Your Name in Korean: Write It in Hangul, Step by Step

Before you start

• Time: 10–15 minutes per name.
• Difficulty: beginner, once you know the letters.
• You need: the 24 basic Hangul letters and the ability to build syllable blocks.
• Helpful: a quick reference of English letters and their Hangul match for Step 2.
• Cost: free; no app required.

How to Write Your Name in Korean: the Short Answer

You write your name in Korean in five steps:

1. Say your name aloud and split it into sounds.
2. Match each sound to a Hangul letter.
3. Add ㅡ (or ㅣ) to consonants that have no vowel after them.
4. Build the syllable blocks.
5. Check the result against the official rules and examples.

Spelling follows sound, not English letters, so "Mark" is 마크: ㅁ + ㅏ for "Ma", then ㅋ + ㅡ for the final "k". The checking rules come from Korean loanword orthography (외래어 표기법), first published by Korea's Ministry of Education in 1986 and maintained by the National Institute of Korean Language (국립국어원). The steps below explain each move with a checkpoint.

Step 1: Say Your Name and Split It into Sounds

Say your name slowly and list its sounds, not its letters. "Thomas" has six letters but only five sounds, [t] [ɒ] [m] [ə] [s], because the H is silent.

• How: say the name three times at normal speed, then once very slowly, tapping a finger for each sound.
• Checkpoint: you'll know it worked when silent letters (the H in Thomas, the E in Kate) are gone from your list.
• Common mistake: listing spelling letters. "Phil" starts with one sound, [f], not P plus H.

Step 2: Match Each Sound to a Hangul Letter

Match each sound to the nearest Hangul letter, using the Loanword Orthography's sound table. Most consonants have a direct match (M → ㅁ, N → ㄴ, K → ㅋ, T → ㅌ, S → ㅅ); vowels match by sound ("ee" → ㅣ, "a" in "cat" → ㅐ, "o" in "go" → ㅗ).

• How: write one Hangul letter under each sound from Step 1.
• Checkpoint: every sound has exactly one letter or one vowel symbol.
• Common mistake: forcing a letter for F, V, Z or TH. Korean has none; use ㅍ, ㅂ, ㅈ and ㅅ/ㄷ. If your name contains F, V, Z or TH, read about sounds Korean does not have.

Step 3: Add ㅡ or ㅣ to Lone Consonants

Add the vowel ㅡ (eu) after any consonant that has no vowel after it and cannot be a final consonant in a block. Korean syllables cannot end in a cluster like "rk" or "st", so the extra vowel creates a new syllable. This inserted vowel is called an epenthetic vowel.

• How: look at the end of the name and at consonant clusters. Final D, G, F, V, S and Z get ㅡ, and so do K, T and P after a long vowel or another consonant: Mark → 마크, Smith → 스미스. After a short vowel, a final p, t or k is written as a bottom consonant instead: Kat → 캣.
• When ㅣ instead: after the sounds "ch", "j" and "sh" at the end, the rule uses ㅣ: George → 조지.
• Checkpoint: the number of blocks equals the spoken syllables plus one block per added ㅡ or ㅣ. Mark has one spoken syllable and one added ㅡ, so two blocks.
• Common mistake: adding ㅡ to N, M, NG or L at the end. These can sit at the bottom of a block: John → 존, Paul → 폴.

Step 4: Build the Syllable Blocks

Build the blocks by placing each consonant and vowel in reading order, starting a new block at every vowel. Each block starts with a consonant; if it starts with a vowel sound, write the silent ㅇ first (Emily → 에밀리).

• How: group letters as consonant + vowel (+ final consonant), then place them in the block shapes.
• Checkpoint: read your blocks aloud; they should sound like your name said slowly.
• Common mistake: writing the L sound between vowels with one ㄹ. For a clear L, use ㄹㄹ: Emily → 에밀리, Holly → 홀리.

Step 5: Check against the Official Rules

Check your spelling against the National Institute of Korean Language's loanword example search (외래어 표기 용례) at korean.go.kr, which lists standard spellings for many names. If your name is not there, compare with similar names on our list of English names in Korean.

• Checkpoint: your spelling matches a listed form, or follows the same rules as a listed name with the same sounds.
• Common mistake: trusting subtitles or fan sites as the standard. They often use popular spellings such as 사라 or 데이빗, which are fine in daily life but are not the rule-based forms.

