus
- 怡萱 Yíxuān — harmonious + daylily (forget-worries flower)
- 怡霈 Yípèi — harmonious + abundant blessing rain
- 以晴 Yǐqíng — by/with + clear sky
- 以萱 Yǐxuān — by/with + daylily
- 以涵 Yǐhán — by/with + cultured grace
- 以珊 Yǐshān — by/with + coral
- 以瑄 Yǐxuān — by/with + beautiful jade tablet
- 采妍 Cǎiyán — colorful + beautiful
- 采穎 Cǎiyǐng — colorful + clever
- 采瑩 Cǎiyíng — colorful + shimmering
- 采婷 Cǎitíng — colorful + graceful
- 芮欣 Ruìxīn — delicate bud + delighted
- 芮涵 Ruìhán — delicate bud + cultured
- 芮晴 Ruìqíng — delicate bud + clear
- 芮萱 Ruìxuān — delicate bud + daylily
- 芮安 Ruì’ān — delicate bud + peace
- 芷萱 Zhǐxuān — refined herb + daylily
- 芷晴 Zhǐqíng — refined + clear
- 芷嫻 Zhǐxián — refined + composed
- 芷瑜 Zhǐyú — refined + fine jade
- 芷妍 Zhǐyán — refined + beautiful
- 芸欣 Yúnxīn — aromatic herb + delighted
- 芸萱 Yúnxuān — aromatic herb + daylily
- 芸蓉 Yúnróng — aromatic herb + lotus
- 芸綺 Yúnqǐ — aromatic + ornate
- 芸瑄 Yúnxuān — aromatic + jade tablet
- 若晴 Ruòqíng — as if + clear
- 若萱 Ruòxuān — as if + daylily
- 若彤 Ruòtóng — as if + rosy
- 若菱 Ruòlíng — as if + water caltrop (poetic)
- 若瑜 Ruòyú — as if + fine jade
- 思妍 Sīyán — think + beautiful
- 思蓉 Sīróng — think + lotus
- 思柔 Sīróu — think + gentle
- 思瑩 Sīyíng — think + shimmering
- 思涵 Sīhán — think + cultured
- 曉彤 Xiǎotóng — dawn + rosy
- 曉雯 Xiǎowén — dawn + cloud patterns
- 曉瑜 Xiǎoyú — dawn + fine jade
- 曉琳 Xiǎolín — dawn + beautiful jade
- 曉嫣 Xiǎoyān — dawn + charming
- 曦文 Xīwén — sunshine + letters
- 曦瑤 Xīyáo — sunshine + precious jade
- 曦妍 Xīyán — sunshine + beautiful
- 曦婷 Xītíng — sunshine + graceful
- 曦恩 Xī’ēn — sunshine + grace
- 靜怡 Jìngyí — quiet + harmonious
- 靜妍 Jìngyán — quiet + beautiful
- 靜芬 Jìngfēn — quiet + fragrant
- 靜萱 Jìngxuān — quiet + daylily
- 靜慧 Jìnghuì — quiet + intelligent
- 雅筑 Yǎzhú — elegant + build/home
- 雅涵 Yǎhán — elegant + cultured
- 雅雯 Yǎwén — elegant + cloud patterns
- 雅文 Yǎwén — elegant + letters
- 雅媛 Yǎyuán — elegant + graceful lady
- 婉柔 Wǎnróu — gentle + soft
- 婉君 Wǎnjūn — gentle + lady
- 婉清 Wǎnqīng — gentle + clear
- 婉蓉 Wǎnróng — gentle + lotus
- 婉瑩 Wǎnyíng — gentle + shimmering
- 沛文 Pèiwén — abundant + letters
- 沛珊 Pèishān — abundant + coral
- 沛瑜 Pèiyú — abundant + fine jade
- 沛霈 Pèipèi — abundant + abundant rain (blessings)
- 沛瑄 Pèixuān — abundant + jade tablet
- 凱琳 Kǎilín — victory + beautiful jade
- 凱妍 Kǎiyán — victory + beautiful
- 凱嫚 Kǎimàn — victory + graceful/slow-flowing
- 凱婷 Kǎitíng — victory + graceful
- 凱萱 Kǎixuān — victory + daylily
- 俐淨 Lìjìng — nimble + clean/clear
- 俐蓉 Lìróng — nimble + lotus
- 俐妍 Lìyán — nimble + beautiful
- 俐婷 Lìtíng — nimble + graceful
- 俐欣 Lìxīn — nimble + delighted
- 欣妍 Xīnyán — delighted + beautiful
- 欣怡 Xīnyí — delighted + harmonious
- 欣芸 Xīnyún — delighted + aromatic herb
- 欣瑤 Xīnyáo — delighted + precious jade
- 欣萱 Xīnxuān — delighted + daylily
- 若曦 Ruòxī — as if + sunshine
- 凝曦 Níngxī — serene + sunshine
