Korean culture has become increasingly popular, so it is no question why Korean dog names have become more popular in the United States and other western countries. Choosing a Korean name for your dog is an excellent way to select a unique name. While you might find plenty of dogs named “Charlie” and “Daisy” at the dog park, you generally do not find dogs named something Korean.
Whether your own heritage is Korean or you just love Korean culture, we’ve made a list of names that you might want to consider for your pooch. We’ve included the meaning of each name next to help you choose the most fitting one for your dog.
Korean Male Dog Names
Korean culture has been around for hundreds of years – plenty of time to develop many unique names that you can choose for your new dog. Many of these names are traditional monikers from Korean culture, though others didn’t see a rise until more modern times. Choose whichever name sounds best for your dog, or go off the meanings and select a name that is the most fitting for your dog’s appearance or personality. Most Korean names are both male and female, so feel free to completely ignore your dog’s gender when choosing a name if you’d like.
- Ah-In: “second” and “Asia”
- Ahnjong: “tranquility”
- Bada: “sea”
- Baek-Hyeon: “virtuous” and “worthy”
- Baram: “wind”
- Beom-Gyu: “vulgarity”
- Beom-Seok: “pattern” and “bestow”
- Bin: “cultivated” and “well-bred”
- Bitgram: “river”
- Bo-Gyeong: “begin”, “man”, “great”, “treasure”, “rare”, “brilliance”, “luster of gem”
- Bo-Hui: “father”, “wide”, “beauty”, “bright”
- Byeol: “star”
- Chan-Hyeok: “vivid”, “bright”, and “glowing”
- Chan-Seong: “flourishing”, “vivid”, and “bright”
- Chansol: “evergreen tree”
- Chan-U: “bright” and “protect”
- Chan-Yeol: “illuminating”, “fiery”, “violent”, and “ardent”
- Cheol: “iron”, “bright”, “pure”, “harvest”, “wheel track”, “weave”, “convex”, “wise”, and “eyesight”
- Cheol-Su: “wise”, “ear of grain”, “flowering”, “refined”, and “graceful”
- Chil-Hyeon: “seven”, “shine”, and “flaunt”
- Chi-Won: “send”, “deliver”, “distant”
- Chul-Soon: “sagacious”, “wise man”, and “honest”
- Chung-Jae: “loyalty”, “devotion”, and “decrease”
- Da-Bin: “many” and “cultivated”
- Do: “manner” and “degree”
- Dong-Wan: “heat”, “whole”, and “complete”
- Do-Yeong: “path”, “method”, “long”, and “forever”
- Du-Hwan: “liquid measure”, “shining”, and “lustrous”
- Eo-Jin: “compassionate” and “benevolent”
- Eun: “kindness”, “mercy”, and “charity”
- Eun-Seong: “great”, “abundant”, “sincere”, and “true”
- Eutteum: “the best”
- Garam: “river”
- Geon: “construct”, “strong”, “respect”
- Geun: “near” and “foundation”
- Gi: “rise”, “stand up”, “banner”, “flag, and “begin”
- Gippeum: “pleasure”, “joy”, and “happiness”
- Gwang: “light”, “brilliant”, and “shine”
- Gyeong-Eun: “congratulate”, “celebrate”, “scenery”, “kindness”, “charity”, “silver”
- Gyu-Hui: “the stride of a person”, “bright”, “splendid”, and “glorious”
- Hae: “sea” and “ocean”
- Hak: “learning”, “knowledge”, and “school”
- Han: “fence” and “Korea”
- Haneul: “sky”
- Hangil: “one way” and “one direction”
- Han-Gyeol: “always” and “everlasting”
- Hangyu: “peaceful”, “calm”, and “grand”
- Hanjae: “wide”, “extensive”, and “to rule”
- Han-Jin: “a rare opportunity for resentment” – yes, this is a real name.
