By Brynn McKeon · Updated September 2026
Across 4 pages
of 4
Chinese
"a treasure"
A striking choice, but might possibly be taken for Jen.
"smooth, free, unhindered"
An Asian favorite.
"great, tremendous"
Asian name with positive meaning.
Chinese surname
For admirers of modernist architect I. M.
"bright"
A well-used name in China that has some potential for assimilation.
"great wind"
Might be asking for trouble, especially when your son reaches the Terrible Twos.
"the ox"
In China, the ox represents patience and determination, a commendable combination.
Popular culture
"sand skin"
The name of the glamorous mean girl in "High School Musical", Sharpay is a spin on the dog breed Shar Pei, which means "sand skin" in Chinese. As such, it's a brilliant name joke skewering the…
Chinese or Aboriginal, meaning unknown
Kija was a legendary king who brought Chinese civilization -- including rice and writing -- to the Korean people, probably in the 2nd century BC. Kija is also the name of a group of Aboriginal people…
Invented name
Actor Terrence Howard and wife Miranda created this name for their son inspired by the Chinese mythological creature called the Qilin, a good omen predicting the arrival of a sage or ruler.…
"leaf"
Ye is a name with a lovely meaning, which is probably just a bit short for usage outside the Chinese community. Paired with Mei, however, it could work. Ye-Mei would mean beautiful leaf, a lovely…
Mandarin
"precious gold"
Baojin, sometime hyphenated to Bao-Jin, has a luxurious meaning making it a relatively common choice for Mandarin-speaking parents. Baojin can be used for girls and boys. But this meaning also means…
"one promise; follow, promise"
Yinuo is a Chinese female name meaning "promise" and originated as part of an idiomatic expression "Yinuo Qianjin" (一诺千金), which means "one promise; one thousand gold" or "keep your word.".…
"love orchid; friendly, lush mist"
A unisex Chinese name with two nature related meanings: "love orchid" or "friendly, lush mountain mist". The floral character combination is notably used for girls, and appears in the novel Lady…
"spring orchid"
A warm and bright Chinese name with the lovely meaning of "spring orchid", Chunlan may also be interpreted as meaning "pure, clean orchid", "spring mountain mist" or "clean mist", depending on what…