- 凝芳 Níngfāng — serene + fragrant
- 凝萱 Níngxuān — serene + daylily
- 凝雪 Níngxuě — serene + snow
- 曼蓉 Mànróng — graceful/flowing + lotus
- 曼妍 Mànyán — graceful + beautiful
- 曼青 Mànqīng — graceful + fresh/blue-green
- 曼柔 Mànróu — graceful + gentle
- 曼寧 Mànníng — graceful + tranquil
- 柔安 Róu’ān — gentle + peace
- 柔妍 Róuyán — gentle + beautiful
- 柔萱 Róuxuān — gentle + daylily
- 柔瑩 Róuyíng — gentle + shimmering
- 柔慧 Róuhuì — gentle + intelligent
- 曦晴 Xīqíng — sunshine + clear
- 晴萱 Qíngxuān — clear + daylily
- 晴嫣 Qíngyān — clear + charming
- 晴妍 Qíngyán — clear + beautiful
- 晴柔 Qíngróu — clear + gentle
- 芳儀 Fāngyí — fragrant + proper bearing
- 芳華 Fānghuá — fragrant + bloom
- 芳萍 Fāngpíng — fragrant + duckweed (poetic)
- 芳琪 Fāngqí — fragrant + fine jade
- 芳瑜 Fāngyú — fragrant + fine jade
- 書瑤 Shūyáo — books + precious jade
- 書穎 Shūyǐng — books + clever
- 書琴 Shūqín — books + zither
- 書妍 Shūyán — books + beautiful
- 書芸 Shūyún — books + aromatic herb
- 文馨 Wénxīn — letters + fragrant heart
- 文綺 Wénqǐ — letters + ornate brocade
- 文嫣 Wényān — letters + charming
- 文萱 Wénxuān — letters + daylily
- 文琦 Wénqí — letters + fine jade
- 慧婕 Huìjié — intelligent + graceful lady
- 慧君 Huìjūn — intelligent + refined conduct
- 慧盈 Huìyíng — intelligent + full/abundant
- 慧心 Huìxīn — intelligent + heart
- 慧珊 Huìshān — intelligent + coral
- 睿涵 Ruìhán — wise + cultured
- 睿婕 Ruìjié — wise + graceful lady
- 睿晴 Ruìqíng — wise + clear
- 睿萱 Ruìxuān — wise + daylily
- 睿瑄 Ruìxuān — wise + jade tablet
- 瑜珂 Yúkē — fine jade + carved jewel
- 瑜瑄 Yúxuān — fine jade + jade tablet
- 瑜妍 Yúyán — fine jade + beautiful
- 瑜婷 Yútíng — fine jade + graceful
- 瑜涵 Yúhán — fine jade + cultured
- 琳瑜 Línyú — beautiful jade + fine jade
- 琳瑤 Lín yáo — beautiful jade + precious jade
- 琳萱 Lín xuān — beautiful jade + daylily
- 琳妍 Lín yán — beautiful jade + beautiful
- 琳晴 Lín qíng — beautiful jade + clear
- 瑩萱 Yíngxuān — shimmering + daylily
- 瑩妍 Yíngyán — shimmering + beautiful
- 瑩潔 Yíngjié — shimmering + clean
- 瑩晴 Yíngqíng — shimmering + clear
- 瑩涵 Yínghán — shimmering + cultured
- 玥婷 Yuètíng — sacred pearl + graceful
- 玥妍 Yuèyán — sacred pearl + beautiful
- 玥蓉 Yuèróng — sacred pearl + lotus
- 玥萱 Yuèxuān — sacred pearl + daylily
- 玥瑄 Yuèxuān — sacred pearl + jade tablet
- 雯婷 Wéntíng — cloud patterns + graceful
- 雯妍 Wényán — cloud patterns + beautiful
- 雯蓉 Wénróng — cloud patterns + lotus
- 雯萱 Wénxuān — cloud patterns + daylily
- 雯瑩 Wényíng — cloud patterns + shimmering
- 蓉嫻 Róngxián — lotus + composed
- 蓉妍 Róngyán — lotus + beautiful
- 蓉怡 Róngyí — lotus + harmonious
- 蓉晴 Róngqíng — lotus + clear
- 蓉瑄 Róngxuān — lotus + jade tablet
- 櫻綺 Yīngqǐ — cherry + ornate
- 櫻婷 Yīngtíng — cherry + graceful
- 櫻妍 Yīngyán — cherry + beautiful
- 櫻瑜 Yīngyú — cherry + fine jade
- 櫻函 Yīnghán — cherry + letter/seal (cultured)
Theme-Based Name Ideas (Build Your Own)
- Light & clarity: 曦 Xī, 晴 Qíng, 晶 Jīng, 瑩 Yíng
- 曦晴 Xīqíng, 晶瑩 Jīngyíng, 曦妍 Xīyán
