Here is a list of Chinese names that start with K. The page includes both family names and given names for boys and girls, along with their translations.

The list is divided into multiple sections. All the names are drawn from the Chinese Name Database (1930–2008), which contains data on over one billion people, nearly everyone born in China during that period. I analyzed the data in several ways:

  • I removed the most uncommon (less than 1 in 100,000) names from the list.
  • I categorized the given names by gender. Male or names are those given to boys or girls more than 75% of the time, while androgynous names appear have a more even distribution.
  • Traditional names were more common in the late 1900s, while modern names are more common with people born in the 2000s.
  • I also added translations to all the names.

How to Use the List of Chinese Names

This list includes the individual characters that appear in Chinese names. In China, the family name comes first (for example, Xi Jinping, 习近平), followed by the given name. While 95% of family names consist of a single character (Xi, 习), given names more often consist of two characters (Jinping, 近平). However, single-character given names are also common.

If you’re using these lists to create a fictional character, you can either use a single-character given name or combine two characters that work together.

You can use the buttons below to jump into different sections:

Traditional Chinese Boy Names That Begin with K

  • Kǎi, 凯: triumphant; victorious; chi (Greek letter Χχ)
  • Kǎn, 侃: upright and honest; cheerful; to chat idly
  • Kāng, 康: healthy; peaceful; abundant
  • Kǎo, 考: to beat; to hit; to inspect
  • Kē, 科: branch of study; administrative section; division
  • Kēng, 铿: (onom.) clang; jingling of metals; to strike
  • Kù, 库: warehouse; storehouse; (file) library
  • Kuān, 宽: lenient; wide; broad
  • Kuàng, 矿: ore; mine
  • Kuí, 奎: crotch; 15th of the 28th constellations of Chinese astronomy
  • Kuí, 魁: chief; head; outstanding
  • Kūn, 坤: one of the Eight Trigrams 八卦[ba1 gua4], symbolizing earth; female principle; ☷
  • Kūn, 昆: used in place names, notably Kunlun Mountains 崑崙|昆仑[Kun1 lun2]; (also used for transliteration); descendant
  • Kūn, 鲲: fry (newly hatched fish); legendary giant fish that could transform into a giant bird 鵬|鹏[Peng2]
  • Kuò, 阔: rich; wide; broad

Trendy Chinese Boy Names Starting with K (2000s)

  • Kǎi, 凯: triumphant; victorious; chi (Greek letter Χχ)
  • Kǎi, 恺: joyful; kind
  • Kǎi, 楷: model; pattern; regular script (calligraphic style)
  • Kǎi, 铠: armor
  • Kǎi, 锴: high quality iron
  • Kāng, 康: healthy; peaceful; abundant
  • Kǎo, 考: to beat; to hit; to inspect
  • Kē, 科: branch of study; administrative section; division
  • Kē, 轲: given name of Mencius
  • Kēng, 铿: (onom.) clang; jingling of metals; to strike
  • Kuān, 宽: lenient; wide; broad
  • Kūn, 坤: one of the Eight Trigrams 八卦[ba1 gua4], symbolizing earth; female principle; ☷
  • Kūn, 昆: used in place names, notably Kunlun Mountains 崑崙|昆仑[Kun1 lun2]; (also used for transliteration); descendant
  • Kūn, 焜: brilliant
  • Kūn, 锟: steel sword
  • Kūn, 鲲: fry (newly hatched fish); legendary giant fish that could transform into a giant bird 鵬|鹏[Peng2]
  • Kuò, 阔: rich; wide; broad

Chinese Female Given Names Starting with K

  • none

There are no common Chinese names that start with K that are usually given to girls.

The reason? In comparison to other consonant sounds, few common Mandarin syllables begin with K. Second, many of the most popular K-characters carry meanings that have traditionally been associated with boys, such as victory (凯) or strength (铠), making them more common in male names.

Chinese Male/Female Names Popular in the 1900s (Letter K)

  • Kǎ, 卡: to stop; to block; (computing) (coll.) slow
  • Kāi, 开: to open; to start; to turn on
  • Kàng, 抗: to resist; to fight; to defy
  • Kè, 克: to be able to; to subdue; to restrain
  • Kǒng, 孔: hole; classifier for cave dwellings
  • Kuài, 快: rapid; quick; speed
  • Kuí, 葵: sunflower
  • Kūn, 琨: (jade)

Androgynous Chinese Names Starting with K Popular Today

  • Kāi, 开: to open; to start; to turn on
  • Kè, 克: to be able to; to subdue; to restrain
  • Kě, 可: can; may; able to
  • Kē, 柯: tree branch; stem; ax handle
  • Kē, 珂: jade-like stone
  • Kǒng, 孔: hole; classifier for cave dwellings
  • Kuài, 快: rapid; quick; speed
  • Kūn, 琨: (jade)

Chinese Last Names Beginning with the Letter K

  • Kāi, 开: open; operate
  • Kàn, 阚: peep
  • Kàng, 亢: overbearing
  • Kāng, 康: peaceful; spongy
  • Kě, 可: can; may
  • Kē, 柯: handle of axe; stem
  • Kǒng, 孔: hole
  • Kòu, 寇: bandit
  • Kuǎi, 蒯: a rush; scirpus cyperinus
  • Kuàng, 况: moreover; situation
  • Kuàng, 旷: waste; wilderness
  • Kuàng, 邝: surname character
  • Kuāng, 匡: correct

About This List

I have made similar lists of Chinese names for all the letters of the alphabet from A to Z. The only letters missing are those that don’t appear as initials in Chinese. 

About Arimo Travels

My website, Arimo Travels, started as a hub for sustainable travel guides. In 2026, I announced that I would stop updating the site. However, I enjoy working on these lists of names from different countries, so I continue to add them quietly.

To some people, spending hours working with Excel spreadsheets and lists might sound incredibly boring. However, I find it very engaging and a great way to unwind after my much more demanding day job as a psychologist.

Besides these lists of Chinese given names and surnames, I have created similar lists for names from many other countries. You can find them all on the Names Around the World page.

When this site still focused on traveling, I wrote one blog post about my past travels in China.