Chinese culture is one of the richest and oldest, with established continuity that goes back thousands of years. That’s a lot of time for thousands upon thousands of names to develop, so it’d be an understatement that you have your fair share of Chinese girl names to choose from.
The Chinese character system adds a rich layer of meaning to Chinese names, and any name you pick for your baby girl is sure to have a beautiful meaning that embraces your Chinese heritage.
Note that because of the nature of the Chinese language, where many Chinese names may look and sound the same to English speakers but have entirely different meanings, diacritics and Chinese characters have been included with every name on our list. And with that, here are our favorite Chinese girl names.
Table of Contents
Popular Chinese Girl Names
You don’t always have to reinvent the wheel when looking at baby names. Especially if you grew up in a diaspora culture but strongly desire to give your baby girl a Chinese name, going off the beaten path can feel very daunting. What if you get a little too creative and give your daughter a name that’s just plain weird or nerdy? Sometimes it’s best to just stick to the popular names, so here are some of the most popular Chinese girl names.
1. chán juān (婵娟)
Origin: Chinese
The first Chinese name on our list, Chán Juān literally means “the moon.” Show your Chinese girl that she’s as important as the moon in the sky with this name.
2. Chūn (春)
Origin: Chinese
Chūn is a very popular Chinese name that simply means “spring.” It seems that everyone’s favorite season is a popular baby name in almost every language.
3. Fāng (芳)
Origin: Chinese
Fāng is a cute Chinese name that means “fragrance.” Show your daughter she’s appealing to every one of the five senses with this name.
4. guāng (光)
Origin: Chinese
This lovely name translates to “light” or “glowing.” Guāng is a great name to show your daughter that she lights up your world.
5. Huā (花)
Origin: Chinese
You’ll be seeing this Chinese character and the syllable Huā a lot on this list. Huā means flower, and while it’s often used as part of longer Chinese names for girls, Huā also makes for a great name on its own.
6. Huān (欢)
Origin: Chinese
The next name on our list, just one letter off from the previous name, uses a completely different character, and it means “joyous.”
7. jiāng (江)
Origin: Chinese
Jiāng is a cute Chinese name that means “river.” Across cultures, nature-inspired names are a tried and true favorite.
8. Jìng (静)
Origin: Chinese
Jìng is a popular Chinese name that means “peace” or “quiet.” This name is good luck if you want your daughter to have a calm and easy life.
9. jīng (晶)
Origin: Chinese
The first name on our list that really highlights how subtle Chinese phonetics can be, Jīng has a completely different meaning than Jìng. What a difference one diacritic can make. This name means “brightness.”
10. Kě xìn (可信)
Origin: Chinese
A beautiful and popular Chinese name that doesn’t translate very well to English, Kě Xìn uses the Chinese characters for “ability” and “confidence.”
11. Líng (灵)
Origin: Chinese
Líng is a short and sweet name that can be translated to either “alert” or “smart.” If you appreciate attentiveness or intelligence, this is the perfect baby name for you.
12. Měi (美)
Origin: Chinese
While many Chinese characters mean “beautiful,” the character for Měi is probably the most popular for Chinese names.
13. Qiū (秋)
Origin: Chinese
This popular Chinese girl’s name uses the character for “autumn” and it’s perfect for anyone who loves the sight of colorful foliage.
14. sī yǔ (思语)
Origin: Chinese
Sī Yǔ is a lovely (if not difficult to pronounce) Chinese name that uses the characters for “think” and “speak.” Teach your daughter to embrace intelligence, and learn the valuable skill of thinking before she speaks.
15 Xiāng (香)
Origin: Chinese
Xiāng is a character that has many meanings, but one of my favorites is the meaning of “deep sleep.” Give your daughter a trouble-free life that lets her sleep easy by naming her Xiāng.
16. xiáng (可)
Origin: Chinese
Another name that differs only by a diacritic and a character, you may recognize this character from above. Xiáng uses the character for “able,” and it’s a great way to make sure your daughter is talented and capable.
17. xiáng (翔)
Origin: Chinese
This popular name literally means “soaring.” It’s a great name to help your daughter fly above the crowds and stand out.
18. Yáng (阳)
Origin: Chinese
Another name coming from a celestial body, Yáng means “sun,” and it’s a great name to make sure your daughter always shines bright.
19. Yīng (英)
Origin: Chinese
Just like Huā, Yīng means “flower,” but it can also be translated to “wise.”
