Our South Korean name database contains 1.095 South Korean surnames and 7.911 South Korean first names categorized by gender and frequency. After payment you can download the South Korean name database in CSV, SQL or JSON format. Asia is not very well organised and only have a few open data initiatives. The list of names from countries like South Korea have a reasonable quality but are limited. The South Korean names are validated using official governmental databases we received in other countries which contained South Korean names as well. To create the South Korean name database we used 28.581 validated South Korean social media profiles. We have a detailed explanation of our methodology and illustrate our approach with several examples.

Popular South Korean surnames

This table show popular South Korean surnames. In South Korea, the surname comes first and the given name comes second when addressing someone. This is in line with traditional Confucian customs and is still widely used in formal and informal settings. The most common surnames in South Korea are Kim, Lee, and Park, which make up over half of the population's surnames.

Surname Frequency*1 Percentage*1 Alternative countries*2
Kim 3.223 11.3% American Canadian Russian
Lee 1.843 6.4% American British Chinese
Park 1.341 4.7% American British Canadian
Choi 667 2.3% American Canadian Hong Konger
Jung 449 1.6% German American French
Kang 354 1.2% American British Chinese
Cho 326 1.1% American Canadian Indonesian
Shin 289 1.0% American Filipino British
Han 256 0.9% Turkish American Chinese
Hwang 250 0.9% American Chinese Canadian
  • *1 The Frequency and Percentage are based on 28.581 South Korean social media profiles.
  • *2 Alternative countries are countries where this surname also is used. They are sorted on popularity.

South Korean first names

In South Korea, parents typically pick a first name based on a combination of traditional and modern considerations. They may choose a name that has a special meaning or significance in Korean culture, such as a name that is related to nature or has a historical significance. They may also consider the name's compatibility with the child's surname and the sound of the name. Additionally, many parents also consider modern trends and popular names when choosing a first name for their child.

Popular South Korean male names

First name Frequency*1 Percentage*1 Alternative countries*2
Lee 198 1.2% British American Jamaican
David 173 1.1% American British Spanish
James 160 1.0% British American Australian
Daniel 159 1.0% American British Spanish
John 148 0.9% American British Canadian
Park 144 0.9% American British Brazilian
Jay 142 0.9% American British Indian
Jason 133 0.8% American British Canadian
Michael 113 0.7% American British German
Jin 107 0.7% American Chinese British
  • *1 The Frequency and Percentage are based on 28.581 South Korean social media profiles from which 16.240 (57%) is male.
  • *2 Alternative countries are countries where this first name also is used. They are sorted on popularity.

Popular South Korean female names

First name Frequency*1 Percentage*1 Alternative countries*2
Kim 419 3.4% American British Dutch
Min 131 1.1% Bamar American Vietnamese
Young 115 0.9% American Nigerian British
Choi 104 0.8% Indonesian American Filipino
Jung 78 0.6% American Indonesian Vietnamese
Jessica 75 0.6% American British Brazilian
Hana 65 0.5% American Egyptian British
Jiyoung 54 0.4% American Japanese German
Anna 51 0.4% American British Spanish
Sarah 50 0.4% British American Canadian
  • *1 The Frequency and Percentage are based on 28.581 South Korean social media profiles from which 12.341 (43%) is female.
  • *2 Alternative countries are countries where this first name also is used. They are sorted on popularity.