DATA & STATS

From "Ji-hoon" to "Seo-jun":
Name Evolution (1990-2026)

Fashion changes, and so do names. A "trendy" name from 1995 sounds like a "dad name" today. Let's trace the fascinating history of Korean naming patterns.

MeKorean Culture Team
Verified Author ✍️
Last Updated: Feb 2026
5 min read

πŸ“Ό The 1990s: Strong & Traditional

The "X-Generation". Names were gender-distinct. Boys had strong, successful names. Girls had gentle, pretty names.

Boys Top 3

  1. Ji-hoon (μ§€ν›ˆ)
  2. Hyun-woo (ν˜„μš°)
  3. Sung-min (μ„±λ―Ό)

Girls Top 3

  1. Min-ji (λ―Όμ§€)
  2. Ji-hye (μ§€ν˜œ)
  3. Ji-eun (지은)

πŸ’Ώ The 2000s: The "Sibi" Rise

Names became softer and more unisex. The syllable "Min" and "Seo" started to dominate.

Boys Top 3

  1. Min-jun (λ―Όμ€€)
  2. Hyun-woo (ν˜„μš°)
  3. Dong-hyun (λ™ν˜„)

Girls Top 3

  1. Seo-yeon (μ„œμ—°)
  2. Min-seo (λ―Όμ„œ)
  3. Su-bin (수빈)

πŸ“± The 2010s: The "Jun-Seo" Era

"Seo-jun" became the undisputed king of boy names. "Seo-yeon" reigned for girls. Names became shorter and easier to pronounce globally.

Boys Top 3

  1. Seo-jun (μ„œμ€€)
  2. Min-jun (λ―Όμ€€)
  3. Do-yoon (λ„μœ€)

Girls Top 3

  1. Seo-yeon (μ„œμ—°)
  2. Seo-yun (μ„œμœ€)
  3. Ji-woo (μ§€μš°)

πŸš€ The 2020s & Future: Neutral & Unique

Neutrality is key. Names like "Yi-seo" or "Si-a" are trending. Parents prefer names that sound good in English too (e.g., Ian, Roa).

Boys Top 3

  1. Yi-jun (이쀀)
  2. Seo-jun (μ„œμ€€)
  3. Ha-jun (ν•˜μ€€)

Girls Top 3

  1. Yi-seo (μ΄μ„œ)
  2. Seo-ah (μ„œμ•„)
  3. Ji-ah (μ§€μ•„)

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Sources: Supreme Court of Korea (Annual Name Statistics 1990-2024), Statistics Korea (KOSTAT)

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