English Names in Korean: 120 Common Names Written in Hangul

Our top picks for quick answers

• Quick examples: Michael 마이클, Emily 에밀리, David 데이비드, Sarah 세라.
• Names with two spellings in common use: 35 of the 120, marked in the "Everyday variant" column.
• If your name is missing: follow how to write your name in Korean, a five-step method for any name.

English Names in Korean: How This List Works

Each row gives one English first name and four pieces of information about its Korean form:

1. Rule-based spelling: the Hangul form produced by the Loanword Orthography (외래어 표기법), the National Institute of Korean Language's rulebook for foreign words. This is the form to use on official documents when no other spelling exists.
2. Everyday variant: a second spelling that is widely used in daily life, subtitles or brand names. A blank cell means the rule-based spelling is also the everyday one.
3. Rule tag: the main spelling rule the name shows, such as "ㄹㄹ for L" or "V → ㅂ". Tags let you predict the spelling of similar names.
4. Audio: a recording of the rule-based Hangul spelling, so you can hear how Koreans will say the name. Audio plays only when you tap it.

Names are grouped alphabetically in five tables instead of separate boy and girl lists, because many names (Jordan, Taylor, Riley, Alex) are used for everyone, and because the Hangul spelling depends only on sound. Spellings come from Korean loanword orthography, so the next section explains exactly how the names and spellings were chosen.

How Did We Choose the Names and Spellings?

The 120 names were chosen as common English given names across English-speaking countries, with an even spread from A to Z and a deliberate mix of spelling rules. We did not rank names by popularity, because this list is a spelling reference, not a popularity chart, and we do not publish popularity figures we have not measured.

Spellings were chosen with four criteria, in this order of weight:

What this list covers and does not cover: first names pronounced in general English. Surnames, names from other languages and rare spellings follow the same method but are not listed. Spellings reflect standard pronunciation; if your family says your name differently, spell what they say.

Rule-based forms sometimes look unfamiliar to people who know Korean pop culture, because subtitles often use older or American-influenced forms. That difference is explained after the tables, which start with A.

What Do the Rule Tags Mean?

Each rule tag names the spelling rule that shapes a name most. The tags repeat across the list, so learning eight of them lets you predict most English names.

The "Block-by-block reading" column spells each Hangul block in Revised Romanization letters, separated by hyphens. It shows how the Hangul is built, not an exact pronunciation guide: Korean sound-change rules can alter a few blocks in speech, which is why the audio button is the final reference.

Names a to E

Names A to E show the two most frequent patterns in the whole list: ㅐ for the "a" in "cat" (Adam 애덤, Daniel 대니얼) and ㄹㄹ for an L between vowels (Alice 앨리스, Emily 에밀리). Several names here also have well-known everyday variants, such as 아담 for Adam and 알렉스 for Alex, which follow spelling habits rather than the rules.

Two names show special endings: Charles 찰스 keeps an established 스 ending for its final [z] sound, and Elizabeth 엘리자베스 uses both the Z → ㅈ and TH → 스 rules.

Names F to J

Names F to J include most of the missing-sound rules: F → ㅍ in Fiona 피오나 and Jennifer 제니퍼, TH → ㄷ in Heather 헤더, and the ㅣ added after the final "j" sound in George 조지. For a full explanation of these substitutions, see the lesson on F, V, Z and TH.

John 존 and Jack 잭 show that short names often stay a single block, because N and K can sit at the bottom of a block after a short vowel.

Names K to O

Names K to O contain the clearest examples of the weak vowel (schwa, the "uh" sound in unstressed syllables) written as ㅓ: Lauren 로런, Megan 메건, Liam 리엄. Everyday spelling often replaces this ㅓ with ㅏ or ㅔ (로렌, 메간, 리암), which is the single most common source of variant spellings in the list.

Matthew 매슈 is the textbook case of TH → ㅅ; the everyday form 매튜 follows a different pronunciation habit and is very common.

Names P to T

Names P to T show how a final R disappears (Peter 피터 here; Harper 하퍼 and Oscar 오스카 earlier) and how CH becomes ㅊ (Richard 리처드, Rachel 레이철). Sarah is the best-known two-spelling name in Korean: 세라 follows the rules and 사라 is the familiar everyday form.

Sam 샘 is a useful reminder that loanwords use plain ㅅ, not the tense ㅆ, even when the English S sounds strong.

Names U to Z

Names U to Z are dominated by V and W: V becomes ㅂ (Victor 빅터, Vanessa 버네사), and W becomes a glide vowel such as 워, 웨 or 위 (Walter 월터, Wendy 웬디, William 윌리엄). Z becomes ㅈ (Zachary 재커리, Zoe 조이).

Xavier is a hard case: English speakers say it in several ways, so the rule-based form 제이비어 sits next to a widely used form, 자비에르, borrowed from the French and Spanish pronunciation.

Why Do Some Names Have Two Spellings?