Worked Examples: Eight Common Names

These eight names show each step and the rule it uses.

Mark is the clearest model: one English syllable becomes two Hangul blocks because Korean cannot end a syllable in "rk". Two child pages go deeper into the hardest parts of this process.

Which Sounds Are Hard to Write in Hangul?

F, V, Z, TH and the difference between R and L are the hardest sounds, because Hangul has no dedicated letters for them. The standard substitutions are ㅍ for F, ㅂ for V, ㅈ for Z, ㅅ for the TH in "think" and ㄷ for the TH in "mother"; R and L both use ㄹ, doubled to ㄹㄹ for an L between vowels.

F, V, Z, TH and R/L in Korean The lesson gives one card per sound with the official rule, three examples with audio and the common error, then practice names such as Fiona (피오나) and Ella (엘라).

Is There a List of English Names in Korean?

Yes: our list gives 120 common English first names in Hangul, grouped A to Z, each with the rule-based spelling, the common everyday variant where one exists, a rule tag and audio.

Common English Names in Korean Use it to check your result from Step 5 or to find a name similar to yours, such as Thomas (토머스, commonly 토마스).

Transliterate, Translate or Choose a Korean Name?

Three different goals hide behind the search "my name in Korean", and each needs a different page:

Where to start: if you only need your name on a card or a gift, follow Steps 1–5. If you want Koreans to call you by a Korean name, read about Korean names instead, because transliteration never produces a Korean-style name.

Should You Use a Korean Name Generator?

A Korean name generator is useful only if you want a new Korean-style name; it does not transliterate your real name. Many generators invent a name from your birthday or initials, which has no link to how your name sounds. For transliteration, the Korean name converter converts an English name to Hangul automatically, and this page teaches you to check its output yourself. Automatic tools can miss rules such as ㄹㄹ for L, so always run Step 5.

Common Mistakes and How to Fix Them

Why Can the Same Name Have Two Spellings?

The same name can have two spellings because Korean has both a rule-based standard and long-established popular forms. Article 5 of the Loanword Orthography allows forms "already fixed by usage" to stand, and everyday writers often follow American pronunciation or older habits. Sarah is 세라 by the rules but 사라 in much everyday use; David is 데이비드 by the rules and 데이빗 informally.

Play Play

Rule of thumb: use the rule-based form for official documents and schoolwork, and pick the form you like for casual use, then keep it consistent. Koreans will understand both.

Honest limits: this method gives a standard spelling, not legal advice. Immigration and banking systems may already hold a Hangul version of your name; if so, use that one. Once your spelling is settled, introduce yourself in Korean with it, or learn to type in Korean so you can write your name on a phone. For other alphabet topics, return to the Korean alphabet hub.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I write my last name in Korean?

Write a last name with the same five steps as a first name: split it into sounds, map each sound, add ㅡ where needed, build blocks and check. Smith becomes 스미스 and Johnson becomes 존슨. On Korean forms, the family name often goes first, so write 스미스 존 if a form asks for surname then given name.

Should I use my nickname or full name?

Use the name people actually call you. Koreans will say whatever you write, so if friends call you Kate rather than Katherine, write 케이트. For official documents such as visas, bank accounts or school records, use the full legal name as spelled on your passport, because those systems match your Hangul name to it.

How do Koreans write Spanish names?

Spanish names follow the Spanish chapter of the Loanword Orthography, not the English one, so they are spelled from Spanish pronunciation. Javier, with a Spanish J that sounds like a strong h, becomes 하비에르, and José becomes 호세. Always transliterate from how the name sounds in its own language, not from English habits.

Can I get my name in Korean checked?

Yes. The most reliable check is the National Institute of Korean Language's loanword example search (외래어 표기 용례) at korean.go.kr, which lists standard spellings for many common names. A Korean-speaking friend or teacher can also confirm what sounds natural. This page does not offer a personal checking service.

How do I type my name on a Korean keyboard?

Add the Korean keyboard (2-beolsik, 두벌식) in your phone or computer settings. Type letters in reading order and the system builds blocks for you: for 마크, type ㅁ ㅏ ㅋ ㅡ. Consonants sit on the left of the keyboard and vowels on the right. Practise with a few names before typing longer text.