- 曦晴 Xīqíng, 晶瑩 Jīngyíng, 曦妍 Xīyán
- Flowers & grace: 萱 Xuān, 蓉 Róng, 櫻 Yīng, 芷 Zhǐ
- 芷蓉 Zhǐróng, 萱妍 Xuānyán, 櫻涵 Yīnghán
- 芷蓉 Zhǐróng, 萱妍 Xuānyán, 櫻涵 Yīnghán
- Jade & elegance: 瑜 Yú, 瑤 Yáo, 琳 Lín, 玥 Yuè
- 瑜婕 Yújié, 瑤嫻 Yáoxián, 琳怡 Línyí, 玥晴 Yuèqíng
- 瑜婕 Yújié, 瑤嫻 Yáoxián, 琳怡 Línyí, 玥晴 Yuèqíng
- Poise & learning: 文 Wén, 書 Shū, 慧 Huì, 睿 Ruì
- 文馨 Wénxīn, 書妍 Shūyán, 慧涵 Huìhán, 睿婕 Ruìjié
- 文馨 Wénxīn, 書妍 Shūyán, 慧涵 Huìhán, 睿婕 Ruìjié
Nicknames, Courtesy Names, And Everyday Calling
- Nicknames (小名): 小妍 Xiǎo-Yán, 小蓉 Xiǎo-Róng, 阿婷 Ā-Tíng.
- Formal address: 陳小姐 Chén xiǎojiě “Ms. Chen” in professional contexts.
- Family use vs. documents: Nickname at home; full name at school, work, and on forms.
Writing & Tone Flow Checks
- Avoid tongue-twisters: consecutive third tones can sound heavy; mix tones for flow.
- Homophone watch: pair characters to avoid unintended meanings with the surname.
- Character practicality: choose clear, common forms for easier registration and digital input.
Romanization Notes (Quick)
- Surnames often follow legacy uppercase on documents: CHEN, LIN, HUANG.
- Given names on passports usually drop tone marks (e.g., Yiting), but keep tones in study notes (Yítíng).
Mini Dialogues (Copy-Ready)
A：想找一個帶「光」感的女生名字。
A: xiǎng zhǎo yí ge dài “guāng” gǎn de nǚ shēng míng zì
Looking for a girl’s name with a “light” feeling
B：可以試「曦妍」「瑩晴」，一個溫暖、一個清亮。
B: kě yǐ shì “Xīyán” “Yíngqíng”, yí ge wēn nuǎn, yí ge qīng liàng
Try “Xīyán” (warm) or “Yíngqíng” (clear-bright).
A：想用花卉意象，但不要太常見。
A: xiǎng yòng huā huì yì xiàng, dàn bú yào tài cháng jiàn
Want a floral image that isn’t too common
B：「芷嫻」「芸蓉」都氣質很好。
B: “Zhǐxián” “Yúnróng” dōu qì zhí hěn hǎo
“Zhǐxián” and “Yúnróng” both have refined vibes.
Quick Reference: Feminine Character Meanings
婷 tíng “graceful”; 妍 yán “beautiful”; 媛 yuàn “elegant lady”; 婉 wǎn “gentle”; 柔 róu “soft”; 嫣 yān “charming/rosy”; 雅 yǎ “elegant”; 靜 jìng “quiet”; 慧 huì “intelligent”; 睿 ruì “wise”; 芷 zhǐ “refined herb”; 蓉 róng “lotus”; 萱 xuān “daylily”; 櫻 yīng “cherry”; 雯 wén “streaked clouds”; 玥 yuè “sacred pearl”; 瑩 yíng “shimmering”; 瑤 yáo “precious jade”; 琳 lín “beautiful jade”; 瑜 yú “fine jade”; 晴 qíng “clear”; 曦 xī “sunshine”; 涵 hán “cultured, to contain”
Five-Minute Practice Plan
- Read five names aloud with tones: 怡婷 Yítíng、芷萱 Zhǐxuān、文馨 Wénxīn、玥妍 Yuèyán、曦晴 Xīqíng.
- Build two names from a theme (light/flowers/jade/virtue) and write a one-line meaning for each.
- Record a 20-second intro: surname + given name + meaning gloss (e.g., “陳曦妍：sunshine + beauty”).
- Prepare a form-ready line: 「姓名：林雅雯；羅馬拼音：Lin Yawen」。
Yak-Style Closing Spark
A good girl’s name in Traditional Chinese blends light, grace, and steadiness. Choose one bright character (曦/晴/瑩), one elegant character (雅/婷/嫻), or a touch of jade (玥/瑤/瑜), and the result reads like a clear morning with a little sparkle—easy to say, lovely to write, and timeless on every page.