Chinese Girl Names
Chinese girl names are tiny poems. Two characters can paint a whole scene — 雨桐 (Yu Tong), rain falling on a paulownia tree; 映月 (Ying Yue), the moon reflected in water — or carry a parent’s hope for a daughter who is wise, gentle, joyful or strong.
We’ve collected more than 100 Chinese girl names with their characters and meanings, from recent favorites to names borne by goddesses, poets and film stars. Pair them with our Chinese last names, compare with Chinese boy names, or return to the main Chinese names guide.
Popular modern Chinese girl names
These names have been among the most registered for girls in mainland China since around 2010. Characters like 涵 (to nurture), 梓 (catalpa) and 欣 (joy) were especially popular.
| Name | Characters | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Yu Tong | 雨桐 | Rain on the paulownia tree |
| Zi Han | 梓涵 | Catalpa tree; to nurture |
| Xin Yi | 欣怡 | Joyful and content |
| Yi Nuo | 一诺 | A promise kept |
| Ruo Xi | 若曦 | Like the dawn sunlight |
| Zi Xuan | 梓萱 | Catalpa and daylily |
| Yu Xi | 语汐 | Words and evening tide |
| Shi Han | 诗涵 | Rich in poetry |
| Ke Xin | 可馨 | Fragrant, lovely |
| Xin Yan | 欣妍 | Joyful and beautiful |
| Yu Han | 雨涵 | Nourished by rain |
| Meng Qi | 梦琪 | Dream of fine jade |
| Si Yu | 思雨 | Longing for rain |
| Jia Yi | 佳怡 | Good and happy |
| Yi Han | 艺涵 | Artistic and cultured |
Chinese flower names for girls
Flowers carry specific symbolism in Chinese culture: the plum blossom for resilience, the lotus for purity, the peony for wealth and honor. More in flower names for girls.
| Name | Characters | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Lan | 兰 | Orchid (refinement) |
| Mei | 梅 | Plum blossom (resilience) |
| Lian | 莲 | Lotus (purity) |
| He | 荷 | Lotus, water lily |
| Hua | 花 | Flower |
| Ju | 菊 | Chrysanthemum |
| Li | 莉 | Jasmine |
| Hai Tang | 海棠 | Crabapple blossom |
| Mu Dan | 牡丹 | Peony (wealth and honor) |
| Tao | 桃 | Peach blossom |
| Fang | 芳 | Fragrant |
| Rui | 蕊 | Flower bud |
| Wei | 薇 | Wild rose |
| Ying | 樱 | Cherry blossom |
Jade, pearl and treasure names
Jade has been prized in China for thousands of years as a symbol of virtue and beauty; the jade radical 王 appears in many girls’ names. See also our gemstone names.
| Name | Characters | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Yu | 玉 | Jade |
| Lin | 琳 | Beautiful jade |
| Qi | 琪 | Fine jade |
| Ling | 玲 | Tinkling of jade |
| Yao | 瑶 | Precious jade |
| Jing Jing | 晶晶 | Sparkling crystal |
| Zhu | 珠 | Pearl |
| Shan | 珊 | Coral |
| Bao | 宝 | Treasure |
| Jin | 金 | Gold |
| Mei Lin | 美琳 | Beautiful jade |
| Yu Zhen | 玉珍 | Jade treasure |
Names for beauty and grace
Classic names that praise elegance and gentleness. Many were very common for girls born between the 1960s and 1990s.
| Name | Characters | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Li Na | 丽娜 | Beautiful and graceful |
| Yan | 妍 | Beautiful |
| Jiao | 娇 | Delicate, lovely |
| Ting Ting | 婷婷 | Graceful, slender |
| Xiu | 秀 | Elegant, refined |
| Wan | 婉 | Gentle, graceful |
| Qian | 倩 | Pretty, charming |
| Ya | 雅 | Elegant |
| Jia | 佳 | Fine, beautiful |
| Shu | 淑 | Gentle, virtuous |
| Juan | 娟 | Beautiful, graceful |
| Xiu Ying | 秀英 | Elegant and outstanding |
| Mei Li | 美丽 | Beautiful |
| Wen Jing | 文静 | Gentle and quiet |
Moon, snow and sky names
Celestial and seasonal names are lyrical and often unisex. For more, see names that mean moon and names that mean snow.
