Chinese Baby Names
Explore 555 chinese names, each with its own meaning, history, and pronunciation. Find one that carries the stories you want your child to grow up with.
Chinese naming is one of the most intentional naming traditions in the world. Each character is chosen for its meaning, tone, and visual balance, and the full name typically tells a three-character story.
A short history
Chinese naming conventions are thousands of years old. The family name comes first (an inheritance from Confucian family-priority ordering), followed by a generational character shared with siblings or cousins, then a personal character chosen to reflect hopes, virtues, or astrological readings.
Naming traditions
Many Chinese families still use a generational name pattern laid down centuries ago: a poem or phrase divides up character-by-character across successive generations, so a cousin in the same generation shares the middle character. Astrological and numerological considerations are common.
Sound and style
Mandarin is tonal (four tones plus a neutral), and tone selection matters in naming. A 'beautiful' name in one tone pattern can feel awkward in another. In international use, tone information is usually lost and the name is read as a simple transliteration.
Xinru
“As the heart desires, joyful and agreeable”
Xinru (心如 or 欣如) most often combines 'heart/mind' (心, xīn) with 'like/as' (如, rú), meaning 'as one's heart desires' or 'just as the heart wishes'. Alternatively, 欣如 pairs 'joyful/delighted' (欣) with 'like', conveying a nature that is joyful and agreeable. Both interpretations suggest a person whose inner life is harmonious and content.
Xinyan
“Joyfully beautiful, swallow of the heart”
Xinyan (欣妍 or 心燕) most commonly combines 'joyful/delighted' (欣, xīn) with 'beautiful/graceful' (妍, yán), meaning 'joyfully beautiful' or 'delightfully graceful'. The variant 心燕 pairs 'heart' (心) with 'swallow bird' (燕, yàn), evoking the image of a swallow, a bird symbolising happiness, loyalty, and the return of spring, dwelling in the heart.
Xinyao
“Heart of precious jade”
Xinyao combines 'xin' (心, heart/mind) with 'yao' (瑶, precious jade or a type of fine jade). Together the name conveys the idea of a heart as precious and luminous as jade, symbolizing inner beauty and purity.
Xinyi
“Joyful heart”
Xinyi combines the Chinese characters for heart (xin) and joy or suitability (yi), creating a name that speaks of inner happiness and harmony. It suggests a person whose spirit is naturally buoyant and whose presence brings warmth to those around them. The name carries a beautifully optimistic quality that resonates with modern parents seeking something meaningful and melodic.
Xinyu
“Words from the heart”
Xinyu combines 'xin' (心, heart/mind or 新, new) with 'yu' (语, language/words or 宇, universe). A common pairing is 心语, meaning 'words from the heart,' reflecting sincerity and emotional expressiveness.
Xinyuan
“Source of the heart, destined bond”
Xinyuan combines 'xin' (心, heart) with 'yuan' (源, source/origin or 缘, fate/destiny). The pairing 心源 means 'source of the heart,' suggesting a deep inner spirit, while 心缘 evokes a connection of the heart or destined bond.
Xinyue
“Heart like the moon, heart's joy”
Xinyue combines 'xin' (心, heart) with 'yue' (月, moon or 悦, joy). The pairing 心月 evokes a heart as pure and bright as the moon, while 心悦 means 'heart's delight,' suggesting happiness and contentment.
Xiuhua
“Elegant flower, embroidered splendour”
Xiuhua combines 'xiu' (秀, elegant/graceful or 绣, embroidery) with 'hua' (花, flower or 华, splendor). Together the name means 'elegant flower' or 'embroidered splendor,' evoking refined beauty and artistry.
Xiulan
“Elegant orchid”
Xiulan is a Chinese feminine name composed of two characters: xiu, meaning elegant, graceful, or refined, and lan, meaning orchid. Together the name evokes a vision of refined, quiet beauty: the orchid is one of the most symbolically important flowers in Chinese culture, representing integrity, nobility, and the inner beauty of virtue rather than outward showiness. The orchid is one of the Four Gentlemen of Chinese art, alongside plum blossom, bamboo, and chrysanthemum, and is associated with Confucian ideals of moral cultivation. Xiulan therefore suggests a person of elegant character and inner grace.
Xiulian
“Elegant lotus”
Xiulian is a Chinese feminine name combining two characters: 'xiu', meaning elegant, refined, or beautiful, and 'lian', meaning lotus. The lotus is one of the most revered symbols in Chinese and Buddhist culture, growing from muddy water to bloom in pristine purity. Together the characters describe a person of refined elegance who maintains inner purity and grace regardless of surrounding circumstances. The name has a classical literary quality and carries deep symbolic resonance within Chinese philosophical and aesthetic traditions.
Xiumei
“Graceful beauty, elegant plum blossom”
Xiumei combines 'xiu' (秀, graceful/elegant) with 'mei' (美, beautiful or 梅, plum blossom). The name means 'graceful beauty' or 'elegant plum blossom,' associating the bearer with refined beauty and resilience.
Xiuwen
“Elegant scholar, excellent in literary arts”
Xiuwen combines 'xiu' (秀, excellent/elegant) with 'wen' (文, culture/literature/writing). Together the name means 'elegant scholar' or 'excellent in literary arts,' reflecting a value for education and cultural refinement.
Xiuying
“Elegant and brave”
Xiuying is a Chinese given name composed of two characters. Xiu carries meanings of elegance, beauty, and refinement, while Ying can mean brave, heroic, or outstanding. Together, the name paints a portrait of graceful strength, suggesting a person who combines inner beauty with courage and distinction. It is a name that honours both femininity and fortitude in equal measure.