- Han-Sol: “big pine tree”
- Haru: “day”
- Ha-Seon: “river”, “declare”, and “announce”
- Him: “strength”
- Himchan: “powerful”, “energetic”, and “vigorous”
- Ho: “tiger”, “brave”, “bright”, and “clear”
- Hong-Bin: “enlarge”, “liberal”, “cultivated”, “well-bred”
- Hong-Gi: “vast”, “immense”, “flood”, “foundation”, and “base”
- Hong-Gyu: “a clear, deep pool of water” and “stride of man”
- Hongjoong: “to be the center of the broad world”
- Honja: “alone”
- Hyun: “wise”
- Jae: “talent”
- Jin: “real”, “true”, and “genuine”
- Jong: “clock” and “bell”
- Ju: “precious stone”, “pearl”, “gem”, “jewel”
- Jun: “talented” and “handsome”
- Kyu: “fortune”, “health”, and “spirituality”
- Rim: “grove”
- Seok: “great”, “eminent”, “large”, and “massive”
- U: “rain”, “help”, and “house”
- Uk: “brilliance” and “radiant”
- Un: “clouds”
- Yeon: “flowing”, “engulfing”, and “brimming”
- Young: “forever” and “prosperity”
- Yun: “soft”
Learn More: Top 500+ Military Dog Names
Korean Female Dog Names
There are many female names that might be suitable for canines. Because many Korean names are unisex, some of these more feminine names might work for a male dog as well.
- Ae: “love”
- Beodeul: “willow”
- Bitna: “shining”
- Bo: “jewel”, “precious”, and “treasure”
- Bo-A: “refined jewel”, “elegant”, “rare”, and “graceful”
- Bom: “spring” and “springtime”
- Boram: “valuable” and “worthwhile”
- Chae: “variegated colors”
- Chae-Yeon: “beautiful”
- Chan-Mi: “praise”
- Chansol: “cold” and “brush”
- Cho-A: “grass”, “straw”, “thatch”, “herbs”, and “good”
- Chohui: “clear” and “female”
- Cho-Rong: “silk-covered lantern”
- Chorong: “sparkling”
- Chun: “spring”
- Chun-Ja: “sping child”
- Da-Eun: “kindness”, “mercy”, “silver”
- Dahae: “many” and “sea”
- Dahui: “excellent”, “better”, “love”, “grace”, “beautiful”, “wise”, “intelligent”, and “wisdom”
- Dal-Rae: “fruit of the Actinidiaceae plant” and perhaps “soothing” as well
- Danbi: “welcome rain”
- Dasom: “love”
- Da-Ye: “diverse”, “versatile”, and “multi-talented”
- Da-Ye: “diverse”, “versatile”, and “multi-talented”
- Deok-Hye: “ethics”, “morality”, “virtue”, “favor”, and “benefit”
- Deokman: “virtuous”, “worthy”, “good”, and “simple”
- Do-Hui: “elegant”, “refined”, and “bright”
- Eun-A: “kindness”, “mercy”, “charity”, and “refined”
- Eun-Byeol: “silver star”
- Eun-Ha: “galaxy”
- Eun-Hui: “silver”, “kindness”, many”, “beauty”, “glimmer”, “warm”, and “joy”
- Eun-Hye: “grace”
- Eun-Jae: “talent” and “kindness”
- Gaeul: “fall” and “autumn”
- Gahui: “beautiful”
- Ga-Yeong: “beautiful flower”
- Ga-Yun: “excellent” and “to consent”
- Geurim: “beautiful jade”
- Goeun: “grate favor” or “deep kindness”
- Guk-Ju: “nation” and “master”
- Gureum: “cloud”
- Gyeong: “brilliance” and “luster of gem”
- Gyeo-Wool: “winter”
- Haebitna: “sunshine” and “sun”
- Haewon: “sea”
- Ha-I: “afar”, “old”, and “harmony”
- Han-Bit: “big star”
- Han-Gyeol: “always”
- Hayan: “white”
- Heejin: “pleasure”, “precious”, “enjoyment”, and “pearl”
- Heonae: “to show”, “display”, “sad”, and “sorrow”
- Heyoon: “wise” and “beautiful”
- Hui: “beauty” and “bright”
- Hwa: “flowery”, “illustrious”, and “blossoms”
- In: “humaneness” and “kindness”
- Ja: “child”
- Ji: “wisdom”, “earth”, and “ground”
- Kkot: “flower”
- Kyu: “fortune” and “health”
- Kyungri: “capital city” and “respect”
- Maeum: “mind” and “heart”
- Maleun: “dry”
- Mari: “mountaintop”
- Mi: “beautiful”, “pretty”, and “pleasing”
- Mi-Eun: “beauty”, “charm”, “kindness”, and “silver”
- Mihye: “beauty”
- Mi-Yeon: “beautiful”, “pleasing”, “seductive”, “beautiful”. This was also the name of a famous singer in South Korea.