20. Yī nuò (依诺)
Origin: Chinese
Yī Nuò is a beautiful and popular name that means “following promises.” Teach your daughter the value in honesty and commitment from day one.
21. yí rán (怡然)
Origin: Chinese
Yí Rán, besides for being phonetically pretty, has the lovely meaning of “content” as in happy or satisfied.
22. Yǔ tóng (语桐)
Origin: Chinese
Yǔ Tóng uses the character for “speaking” and the character for the plant Firmiana Simplex, which is valuable in Chinese culture, as its wood is used in many traditional Chinese instruments such as the guqin and guzheng. This is a great name for any nature lover or passionate musician.
23. Yǔ tóng (雨桐)
Origin: Chinese
This is where we really get into the depth of the Chinese Language. Yǔ Tóng has the exact same pronunciation – diacritics and all – as our previous name, but because the first character is different, it has a different meaning! The first character in this name means “rain.”
24. Yǔ xī (语汐)
Origin: Chinese
Yǔ Xī is an elegant and mysterious name that uses the characters for “speaking” and “night tide.” Not every name needs a clear meaning, sometimes they can just sound pretty.
25. Zǐ hán (梓涵)
Origin: Chinese
The last Chinese name on this section of our list, Zǐ Hán is the Chinese name of the Catalpa Tree, and it’s another great name for any nature lover.
Strong Chinese Girl names
It may sometimes feel like there are only strong Chinese baby boy names, and all of the Chinese names for girls lean into a very dainty image of femininity. But there are powerful Chinese female names out there if you know where to look. Here are our favorite strong Chinese baby girl names.
1. chéng yīng (承英)
Origin: Chinese
Chéng Yīng is a powerful Chinese name that uses the characters for “succeed” and “hero.” Your daughter will be nothing short of an icon with this name.
2. chéng xiá (成霞)
Origin: Chinese
Another Chéng name (though it uses a different character) Chéng Xiá uses the symbols for “fully-grown” and “rosy clouds.” Your Chinese girl will be a healthy source of beautiful light.
3. chéng zhǐ (承芷)
Origin: Chinese
Chéng Zhǐ uses the same Chéng from Chéng Yīng, which means “undertake or succeed,” and the character for “angelica,” which is a type of iris plant named after angels. Your daughter will be someone’s guardian angel and offer both physical and spiritual protection with this strong and beautiful name.
4. huì yǒng (卉勇)
Origin: Chinese
Huì Yǒng translates to “brave plant.” Nature has a special place in Chinese culture, and many names come from plants.
5. jiàn (健)
Origin: Chinese
Jiàn is an excellent name for your Chinese baby that means “health.” What’s more important than good health?
6. kuí (魁)
Origin: Chinese
This powerful name literally translates to chief or leader. Raise a Chinese girl boss by naming your daughter Kuí.
7. kuí nà (魁娜)
Origin: Chinese
Kuí Nà starts with the same character as our last name, and combines it with the character for “graceful.” With this name, your daughter will be a graceful chief.
8. méi yǒng (玫勇)
Origin: Chinese
Another flower-themed Chinese name, Méi Yǒng means “brave rose.” With this name, you’ll raise a strong Chinese girl who’s not afraid to show her thorns.
9. qiáng (强)
Origin: Chinese
Qiáng gets straight to the point, and literally means “strength.” It’s typically a boy’s name, but you can give it to Chinese girls as well, especially if you’re raising a Chinese American child, who won’t be surrounded by the same standards around this sort of thing.
10. shí yīng (时英)
Origin: Chinese
Shí Yīng is a lovely name that uses the characters for “time” and “hero.” Your daughter will be a hero of the ages with this name.
11. shuò (硕)
Origin: Chinese
Shuò is a short and simple name that means “great.” There’s no false modesty in this name; tell the world how great your Chinese baby girl is.
12. sì yīng (四英)
Origin: Chinese
The thing about the Chinese character system is sometimes you simply need a character for the sound you want. Sì Yīng literally means “four heroes,” and that name might seem a bit random, but it’s great if you wanted to add something to the name Yīng, or if you have your fourth child on the way.
13. wēi (威)
Origin: Chinese
Another name that’s more direct, Wēi literally means “powerful.” Your daughter will be a force to be reckoned with if you name her Wēi.
14. Wěi lì (伟丽)
Origin: Chinese
While translating Chinese names – especially if they use two or more characters – gets a little tricky, this name could be understood to mean “imposing beauty.” Additionally, it’s the name of the women’s UFC mixed martial arts champion Wěi Lì Zhāng.
