Chinese name romanization

Mandarin spellings

The spellings on this page follow Mandarin romanization. The label describes how a name is written, not the dialect its bearer speaks: families choose a spelling for many reasons.

Records: 387
Given names: 230
Syllables: 129
Surnames: 28

Other romanizations of the same spellings

Hokkien 20 · 5.2%
Cantonese 14 · 3.6%
Hakka 4 · 1%
Teochew 7 · 1.8%
Mandarin 340 · 88%
Foochow 1 · 0.3%

303 records follow Mandarin only; the rest also match other romanizations. Each record is split equally across its romanizations.

Mandarin spellings as % of each decade’s JPN ‘Cina’ table: highest for boys in the 1990s (8%) and for girls in the 2010s (66%). Shares of spellings, not of people.

Decade	Boy	Girl
1940	5	6
1950	4	4
1960	0	0
1970	0	29
1980	0	45
1990	8	44
2000	0	64
2010	2	66

Spelling patterns: Mandarin beside the other dialects

Character	Hokkien	Cantonese	Hakka	Teochew	Mandarin	Foochow
陳	Tan	Chan, Chun	Chin	Tan, Tang	Chen	Ding, Ting
張	Teo, Tiong, Teoh	Cheong	Chong	Teo	Zhang	Tiong
黃	Ooi, Wee, Ng	Wong	Wong, Bong	Ng	Huang	–
鍾	Cheng	Chung	Chong, Choong, Chung	Cheng	Zhong	–
蘇	Soh, Saw, Soo	Soo	Soo	Soh, Soo	Su	–
鄭	Tay	Cheng	Chang	Tay	Zheng	–
丁	Teng	Ting	–	Teng	Ding	Ding, Ting
宋	Song	Soong, Sung	Soong, Sung	Song	Song	–
譚	Tan, Tham, Thum	Tham	Tham, Thum	Thum	Tan	–
唐	Tong	Tong	Tong	Tang	Tang	–
魏	Wee, Gooi, Gwee	–	Ngwe	Gwee, Ngwe	Wei	–
傅	Poh	Foo, Fu	Foo, Fu	–	Fu	–

Surnames: characters with spellings in at least three romanizations, including Mandarin. From our surname records.

Character	Hokkien	Cantonese	Hakka	Teochew	Mandarin	Foochow
明	Beng, Meng	Ming, Meng	Min	Meng	Ming	Ming
光	Kong	Kwong	Kong	Kwang, Kuan, Kuang	Guang	Kuong
芳	Hong	Fong	Fong	Huang	Fang	Huong
香	Hiong, Heong, Hiang	Heong, Heung	Hiong	Hiang	Xiang	Hiong
文	Boon	Wen, Mun	Voon, Ven	Boon	Wen	–
偉	Wei, Wee, Wooi, Oei, Ooi	Wei, Wai, Wooi	Wee, Wooi, Vee	Wee	Wei	–
怡	Yee, Ee, Eei	Yee, Yi, Eei	Yee, Yii	Yee	Yi	–
志	Chee, Chi	Chee, Chi, Tze	Chee, Chi	Chee	Zhi	–
威	Wei, Wee, Oei, Ooi, Wooi	Wei, Wai	Vee, Wooi	Wee	Wei	–
良	Liang, Leong, Liong	Leong, Leung	Leong, Liong	Liang	Liang	–
亮	Liang, Leong, Liong	Leong, Leung	Leong, Liong	Liang	Liang	–
清	Cheng, Chia, Ching	Ching	Chin	Cheng, Ching	Qing	–

Given-name characters: the syllable spellings in our records for each romanization, including Mandarin.

Surnames in Mandarin spelling

Syllables in Mandarin spelling

Given names in Mandarin spelling60 of 230

Sources

Wikipedia: Pinyin · Mandarin romanization system
Unicode Unihan Database · Mandarin and Cantonese character readings
Source: JPN via data.gov.my (CC BY 4.0) · JPN ‘Cina’ tables

Frequently asked questions

Does someone named Tan speak Mandarin?

Not necessarily. A spelling only shows the romanization followed when the name was registered. It says nothing about anyone’s dialect, origin or background.

How do you decide a spelling is Mandarin?

Each record notes the romanizations that match its characters’ readings (Hanyu Pinyin for Mandarin). 84 of these 387 records also match another romanization.

What do the JPN figures on this page mean?

They are the share of spellings in the JPN ‘Cina’ popular-name tables that follow Mandarin romanization, not a share of people. Source: JPN via data.gov.my (CC BY 4.0).