Xuanyi
“Elegant, joyful”
Xuanyi combines the characters xuan, meaning elegant, profound, or mysterious, and yi, meaning joy, pleasure, or delight. Together they suggest graceful happiness and refined pleasure. The name carries a sophisticated, uplifting quality, evoking someone who brings quiet elegance alongside genuine warmth and delight to those around her.
Xuanyu
“Elegant jade”
Xuanyu is a refined Chinese name combining "xuan" (elegant, accomplished) with "yu" (jade). Jade is one of the most revered materials in Chinese culture, symbolising purity, moral virtue, and nobility. Together, the characters convey the aspiration for a child of refined character and precious worth.
Xue
“Snow, learning”
Xue is a Chinese name that can carry the meaning of 'snow' or 'learning', depending on the character used. The snow character evokes purity, delicacy and quiet beauty, whilst the learning character speaks to scholarly dedication and intellectual curiosity. Both interpretations offer a name of depth and elegance.
Xuefeng
“Snow peak”
Xuefeng is composed of the Chinese characters xue meaning snow and feng meaning peak or summit. Together they evoke the image of a majestic mountain crowned in snow, suggesting purity, strength, and unyielding grandeur. In Chinese naming tradition, names drawn from natural landscapes carry aspirations of character and resilience, and the image of a snow-covered peak combines beauty with endurance.
Xuehua
“Snowflake”
Xuehua combines 'xue' (雪, snow) with 'hua' (花, flower). The name literally means 'snowflake,' evoking the delicate, unique beauty of a snow crystal and suggesting purity and grace.
Xueling
“Delicate snow spirit, spirit of learning”
Xueling combines 'xue' (雪, snow or 学, study/learning) with 'ling' (玲, tinkling jade/delicate or 灵, spirit/soul). A common reading is 'delicate as snow' or 'spirit of learning,' suggesting both elegance and intellectual brightness.
Xuemei
“Snow plum”
Xuemei combines the characters for snow and plum blossom, creating a classic image that is one of the most beloved in Chinese art and poetry. Plum blossoms blooming in snow represent the triumph of beauty over adversity, courage in harsh conditions, and the promise of spring to come. The name is a celebration of resilience, purity, and elegant beauty. It belongs to a long tradition of Chinese feminine names drawn from the imagery of flowers and natural phenomena.
Xuewen
“Learned and cultured, scholarly in literature”
Xuewen combines 'xue' (学, learning/study or 雪, snow) with 'wen' (文, literature/culture/writing). The most common meaning is 'learned in literature' or 'scholarly culture,' expressing an aspiration for academic and cultural excellence.
Xueying
“lustrous snow, pure radiance”
Xueying is composed of 'xue' (雪) meaning 'snow' and 'ying' (莹) meaning 'lustrous' or 'jade-like radiance,' giving the name the sense of 'shimmering snow' or 'pure, glowing brilliance.' It evokes the clean, reflective beauty of fresh snowfall and is associated with elegance and purity.
Xuming
“Rising brightness”
Xuming combines the Chinese characters xu, meaning dawn, sunrise, or rising sun, and ming, meaning bright, brilliant, or luminous. Together they create an image of light breaking at the start of day, suggesting energy, promise, and the beginning of something great. The name carries a poetic quality prized in Chinese naming culture, where characters are carefully chosen for their visual, phonetic, and semantic harmony.
Yafei
“elegant fragrance, refined grace”
Yafei combines 'ya' (雅) meaning 'elegant,' 'refined,' or 'graceful' with 'fei' (菲) meaning 'fragrant' or 'luxuriant,' evoking the image of a gracefully fragrant flower. The name suggests refined beauty and a pleasant, cultured nature.
Yan
“Beautiful, graceful”
Yan carries meanings of beauty, grace, and elegance. Depending on the character selected, it can also convey the radiance of colour, the swallow bird in flight, or the warmth of a flame. It is a name rich with poetic associations and feminine refinement.
Yanan
“Elegant peace”
Yanan combines the characters yan, meaning elegant, graceful, or beautiful, and an, meaning peaceful, tranquil, or content. Together they suggest serene grace and quiet refinement, a person who carries beauty and calm with equal ease. The name has a gentle, flowing quality that appeals to parents seeking a name that projects both poise and inner peace.
Yanfang
“gorgeous fragrance, vibrant virtue”
Yanfang is composed of 'yan' (艳) meaning 'beautiful,' 'gorgeous,' or 'vibrant' and 'fang' (芳) meaning 'fragrant' or 'virtuous.' Together the name conveys the idea of a strikingly beautiful and virtuous person, much like a brilliantly fragrant flower in full bloom.
Yanfei
“Swallow flies”
Yanfei is a Chinese feminine name combining the character yan, meaning swallow, the graceful migratory bird, and fei, meaning to fly. Together they create the poetic image of a swallow in flight, a symbol of freedom, elegance, and the joy of movement. The swallow holds deep significance in Chinese culture, associated with good fortune, the arrival of spring, and devotion, as swallows famously return each year to their nesting sites. The name carries a lyrical, dynamic quality.
Yangming
“bright sun, solar clarity”
Yangming is formed from 'yang' (阳) meaning 'sun,' 'positive energy,' or 'yang force' and 'ming' (明) meaning 'bright,' 'clear,' or 'intelligent.' The name conveys the image of brilliant sunlight and is associated with clarity of mind, positive energy, and intellectual brightness.
Yanhua
“swallow's splendour, brilliant spring”
Yanhua combines 'yan' (燕) meaning 'swallow' (the bird, a symbol of spring and good fortune) or 'yan' (艳) meaning 'brilliant/gorgeous' with 'hua' (华) meaning 'splendid,' 'magnificent,' or 'Chinese.' The name evokes images of vibrant springtime beauty and cultural splendor.
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