| Name | Characters | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Yue | 月 | Moon |
| Xue | 雪 | Snow |
| Yun | 云 | Cloud |
| Xia | 霞 | Rosy clouds at dawn or dusk |
| Chun | 春 | Spring |
| Qiu | 秋 | Autumn |
| 星 | Star | |
| Ying Yue | 映月 | Reflecting the moon |
| Chen | 晨 | Morning |
| Xi | 曦 | Sunlight at dawn |
| Lu | 露 | Dew |
| Bing | 冰 | Ice |
| Qing | 晴 | Clear sky |
| Shuang | 霜 | Frost |
Wisdom, joy and virtue names
Names that express a parent’s wish for a daughter’s character — wisdom, calm, kindness and happiness.
| Name | Characters | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Hui | 慧 | Wise, intelligent |
| An | 安 | Peace |
| Jing | 静 | Quiet, calm |
| Ning | 宁 | Tranquil |
| Ai | 爱 | Love |
| Le | 乐 | Joy |
| Huan | 欢 | Happiness |
| Min | 敏 | Quick, clever |
| Yi | 怡 | Harmonious joy |
| Hui Min | 慧敏 | Wise and quick-witted |
| Jia Hui | 佳慧 | Good and wise |
| Si | 思 | Thoughtful |
| Zhen | 珍 | Precious |
| Xin | 欣 | Joyful |
Names of legendary and famous Chinese women
Goddesses, warriors and poets whose names still resonate. Explore goddess names from other cultures, too.
| Name | Characters | Who she was |
|---|---|---|
| Mulan | 木兰 | Hua Mulan, legendary woman warrior (“magnolia”) |
| Chang’e | 嫦娥 | Goddess of the moon |
| Nüwa | 女娲 | Mother goddess who created humanity |
| Xi Shi | 西施 | One of the Four Beauties of ancient China |
| Diao Chan | 貂蝉 | One of the Four Beauties, heroine of the Three Kingdoms |
| Zhaojun | 昭君 | Wang Zhaojun, one of the Four Beauties |
| Zetian | 则天 | Wu Zetian, China’s only female emperor (“follow heaven”) |
| Qingzhao | 清照 | Li Qingzhao, Song dynasty poet (“clear shining”) |
| Meiling | 美龄 | Soong Mei-ling, influential first lady |
| Ziyi | 子怡 | Zhang Ziyi, film star (“joyful”) |
Cantonese Chinese girl names
In Hong Kong, Macau and many overseas communities, girls’ names are spelled in Cantonese. These are classic Cantonese-style names.
| Cantonese | Characters | Meaning (Mandarin) |
|---|---|---|
| Wing | 詠 | To sing, chant (Yong) |
| Ka Yan | 嘉欣 | Excellent joy (Jia Xin) |
| Wai Man | 慧敏 | Wise and quick (Hui Min) |
| Mei Ling | 美玲 | Beautiful tinkling jade (Mei Ling) |
| Suet | 雪 | Snow (Xue) |
| Yuet | 月 | Moon (Yue) |
| Man Yee | 敏仪 | Clever and graceful (Min Yi) |
| Hiu Tung | 晓彤 | Red dawn (Xiao Tong) |
| Pui Yee | 佩仪 | Admirable grace (Pei Yi) |
| Shuk Fan | 淑芬 | Virtuous and fragrant (Shu Fen) |
Tips for choosing a Chinese girl name
- Write it out. A Chinese name is visual as well as spoken; many parents like characters with a pleasing balance of strokes.
- Look past the romanization. “Li” can be 丽 (lovely), 莉 (jasmine) or 李 (plum); always confirm the character you mean.
- Check for dated names. Names like Li Na or Shu Fen feel like the 1970s–80s in China today, while Yu Tong or Ruo Xi feel young.
- Say it with the surname. Try the full name aloud; tones should flow and not form an awkward homophone.
- Pair with an English name. Names like Mei, Lian or Ling cross over easily; see short girl names for matching English options.
Frequently asked questions
What is a beautiful Chinese girl name?
Mei Lin (美琳, “beautiful jade”), Ying Yue (映月, “reflecting the moon”), Ruo Xi (若曦, “like the dawn sunlight”) and Lian (莲, “lotus”) are among the loveliest.
What Chinese girl name means moon?
Yue (月) means moon, and names like Ying Yue (映月) build on it. Chang’e (嫦娥) is the goddess of the moon in Chinese mythology.
What does Mulan mean?
Mulan (木兰) means “magnolia”. It is the name of the legendary heroine Hua Mulan, who took her father’s place in the army.
What are popular Chinese girl names today?
Yu Tong (雨桐), Zi Han (梓涵), Xin Yi (欣怡), Yi Nuo (一诺) and Ruo Xi (若曦) have been among the most common names for Chinese girls born in the last 15 years.
What Chinese girl name means flower?
Hua (花) means flower. More specific flower names include Lan (兰, orchid), Mei (梅, plum blossom), Lian (莲, lotus) and Ying (樱, cherry blossom).