Korean Name Generator 한국 이름
Not a random syllable mash. These are names Korean parents actually give, each with a meaning, matched to the feeling you pick and, if you like, to the first sound of your own name.
How Korean names work
Surname first, given name second: Kim Seo-yeon, Park Do-yun. The surname is inherited and there are not many of them; Kim, Lee and Park alone cover almost half the country. The given name is where the meaning lives. Most are two syllables, and each syllable is picked for its hanja (Chinese character): 서 can mean "auspicious", 연 "lotus" or "graceful", so 서연 reads as something like "graceful and blessed".
Since the 1990s, pure-Korean names with no hanja have become popular too: 하늘 (sky), 이슬 (dew), 다온 (all good things come), 라온 (joyful). They sound soft and modern and are easy for foreigners to say.
Using a Korean name as a foreigner
Perfectly normal. Teachers, exchange students and long-term residents often pick one, and colleagues use it happily. Two habits make it work. First, keep your passport name on anything official; the Korean name is social. Second, pick a surname that starts with the same sound as your real name (Kevin → 김, Sophie → 서 or 송) so it feels like yours and not a costume. Koreans will ask what it means. Have the answer ready; it is the best small talk you will ever do.
Questions people ask
How are Korean names structured?
Surname, then given name. Usually one plus two syllables. Written together in Hangul (김서연), romanised with a hyphen or space in the given name (Kim Seo-yeon).
Can I just transliterate my real name instead?
Yes, and for documents you should. Try My Name in Hangul. A Korean name is for the social side.
Do Korean names have a gender?
Softly. Some names lean feminine (서연, 하은), some masculine (도윤, 민준), and many are used for both (지우, 하람, 유진). We label the lean but nothing is a rule.
Is it strange for a foreigner to use a Korean name?
No. It is usually taken as a sign you care. The only misstep is choosing a celebrity's full name; that reads like a joke.