You have the chance to share your culture and background with a new child when you bring a baby into your life. This is an opportunity to treasure. You may respect your culture and begin to teach your child the value of knowing their family history from day one by giving your child a Chinese name.

When it comes to naming their child, parents in Chinese culture bear a tremendous deal of responsibility. The characters in the name must blend harmoniously, and they must represent their child's luck and prosperity. A person's name must be carefully chosen so that the letters complement one another and adhere to particular astrological guidelines.

Three characters are typically used in Chinese names.  The first character is the family name, while the next two are the given names. The name might occasionally be merely one character, notably in mainland China. Chinese names are frequently difficult to translate completely, although most Chinese characters have meanings that may be translated into English.

In the past, parents would ask an astrologer for advice on naming their child. The five elements (gold, wood, water, fire, and earth) and their relationship to the time of birth are determined by astrological charts. The astrologer selects a persona that incorporates the elements and complements the surname. Before selecting names for a child, the number of strokes required to draw Chinese characters is also taken into account.

Chinese Names With Highest Popularity (Trends Across the Decades)

Chinese naming is a big deal. The name not only represents the cultural and familial legacy of the family, but it also represents the high standards, aspirations, and expectations of the parents. This reference examines the most common Chinese names as well as historical naming patterns, including the most popular boys' and girls' names in China over the past 70 years.

A Chinese boy gives a genuinely unique name. There are obviously many definitions to pick from, but generally speaking, these titles refer to mental, moral, and spiritual power. For instance, the meaning of the Chinese boy's name Gang is "strong". Baby will always be able to fall back on and form their intentions from a name with that much precision. Chinese boy names can occasionally give a bit more space for interpretation, as in the case of Fai. This name, which means "beginning," will provide the infant the freedom to define what that means to them at whatever stage of their development.

Chinese female names have a wide range of definitions as well, but frequently they are influenced by nature. Chinese girl names like Chun-Hua, Daiyu, Mei-lin, and many others will have you waxing lyrical about your baby's beauty every day, whether it be inspired by flowers, jade, or the general peace of a forest.

China's Most Popular Baby Names

Books on history may provide facts about the many eras since the establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949, but Chinese names can also teach you something. Jianguo, which refers to the founding of the People's Republic, and more contemporary popular names like Hexie ("harmonious society") and Aoyun are examples of names that Chinese parents frequently seem to draw inspiration from critical events or historical milestones ("Olympics").

Are You Aware?

According to data from the National Citizen Identity Information Center, more than 960,000 Chinese people go by the name Jianguo, with around 24% of those people having been born between 1949 and 1959. (NCIIC). Before 1949, this name was rarely given to babies. Between 1950 and 1960, there was a spike in the popularity of Chinese names that reflected the dreams of the populace for a prosperous new China, including names like Jianhua (which has a meaning similar to Jianguo) and Guoqiang ("strong country").

Additionally, roughly 60% of Chinese people with the name Minzhu (Chinese for "democracy") were born in the 1950s. Tens of thousands of babies were given the names Yuanchao ("help the Korean people"), Kangmei ("fight US invasion"), and Weiguo ("protect China's land against incursion") during the Korean War (1950–1953).

Moreover,

Nearly 90% of the 493 Chinese persons with the surname Zhang who was given the name Yuanchao were born in the 1950s. Yuanchao was also the name chosen by Zhu De, the former leader of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, for his oldest grandson.

During the "cultural revolution" (1966–1976), Chinese parents showed their support for the "revolution" by giving their children names like Weihong, which means "defend red" (revolution), Weidong, which means "protect Dong" (Chairman Mao Zedong), and Xuenong ("learn from the peasants"). Some infants were given the name Wenge, which means "cultural revolution."

Since 1978, when China started its reform and opening-up policy, the pool of Chinese names has grown more diverse. Additionally, with the introduction of the one-child policy in the 1980s, parents have occasionally strayed from the conventional naming pattern of using two or three characters in one name in favor of four characters.

This indicates the parents' desire to give their sole child a name that included both of their families, rather than just the father's. Following China's successful bid to host the Olympics in 2008, a new naming trend started in 2001, with over 31,000 newborns given the names Shen'ao ("bid for the Olympics") or Aoyun ("Olympics"). However, a lot of people in China share the same names, especially when a lot of Chinese people also share a small number of family names, due to the popularity of baby names associated with historical events.

Wrapping It All Up!

One of the first exciting things to take when welcoming a baby into your life is coming up with a name. But you don't want just any name; you're probably searching for one that also reflects your family history.  And you've surely also looking for one that will provide the child a straightforward but meaningful message to help them anchor themselves. You have come to the right site if that sounds like all you require. You'll find the name to grant all those wishes in no time if you stay and browse our list of lovely Chinese baby boy and girl names.