▶ Watch the 1-minute version: Why Korean cousins often share part of their name
One syllable for each generation
Most Korean given names have two syllables. In families that follow the custom, one of those two syllables is fixed for the whole generation of a clan. Brothers, and often male cousins of the same generation, share it. If one cousin is named Min-jun and another Seo-jun, the shared "jun" can tell you they are in the same generation of the same family line.
How families pick the syllable
A common system uses the five elements of East Asian thought: metal, water, wood, fire and earth. Each generation's syllable is a character that contains or relates to the next element in the cycle. When the cycle runs out, it starts again. Some families use numbers or the sixty-year calendar cycle instead.
In two-syllable names, many families also switch the position of the shared syllable each generation: first syllable for one generation, second syllable for the next.
Chosen before you are born
Because the order is set in advance, a family's genealogy book, the jokbo, often lists the generation syllables for generations to come right at the front. So one half of a child's name can be decided long before the child is born. Parents choose the other half.
Optional, not required
Unlike a surname, a generation name is a custom, not a rule. Families can and do skip it. When you meet Korean siblings with matching syllables, though, now you know it is probably not a coincidence.
If you want to see how Korean given names are put together, try our Korean name generator.
FAQ
What is a Korean generation name?
A hangnyeolja (항렬자) is a syllable shared by all members of the same generation in a family clan, used as one half of their given name.
How is the generation syllable chosen?
Many families follow the five elements cycle (metal, water, wood, fire, earth), choosing a character linked to the next element for each generation. The planned syllables are often listed at the front of the family genealogy.
Do all Koreans have a generation name?
No. It is a family custom, not a legal requirement, and many families do not follow it.
Sources
- Encyclopedia of Korean Culture: "Hangnyeol" (항렬, Korean)
- Encyclopedia of Korean Culture: "Name" (이름, Korean)
Written by the Korea in Time team. Each fact above is checked against the sources listed. Found a mistake? Tell us.
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