- Myyung-Hwa: “bright”, “light”, and “flower”
- Ra: “net for catching birds”
- Won: “first”, “dollar”, “origin”, and “head” or “beautiful woman”
- Yeon: “gulf” and “deep”
- Yeong: “luster of a gem”, “crystal”, “petal”, “flower”, “leaf”, and “brave”
Learn More: Top 500+ Greek Dog Names
Cute Korean Dog Names
Many people love Korean culture due to their emphasis on cuteness. As you might imagine, there are many cute Korean dog names you could possibly select. While many of these names work best for smaller dogs, you can use them for larger dogs as well. The majority of these or unisex, so feel free to use them for male and female dogs.
- Ara: “to know”, “be beautiful”, “elegant”, and “net”
- Areum: “beauty”
- Ari: “graceful” and “elegant”
- Bada: “sea” and “ocean”
- Baram: “wind”
- Bong-Ju: “symbol of joy” and “pillar”
- Bo-Seon: “boiling water spilling out” and “kind”
- Bo-Yeon: “father”, “universal”, “general”, “beautiful”, and “gulf”
- Byeol: “star”
- Byeong-Cheol: “grasp”, “authority”, “wise”, and “sagacious”
- Byeong-Su: “bright”, “luminous”, “defend”, and “conserve”
- Byung-Chan: “grasp”, “authority”, “vivid”, and “bright”
- Chang-Gyun: “light of sun”, “proper”, “equal”, and “fair”
- Chang-Min: “a long day”, “clear”, “light of the sun”, “tough”, “stone resembling jade”
- Chang-Seop: “light of sun”, “harmonize”, and “adjust”
- Changyun: “creative ability”
- Hyeri: “charming”, “expressive”, and “witty”
- Hye-Rim: “bright”, “orchid”, “favor”, “forest”, and “gem”
- Hyo-Ri: “obedience” and “deep”
- In-Hui: “kindness” and “beauty”
- In-Hye: “favor” and “benefit”
- Jiho: “wisdom” and “intelligence”
- Ji-Hyun: “intellect”, “purpose”, “ambition”, and “worthy”
- Jin-a: “precious child”
- Ri: “gains”, “advantage”, “profit”, and “merit”
Learn More: Top 800+ Clever Dog Names
Popular Korean Dog Names
Unlike in the UK and United States, Korea does not have an organization that keeps up with dog names. Because of this, we don’t exactly know what dog names are the most popular in Korea. Still, we do have some idea of what names are more popular than others. Here are some of the most popular names in Korea that you might want to consider for your canine
- Dae-Hwan: “big”, “high”, and “shining”
- Dae-Hyeon: “big”, “large”, “shine”, “glitter”, “show off”
- Dal: “moon”
- Da-San: “the mountain of tea”
- Deokman: “worthy” and “simple”
- Deok-Su: “virtue”, “mortality”, “to defend”, and “to protect”
- Do-Hyeon: “elegant’, “refined”, “worthy”
- Dong: “eastern”
- Dong-Ha: “east” and “river”
- Dong-Hae: “eastern” and “sea”
- Dong-Hui: “east” and “abundant”
- Dong-Hyeon: “east”, “good”, “weep”, and “glisten”
- Honja: “alone”
- Hwahyeop: “harmony”
- Hye-Bin: “cultivated” and “intelligent”
- Hyeon-A: “weep”, “shine”, “elegant”, and “refined”
- Iseul: “dew”
- Jin-Ho: “golden hero”
- Jinju: “pearl”
- Jinye: “tonight” and “sincere”
- Juhee: “joyful”
- Jung: “chaste”
- Ju-ri: “precious stone”, “gem”, “pearl”, “gains”, “advantage”
- Kiran: “arisen” and “orchid”
- Mi-Jin: “beautiful”, “pleasing”, and “advance”
- Mindeulle: “dandelion”
- Minha: “fast”, “clever”, “smart”, “stone resembling jade”, “summer”, “great”, “big”, “afar”, “distant”, and “old”
- Misun: “line”
- Shin: “faith” and “trust”
- Yong: “courage”
Learn More: Top 900+ Great Dane Dog Names
Which Korean Dog Name Is Your Favorite?
There are countless Korean names out there that you could choose for your dog. We’ve included some of our favorites for you to choose from. Feel free to choose the most fitting name for this list or use them as a jumping point for brainstorming your own names!
There aren’t many guidelines you need to follow when selecting a name for your new dog. Firstly, you should like the name, of course. Choosing a name that you don’t like isn’t going to make anyone happy. Secondly, you should involve others that are going to be close to the dog when possible. Very small children aren’t going to be much help, but older children and other family members might have name ideas of their own.
Finally, choose a short name if possible. Shorter names are easier for dogs to learn and remember. Plus, they take less time to say, which can be useful in an emergency recall situation.