15. yīng ēn (英恩)
Origin: Chinese
Possibly my favorite of all of our Chinese names, Yīng Ēn is a beautiful name that literally means “kind hero.” This Chinese name will make your daughter a powerful figure who doesn’t forget to look after the little guy.
16. yīng zhī (英芝)
Origin: Chinese
This name uses the Chinese characters for “hero” and “a divine and religious plant.” If you want a strong name that embraces a love for nature, this is the best choice for you.
17. yí yǒng (怡勇)
Origin: Chinese
Yí Yǒng is a strong and eloquent Chinese name that means “brave harmony.”
18. yǒng (勇)
Origin: Chinese
You’re probably starting to get a sense of the meaning of certain Chinese characters, but Yǒng simply means “brave.”
19. yǒng fèng (勇凤)
Origin: Chinese
Another Chinese name that evokes bravery (it won’t be the last) Yǒng Fèng means “brave joy.”
20. yǒng huā (勇花)
Origin: Chinese
If you’ve been paying attention, you may be able to figure out what this name means on its own. But for those who are stumped, Yǒng Huā translates to “brave flower,” and it’s a lovely name that embraces the strength and bravery of delicateness.
21. yǒng yàn (勇燕)
Origin: Chinese
The last of our “brave” Chinese names for girls (for now,) Yǒng Yàn is a lovely Chinese name that rolls off the tongue and means “brave swallow.”
22. yú chéng (妤承)
Origin: Chinese
Yú Chéng is a lovely name that uses the characters for “beautiful” and “succeed.”
23. zhī chéng (枝成)
Origin: Chinese
Zhī Chéng is a majestic Chinese name that uses the symbols for “branches” and “fully grown.” With this name, your daughter will never stop growing or trying new things.
24. zhuō yīng (卓英)
Origin: Chinese
The last name on this portion of our list to use the character for “hero,” Zhuō Yīng literally translates to “profound hero.” Your daughter won’t be a superficial celebrity with this name, she’ll be a real hero worth admiring.
25. zhuàng (壮)
Origin: Chinese
Zhuàng embraces a certain toughness often missing from Chinese female names, and this name literally means “robust,” or “sturdy.” Raise a girl who knows how to get back up if she gets knocked down.
Short Chinese Girl Names
Nobody wants their daughter to have a name that they’re constantly repeating to everyone that they meet. Short names will be much easier for people to remember, and they have a certain charm to them as well. Plus, it’ll be easier to sternly yell out your daughter’s full name if that’s only two total syllables. If you want to keep things short and sweet, then here are our favorite short Chinese girl names.
1. Ài (爱)
Origin: Chinese
Ài is a popular Chinese name that simply means “love.” Because, as they say, love is all you need. This name also has a certain versatility to it, as it’s also a very popular girl’s name in Japan, and the character is pronounced the same way in both languages.
2. Ǎi (蔼)
Origin: Chinese
Our second name has the same spelling, but that diacritic changes the meaning from “love” to “friendly.” This is one of my favorite short and cute Chinese names for girls.
3. ān (安)
Origin: Chinese
This is a great short Chinese name if you want to lean into your protective parental nature. Ān means “peace” or “safety.”
4. Bái (白)
Origin: Chinese
Bái is a lovely character that can be used as part of a longer name, or as a short mono-syllable name on its own. This character represents “white” or “purity.”
5. Bǎo (宝)
Origin: Chinese
Bǎo is a beautiful Chinese name that literally means “treasure.” Make sure your daughter knows how precious she is. It’s nice that Bǎo is so much shorter than the English word “treasure.”
6. Bō (波)
Origin: Chinese
It’s amazing how such a short name can hold so much meaning. The cute-sounding Chinese name Bō can either mean “ripple,” “storm,” or “wave,” and it’s also the character used for Polish. If you love the water or you have mixed Chinese-Polish heritage, this is the perfect baby name for you.
7. Chén (晨)
Origin: Chinese
Chén is a short and sweet name that means “break of day” or “dawn.” It’s a lovely name for anyone who appreciates the beauty of the sunrise, and, as a little bonus, it’s unisex.
8. Fēn (芬)
Origin: Chinese
Despite the fact that you probably wouldn’t name someone “scent” in English, Fēn is a very popular Chinese name, and it’s perfect if you want something short.
9. Héng (恒)
Origin: Chinese
One of my favorite names on our list, Héng is a regal name that translates to “eternity.” Your daughter will be timeless with this Chinese name.
