The History of Korean Names and Their Evolution

The History of Korean Names and Their Evolution

Korean names have a rich history shaped by culture, language, and tradition.

1. Ancient Times

• Names often came from nature or simple words.
• Example: Go-un (고운) meaning “beautiful.”

2. Influence of Chinese Characters (Hanja)

• From the 7th century, Koreans adopted hanja-based names.
• This brought deeper symbolic meaning.

3. Modern Changes

• After the 20th century, shorter and softer names became popular.
• More parents use pure Korean words (고유어 이름) instead of hanja.

4. Recent Trends

• Names like Haru (하루, “day”) or Nari (나리, “lily”) show modern creativity.

✨ Today, Korean names balance tradition + modern uniqueness, making them fascinating for foreigners to adopt.