Some names have two spellings because three forces pull in different directions: the 1986 rules, established habits, and the pronunciation a writer has in mind. Article 5 of the Loanword Orthography accepts forms "already fixed by long use", which keeps some older spellings alive beside newer rule-based ones.

The variants in the tables follow four patterns:

• Weak vowel as ㅏ instead of ㅓ: 아만다 (Amanda), 리암 (Liam), 메간 (Megan). The rules write the unstressed "uh" as ㅓ; many writers use ㅏ because it looks closer to the English letter A.
• Final D or T without ㅡ: 데이빗 (David). Writers drop the added vowel to make the name shorter; the rule-based form is 데이비드.
• Y-glide after T or D: 매튜 (Matthew), 앤드류 (Andrew). These reflect a "tyoo" or "dryoo" pronunciation that the rules do not use.
• Doubled or changed consonants from other languages: 안나 (Anna), 한나 (Hannah), 엠마 (Emma) echo European spellings rather than English sounds.

Neither form is "wrong" in daily life; the rule-based form is the safer choice in writing that will be checked. So which should you pick?

Which Spelling Should You Pick?

Pick the spelling that matches your purpose:

Expert insight: Koreans recognise both spellings instantly, so consistency matters more than the choice itself. A colleague who sees 세라 on your email and 사라 on your desk sign may think there are two people.

Is Your Name Not on the List?

If your name is not on the list, use the five-step method in how to write your name in Korean. Find a listed name with a similar sound, copy its pattern, then check the ending: a name like Logan follows Megan's ㅓ for the weak vowel (로건), and a name like Kyle follows Paul's final L (카일). Names with F, V, Z or TH use the substitutions in the F, V, Z and TH lesson.

Are Nicknames Written Differently?

Nicknames are written with the same sound rules as full names; each form is simply spelled from its own sound. A short form is not made by cutting blocks off the Hangul full name (Mike is 마이크, not 마이), so if you go by a short form, write it directly from its own sound.

Two patterns stand out. Short forms ending in P, T or K after a short vowel usually become a final consonant instead of gaining ㅡ (Matt 맷), while long-vowel endings gain ㅡ (Mike 마이크, Kate 케이트). The difference comes from the Loanword Orthography's rule for final stops after short vowels.

What Your Name Sounds Like in Korean

Your name will sound more evenly timed in Korean than in English, because Korean gives each block roughly the same length and does not use English-style word stress. Michael in English has a strong first syllable, "MY-kul"; 마이클 is three similar beats, ma-i-keul.

Three effects are worth knowing before you hear your name said by Korean speakers:

1. Added ㅡ syllables are pronounced. Mark 마크 has two beats, and Grace 그레이스 has four.
2. Final R disappears. Peter 피터 ends on an open vowel, which can sound British to American ears.
3. Doubled ㄹㄹ produces a held L. Holly 홀리 has a clear "l" in the middle, closer to English than a single ㄹ would be.

None of these is a mispronunciation; they are the regular Korean form of the name. If you prefer a closer English sound, say your name in English when you introduce yourself and give the Hangul for writing only.

Hardest English Names to Write in Hangul

The hardest English names combine several rules in one word. This table compares eight of them by the rules they need and the error learners make most often.

Which Names Look the Same in Hangul?

Some English names that differ in spelling or origin become identical or nearly identical in Hangul:

• Jack and Zack are both 잭, because Korean has no separate Z.
• Steven and Stephen are both 스티븐; Hangul ignores spelling differences when the sound is the same.
• Sean and Shawn are both 숀.
• Mary and Marie differ: Mary is 메리 and Marie is usually 마리, from the French-style pronunciation.
• Ann and Anna differ by one block: 앤 and 애나.

These pairs are good practice for reading loanwords in Hangul, where context tells you which English word or name is meant. Once you have your spelling, introduce yourself with it; if you would rather have a traditional Korean-style name, compare with Korean names. Whichever you choose, English names in Korean always start from sound, so the audio next to each name is the best final check.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use any spelling I like?

For personal use, yes: a name tag, a gift or a social profile can use whichever spelling you prefer, and Koreans will read it. For official papers, follow the spelling already on your visa or bank records, or the rule-based form if none exists. Whatever you choose, use the same spelling everywhere to avoid confusion.

How do I write a double-barrelled name?

Write each part separately with the steps for single names, then join them with a space or a middle dot. Mary-Jane becomes 메리 제인 or 메리·제인, and Anne-Marie becomes 앤 마리. Korean has no hyphen convention for names, so a space is the most common choice in everyday writing.

What is "John" in Korean?

John is 존 (jon) in Korean. The H is silent, the vowel is written ㅗ, and the final N sits at the bottom of the block, so the name stays one block. The Bible name 요한 is a separate traditional form used in Korean Bibles and churches, not a transliteration of the English pronunciation.

How are Spanish names written in Hangul?

Spanish names use the Spanish chapter of the Loanword Orthography and follow Spanish sounds. Javier becomes 하비에르, José becomes 호세 and Lucía becomes 루시아. A Spanish name spelled with English rules would sound wrong, so always start from how the name is pronounced in Spanish.