10. huì (慧)
Origin: Chinese
Huì is the perfect name if you want your daughter to excel academically. This one-syllable name translates to “clever.”
11. Lì (丽)
Origin: Chinese
It doesn’t get much shorter than a name that’s one syllable and only two letters. The brief name Lì translates to “beautiful,” but is much quicker to say than the English translation.
12. lín (林)
Origin: Chinese
Lín is a lovely nature-themed name that means forest, and it’s the perfect Chinese girl name for any hiking fanatic.
13. liǔ (柳)
Origin: Chinese
We’re starting to see how much Chinese culture appreciates nature, greenery, and plants, and Liǔ is a beautiful name that means “willow tree.”
14. Mǐn (敏)
Origin: Chinese
Just like with nature, Chinese culture clearly values cleverness and intelligence, because Mǐn is one of the many Chinese female names on our list that embraces a pursuit of knowledge.
15. míng (明)
Origin: Chinese
Míng is a short name that has almost a dozen different meanings. This Chinese girl name means “bright,” “wise,” and “understanding,” and it’s the character used in the name of the Ming dynasty of Chinese history. This is the perfect name if you want a multifaceted moniker for your Chinese daughter.
16. píng (平)
Origin: Chinese
Though not nearly as multifaceted as Míng, Píng is a beautiful name that translates to “peace.”
17. shàn (善)
Origin: Chinese
Shàn is a cute-sounding name that literally means “good” both in the sense of moral goodness and in the skillful sense of being good at something. With this name, your daughter will be a master of all trades who never forgets to be kind.
18. wén (文)
Origin: Chinese
Yet another one of our Chinese names that embraces intelligence, Wén is the character that represents “literate” and it’s perfect if you have a feeling your daughter will be an inquisitive little bookworm.
19. xī (熙)
Origin: Chinese
Like many Chinese names, Xī offers a lot more meaning in much fewer letters than English ever could, and it translates to “prosperous” or “splendid.”
20. xīn (新)
Origin: Chinese
Xīn is a cute Chinese name that means “new.” After all, what’s newer than having a baby? Embrace the journey of parenthood with baby girl Xīn.
21. xīn (鑫)
Origin: Chinese
Yet another Xīn, with the exact same pronunciation as our last Chinese girls name, but this time around it means “prosperity.” You’ve probably started to realize that a lot of Chinese female names, and Chinese names in general, share meaning, so a lot of it comes down to phonetic preference and other factors. Fun fact: The character for this name is simply the character for “gold” or “money” drawn three times. It’s a guarantee that baby Xīn will be successful.
22. Xiù (秀)
Origin: Chinese
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before, but the Chinese name Xiù does an incredible job of packing a lot of meaning into just one syllable. Xiù can either mean “to grow,” “elegant,” “graceful,” or “refined.” If even one of those meanings resonates with you, then this is a great choice for a baby name.
23. Yǎ (雅)
Origin: Chinese
Like many of our other Chinese names, Yǎ means “elegant.” Yǎ also might just be the shortest name on our list; while all of the Chinese names in this section of our list are one syllable, Yǎ rolls off the tongue the quickest, with the Y consonant flowing perfectly into the A vowel sound.
24. Yàn (燕)
Origin: Chinese
If you have a good memory, and if you’ve been paying attention, you may remember that the word Yàn translates to the swallow bird. This is the perfect name if you want your daughter to be as free as a bird.
25. Zhi (智)
Origin: Chinese
“knowledge” or “wisdom
Long Chinese Girl Names
Since most Chinese girl names are fairly short “long” is a bit of a relative term here. That being said, if you feel that one-syllable names are just too forgettable and you want your baby girl to stand out a little, then we’ve got you covered. All of the Chinese female names on this part of our list contain at least two Chinese characters; that means your daughter’s Chinese name will have double the syllables and double the meaning. Here are our favorite long Chinese girl names.
1. Cǎi hóng (彩虹)
Origin: Chinese
Cǎi Hóng is a unique name that uses a character we haven’t seen yet on this list, and this lovely name translates to “bright rainbow.”
2. Chūn huā (春花)
Origin: Chinese
There’s nothing like that first spring flower to show you that winter is over and it’ll start getting nicer outside. Name your daughter Chūn Huā and she’ll be that “spring flower.”
3. dōng méi (冬梅)
Origin: Chinese
Dōng Méi is an interesting name that literally means “winter plum.” Plum season is usually in the summer, so this name will turn your daughter into a lovely unexpected surprise.
