Quick answer
In imperial China an educated man commonly had a 名 (míng), the personal name given in childhood and used by parents, elders, and official records; a 字 (zì), the courtesy name adopted at adulthood and used by peers; and often a 号 (hào), a literary or art name he chose himself. Emperors were also remembered by temple, posthumous, or era names. A traditional-style name today keeps the surname-first structure and uses readable characters with virtue or nature meanings.
01
Personal name, courtesy name, and art name
The table gives each figure’s personal name with its Mandarin reading, then the courtesy name and, where well known, the art name or epithet. Calling a social equal by his personal name was considered presumptuous; the courtesy name was the polite form of address.
| Example | Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning / note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Confucius | 孔丘 | Kǒng Qiū | Courtesy name 仲尼 (Zhòngní). 孔子 means “Master Kong”. |
| Laozi | 李耳 | Lǐ Ěr | Traditionally recorded with courtesy name 聃 (Dān); 老子 means “Old Master”. His historical identity is debated. |
| Strategist | 诸葛亮 | Zhūgě Liàng | Courtesy name 孔明 (Kǒngmíng); known by the epithet 卧龙 (Wòlóng), “Sleeping Dragon”. |
| Warlord | 曹操 | Cáo Cāo | Courtesy name 孟德 (Mèngdé). |
| Shu Han ruler | 刘备 | Liú Bèi | Courtesy name 玄德 (Xuándé). |
| General | 关羽 | Guān Yǔ | Courtesy name 云长 (Yúncháng). |
| Calligrapher | 王羲之 | Wáng Xīzhī | Courtesy name 逸少 (Yìshào). |
| Poet | 李白 | Lǐ Bái | Courtesy name 太白 (Tàibái); art name 青莲居士 (Qīnglián Jūshì). |
| Poet | 杜甫 | Dù Fǔ | Courtesy name 子美 (Zǐměi); called himself 少陵野老 (Shàolíng Yělǎo). |
| Poet and official | 苏轼 | Sū Shì | Courtesy name 子瞻 (Zǐzhān); art name 东坡居士 (Dōngpō Jūshì), after the eastern slope he farmed in exile. |
| Poet | 李清照 | Lǐ Qīngzhào | Art name 易安居士 (Yì’ān Jūshì); one of the best-known women writers of the Song dynasty. |
| General | 岳飞 | Yuè Fēi | Courtesy name 鹏举 (Péngjǔ), “the roc rises”, echoing 飞 “to fly”. |
02
How a courtesy name echoed the personal name
A courtesy name usually explained, extended, or balanced the meaning of the personal name, so the two read as a pair.
- 岳飞 “fly” and 鹏举 “the roc rises” describe the same image.
- 诸葛亮 “bright” and 孔明 “very bright” repeat the idea of brightness.
- A birth-order character often appears: 伯 (bó) eldest, 仲 (zhòng) second, 叔 (shū) third, 季 (jì) youngest. Confucius’s 仲尼 marks a second son.
- Art names were freer. Many ended in 居士 (jūshì, “lay devotee”) or named a place, as 东坡 did for Su Shi.
03
Emperors: temple names, posthumous names, and era names
Emperors are rarely remembered by their personal names. Tang and Song emperors are usually called by temple names, such as 唐太宗 (Táng Tàizōng) for 李世民 (Lǐ Shìmín). Ming and Qing emperors are usually called by the name of their reign era: “the Kangxi Emperor” is 玄烨 (Xuányè), and 康熙 (Kāngxī) is his era name, not a personal name.
- An era name dated the years of a reign and was printed on calendars and coins.
- A posthumous name summarized a ruler’s reputation after death.
- For fiction, keep these titles separate from a character’s personal name.
04
Generation names
Many families assigned one shared character to each generation, taken in order from a family generation poem (字辈, zìbèi). Brothers and male cousins of the same generation shared that character, so a name showed a person’s place in the family tree.
- The sons of the Kangxi Emperor shared 胤 (yìn), as in 胤禛 (Yìnzhēn), the future Yongzheng Emperor.
- Descendants of Confucius follow a long generation poem. 孔德成 (Kǒng Déchéng), of the 德 generation, was the 77th-generation heir.
- Some families still use generation characters today, so ask older relatives before choosing a given name.
05
Naming taboos
It was taboo to write or say the personal name of the reigning emperor, and families avoided the personal names of their own elders. Writers replaced the forbidden character with a synonym or left out a stroke.
- During the Tang dynasty, characters from 李世民’s name were avoided; the shortening of 观世音 (Guānshìyīn) to 观音 is often cited as an example.
- Within a family, a child is still usually not given a character from a parent’s or grandparent’s name.
- Naming a child after a living relative, common in English, is generally avoided in Chinese families.
06
What makes a name traditional today
A traditional-style modern name is not ancient or obscure. It follows surname-first order, uses one or two readable given-name characters, and draws on long-established themes such as virtue, learning, nature, and calm.
- Common traditional characters include 德 (virtue), 仁 (benevolence), 文 (culture), 华 (splendor), 明 (bright), 淑 (gentle virtue), 兰 (orchid), and 梅 (plum blossom).
- Some traditional styles now read as typical of a particular generation, such as 淑 or 华 in names given in the mid-twentieth century.
- Avoid rare characters chosen only to look classical; they are hard to read and type.
| Example | Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning / note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtue and culture | 李文华 | Lǐ Wén Huá | Culture and splendor |
| Gentle virtue | 张淑兰 | Zhāng Shū Lán | Virtuous and orchid-like; a classic mid-century style |
| Aspiration | 陈志远 | Chén Zhì Yuǎn | Far-reaching ambition |
| Calm and joy | 刘静怡 | Liú Jìng Yí | Quiet and content |
07
Using ancient-style names today
Courtesy names and art names are no longer part of ordinary naming, and the practice faded during the twentieth century. They remain useful for historical fiction, games, and pen names.
- For a fictional scholar, give a personal name and a matching courtesy name, as in the pairs above.
- Keep titles such as 居士 or era names separate from personal names.
- For a real modern name, a traditional-style name usually reads better than an imitation of an ancient one.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What is a courtesy name?
A 字 (zì), adopted at adulthood, usually around age twenty for men, and used by peers instead of the personal name. It often echoed the meaning of the personal name.
Do Chinese people still have courtesy names?
Rarely. The custom faded during the twentieth century, though some writers and artists still choose pen names or art names.
Are traditional Chinese names the same as ancient names?
No. Ancient naming involved several names per person. A traditional-style modern name is a single surname plus given name that uses long-established themes and readable characters.
Can I use an ancient-style name for a character in fiction?
Yes. Give the character a personal name and, for an educated adult, a courtesy name that echoes it. Match the surname and titles to the period.
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