Here is a list of Chinese names that start with N. 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 Male Chinese Names that Start with N
- Modern Male Chinese Names that Start with N
- Traditional Female Chinese Names that Start with N
- Modern Female Chinese Names that Start with N
- Traditional Male/Female Chinese Names that Start with N
- Modern Male/Female Chinese Names that Start with N
- Chinese Family Names that Start with N
Traditional Chinese Boy Names That Begin with N
- Néng, 能: can; to be able to; might possibly
- Niú, 牛: ox; cow; bull
- Nóng, 农: peasant; to farm; agriculture
Trendy Chinese Boy Names Starting with N (2000s)
- Néng, 能: can; to be able to; might possibly
- Nóng, 农: peasant; to farm; agriculture
Chinese Female Given Names Popular in the Past, Starting with N
- Nà, 娜: (phonetic na); used esp. in female names such as Anna 安娜[An1 na4] or Diana 黛安娜[Dai4 an1 na4]
- Nà, 纳: to receive; to accept; to enjoy
- Nà, 那: that; those; then (in that case)
- Nān, 囡: child; daughter
- Nèn, 嫩: tender; soft; delicate
- Nī, 妮: girl; phonetic “ni” (in female names); Taiwan pr. [ni2]
- Nǐ, 旎: fluttering of flags
- Niū, 妞: girl
- Nóng, 浓: concentrated; dense; strong (smell etc)
- Nǚ, 女: female; woman; daughter
- Nuǎn, 暖: warm; to warm
Girl Names Starting with N Popular Now
- Nī, 妮: girl; phonetic “ni” (in female names); Taiwan pr. [ni2]
- Nǐ, 旎: fluttering of flags
- Ní, 霓: Japanese cicada; secondary rainbow
- Níng, 凝: to congeal; to concentrate attention; to stare
- Niū, 妞: girl
- Nóng, 浓: concentrated; dense; strong (smell etc)
- Nuǎn, 暖: warm; to warm
Chinese Male/Female Names Popular in the 1900s (Letter N)
- Nǎi, 乃: to be; thus; so
- Nán, 南: south
- Nán, 楠: Machilus nanmu; Chinese cedar; Chinese giant redwood
- Nán, 男: male; Baron, lowest of five orders of nobility 五等爵位[wu3 deng3 jue2 wei4]
- Ní, 尼: Buddhist nun; (often used in phonetic spellings)
- Nián, 年: year; grain; harvest (old)
- Niàn, 念: to read; to study (a subject); to attend (a school)
- Níng, 宁: peaceful; to pacify; to visit (one’s parents etc)
Androgynous Chinese Names Starting with N Popular Today
- Nǎi, 乃: to be; thus; so
- Nán, 南: south
- Nán, 楠: Machilus nanmu; Chinese cedar; Chinese giant redwood
- Nán, 男: male; Baron, lowest of five orders of nobility 五等爵位[wu3 deng3 jue2 wei4]
- Ní, 倪: (literary) small child; limit; bound
- Ní, 尼: Buddhist nun; (often used in phonetic spellings)
- Nián, 年: year; grain; harvest (old)
- Niàn, 念: to read; to study (a subject); to attend (a school)
- Níng, 宁: peaceful; to pacify; to visit (one’s parents etc)
- Níng, 柠: lemon
- Nuò, 诺: to consent; to promise; (literary) yes!
Chinese Last Names Beginning with the Letter N
- Nà, 纳: to accept; to pay
- Nǎ, 那: how; which
- Nán, 南: south
- Ní, 倪: boundary; edge
- Ní, 尼: Buddhist nun
- Nián, 年: year
- Niàn, 念: read aloud; to read aloud
- Niè, 聂: whisper
- Níng, 宁: peaceful; rather
- Niú, 牛: ox; cow
- Niǔ, 钮: button
- Nóng, 农: agriculture
- Nuó, 娜: elegant; graceful
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.
- Names that Start with A
- Names that Start with B
- Names that Start with C
- Names that Start with D
- Names that Start with E
- Names that Start with F
- Names that Start with G
- Names that Start with H
- Names that Start with J
- Names that Start with K
- Names that Start with L
- Names that Start with M
- Names that Start with N
- Names that Start with O
- Names that Start with P
- Names that Start with Q
- Names that Start with R
- Names that Start with S
- Names that Start with T
- Names that Start with U
- Names that Start with W
- Names that Start with X
- Names that Start with Y
- Names that Start with Z
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.