Choosing a name for your baby boy is serious business in China; between following family traditions and riding the wave of current times, there are a slew of methods for choosing a name for your little baobao (pr. BOW-BOW; a Chinese term of endearment for young babies or children, which translates to “precious one” or “sweetie”).
For this reason, Chinese names tend to work a little backward than Western names: there are only a couple hundred or so surnames for a country of 1.4 billion, yet given names are usually quite rare and meant to distinguish people from one another. Still, though, there are a handful of Chinese boy names that have stood the test of time, given their strong and noble meanings.
For starters, China is an incredibly patriotic country, so many parents wish to imbue their children with a sense of pride for their homeland. One name that does this is Dingbang (pr. DING-bahng; 定邦), which means “protect the homeland.” Another patriotic name is Jianguo (pr. jyan-GWOH; 建国), which literally means “Build the country up.” This name in particular hearkens back to the establishment of the PRC in the late 1940’s, when Chinese patriotism was experiencing an intense, newfound resurgence.
Dragons are also big in Chinese culture, and names like Jiaolong (pr. jyow-LOHNG; 蛟龙) prove it. This name comes from a legendary river dragon in Chinese folklore, and parents hope to instill in their baby boys the same strength and allure.
For names that reference one’s personal strengths, a couple popular players are Shuhui (pr. SHOO-HWAY; 淑惠) and Haoran (pr. HOW-rahn; 浩然). The former describes someone of great intellect who happily shares his knowledge with others, while the latter references an ambitious person with a larger-than-life attitude.
For more cool Chinese boy names with equally awesome meanings, check out our list below.
An
Meaning: Peace
Origin: Chinese
Bik
Meaning: Stride, strong
Origin: Chinese
Biming
Meaning: Clear as Jade
Origin: Chinese
Blaike
Meaning: Light
Origin: Chinese
Caishen
Meaning: God Of Wealth
Origin: Chinese
Chang
Meaning: An unhindered spirit
Origin: Chinese
Chao
Meaning: Surpassing
Origin: Chinese
Chen
Meaning: Morning
Origin: Chinese
De
Meaning: Virtue
Origin: Chinese
Dewei
Meaning: Of great Principle
Origin: Chinese
Dingbang (定邦)
Meaning: Protect the homeland
Origin: Chinese
Fai
Meaning: Beginning
Origin: Chinese
Feng
Meaning: Phoenix
Origin: Chinese
Fu
Meaning: Refers to well to do and prosperous
Origin: Chinese
Gang
Meaning: Hard
Origin: Chinese
Guang
Meaning: Light
Origin: Chinese
Haoran (浩然)
Meaning: References an ambitious person with a larger-than-life attitude
Origin: Chinese
Hong
Meaning: Large
Origin: Chinese
Hua
Meaning: Prosperous
Origin: Chinese
Jianguo (建国)
Meaning: Build the country up
Origin: Chinese
Jiaolong (蛟龙)
Meaning: Caled dragon
Origin: Chinese
Kong
Meaning: Bright
Origin: Chinese
Kuo
Meaning: Vast in Chenese
Origin: Chinese
Le
Meaning: Joy
Origin: Chinese
Li
Meaning: Pretty, powerful
Origin: Chinese
Long
Meaning: Dragon
Origin: Chinese
Meng
Meaning: Chinese Surname
Origin: Chinese
Ming
Meaning: Bright
Origin: Chinese
Mu
Meaning: Admired
Origin: Chinese
Ning
Meaning: Peaceful
Origin: Chinese
On
Meaning: Peace
Origin: Chinese
Park
Meaning: Cypress tree
Origin: Chinese
Ping
Meaning: Duckweed
Origin: Chinese
Qiao
Meaning: Pretty
Origin: Chinese
Rong
Meaning: Martial
Origin: Chinese
Shan
Meaning: Coral
Origin: Chinese
Sheng
Meaning: Victory
Origin: Chinese
Shuhui (淑惠)
Meaning: Describes someone of great intellect who happily shares his knowledge with others
Origin: Chinese
Syaoran
Meaning: Little wolf
Origin: Chinese
Tao
Meaning: Long life
Origin: Chinese
Tong
Meaning: A title given to a public officer
Origin: Chinese
Wei
Meaning: Brillliant
Origin: Chinese
Wen
Meaning: Culture
Origin: Chinese
Wing
Meaning: Glory
Origin: Chinese
Meaning: Star
Origin: Chinese
Ye
Meaning: Light
Origin: Chinese
Yeong
Meaning: Flower Petal, hero
Origin: Chinese
Yue
Meaning: Moon
Origin: Chinese
Zhang
Meaning: Archer
Origin: Chinese
Zhi
Meaning: Wisdom
Origin: Chinese
