Naming Glossary
Key terms and concepts from Asian naming traditions
Hanja Naming
한자 작명 (漢字 作名)
The practice of selecting Chinese characters (hanja) for Korean given names, where each character's meaning, pronunciation, and stroke count are carefully considered.
Character Selection for Names
汉字取名 (hànzì qǔmíng)
The deliberate art of choosing Chinese characters for a name based on meaning, stroke count, radical composition, and phonetic harmony.
Jōyō Kanji
常用漢字 (じょうようかんじ)
The official list of 2,136 'regular-use' kanji designated by the Japanese government for use in publications, education, and legal documents including personal names.
Nanori
名乗り (なのり)
Special readings of kanji that are used exclusively in Japanese personal names, distinct from the standard on'yomi and kun'yomi pronunciations.
Furigana
振り仮名 (ふりがな)
Small phonetic characters (usually hiragana) placed above or beside kanji to indicate their pronunciation, essential for clarifying name readings in Japanese.
On'yomi and Kun'yomi
音読み・訓読み (おんよみ・くんよみ)
The two main categories of kanji readings in Japanese: on'yomi (Chinese-derived) and kun'yomi (native Japanese), both of which play crucial roles in personal name construction.
Hán-Việt
Hán-Việt
Sino-Vietnamese readings of Chinese characters used in Vietnamese names, providing classical meanings and a formal register that remains deeply influential in naming practices.
Quốc ngữ
Quốc ngữ
The modern Latin-based Vietnamese writing system with diacritical marks, adopted as the national script and used to write all Vietnamese names today.
Chữ Nôm
Chữ Nôm
A historical Vietnamese writing system that adapted and created Chinese-style characters to represent native Vietnamese words, once used for recording names and literature.
Sanskrit-Origin Names
संस्कृत नामकरण
Personal names derived from the classical Sanskrit language, chosen for their etymological meanings, phonetic beauty, and spiritual associations.
Ogham
Ogham / Ogam
The earliest Irish writing system, used primarily from the fourth to seventh centuries CE to inscribe personal names and memorials on standing stones, consisting of linear strokes cut along a central stemline.