4. jiā huì (佳慧)
Origin: Chinese
Jiā Huì is a great name to teach your daughter that she can have it all and be beauty and brains at the same time. This two-character name means “beautiful intelligence.”
5. jiā lì (佳丽)
Origin: Chinese
Jiā Lì is an emphatic name that uses two different characters for “beautiful” to show that your daughter is twice as beautiful.
6. jiā yí (佳怡)
Origin: Chinese
This name roughly translates to “beautiful harmony” or “pleased beauty.”
7. lán fēn (兰芬)
Origin: Chinese
If you love the smell of nature then this is the perfect baby name for you. Lán Fēn translates to “fragrant orchid.”
8. lì méi (丽梅)
Origin: Chinese
If you want your daughter to know she’s like a lovely fruit bloom, then name her Lì Méi, which means “beautiful plum blossom.”
9. měi lián (美莲)
Origin: Chinese
yet another Chinese name that evokes the beauty of nature, Měi Lián translates to “beautiful lotus flower.”
10. měi qí (美琪)
Origin: Chinese
Měi Qí is the perfect name to show your daughter she’s as beautiful as a precious gem. This name literally means “beautiful jade.” This lovely green stone is mentioned in many Chinese names.
11. Mèng yáo (梦瑶)
Origin: Chinese
Right away, we have another name with the character for “jade.” Mèng Yáo is an esoteric name that uses the characters for “dream” and “jade.”
12. míng zhū (明珠)
Origin: Chinese
Míng Zhū is a lovely longer Chinese name that translates to “glowing pearl.”
13. Mò chóu (莫愁)
Origin: Chinese
Mò Chóu is a great name that can serve as calming advice to your daughter wherever she goes. This moniker literally translates to “don’t worry.”
14. qiǎo huì (巧慧)
Origin: Chinese
Qiǎo Huì is a name that feels longer than its two syllables, and it means “skillful intelligence” or “timely intelligence.” Your daughter’s brain will always be there for her when she needs it most.
15. qíng yí (晴怡)
Origin: Chinese
Qíng Yí is a great name that will help your daughter keep a clear head at all times, as it means “clear harmony.”
16. ruò xuān (若瑄)
Origin: Chinese
Ruò Xuān compares your daughter to the beautiful green gemstone because it literally means “like a jade.” This is the perfect name for a green-eyed baby.
17. xiǎo hu (小慧)
Origin: Chinese
If you want to raise a little overachiever, then you’ll have to name your daughter Xiǎo Hu. This Chinese girl name means “young intelligence”
18. Xīn yán (欣妍)
Origin: Chinese
Xīn Yán is a name that will keep your daughter content on the inside and the outside. This name uses the characters for “happy” and “beautiful.”
19. Xīn yí (欣怡)
Origin: Chinese
Xīn Yí harkens to a deep happiness that isn’t just surface-level joy. This name translates to “happy harmony.”
20. yán yǎ (妍雅)
Origin: Chinese
Yán Yǎ is another emphatically repetitive name that uses the characters for “beautiful” and “elegant.”
21. Yī nuò (一诺)
Origin: Chinese
Pronounced exactly the same as Yī Nuò (依诺), this name has a slightly different meaning, as instead “following promises” it means “one promise.”
22. Yuè liàng (月亮)
Origin: Chinese
This lovely two-character Chinese name translates to “the moon.” As the Chinese calendar is a lunar one, the beautiful moon holds a special place in Chinese culture.
23. Yōu měi (优美)
Origin: Chinese
Another name that uses two characters of very similar meanings, Yōu Měi translates to “elegant” or “graceful.” Your daughter will be the embodiment of class with this name.
24. Yù míng (玉明)
Origin: Chinese
The penultimate name on our list, Yù Míng is a beautiful name that means “clear jade.”
25. Zhǐ ruò (芷若)
Origin: Chinese
The last of our Chinese girl names might be the best, as Zhǐ Ruò is a lovely name that literally means “like angelica,” which in turn means like an angel. This name also has a sound to it that’s sure to help your angelic daughter stand out from the crowd a little bit.
That brings us to the end of our list. We’ve given you 100 lovely Chinese girl names, but we know that you still might not have found what you’re looking for. The beauty of the poetic nature of Chinese is that you can work backward from the meaning you want in your daughter’s name. If there’s a specific character you have in mind, that’s a great jumping off point to find the perfect baby name.
