Here is a list of Chinese names that start with S. 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 S

  • Sēn, 森: Mori (Japanese surname); forest
  • Shàn, 善: good (virtuous); benevolent; well-disposed
  • Shān, 山: mountain; hill; anything that resembles a mountain
  • Shàng, 上: on top; upon; above
  • Shàng, 尚: still; yet; to value
  • Shè, 设: to set up; to arrange; to establish
  • Shēn, 深: deep; depth; deeply
  • Shēn, 申: old name for Shanghai 上海[Shang4 hai3]; to extend; to state
  • Shén, 神: God; deity; soul
  • Shēng, 升: to ascend; to rise to the rank of; to promote
  • Shèng, 圣: holy; sacred; saint
  • Shēng, 声: sound; voice; tone
  • Shēng, 生: to be born; to give birth; life
  • Shèng, 盛: flourishing; vigorous; magnificent
  • Shèng, 胜: victory; success; to beat
  • Shí, 实: real; true; honest
  • Shī, 师: teacher; master; expert
  • Shì, 适: to fit; suitable; proper
  • Shòu, 寿: long life; old age; age
  • Shǒu, 首: head; chief; first (occasion, thing etc)
  • Shǔ, 曙: daybreak; dawn; the dawn of a new epoch (metaphor)
  • Shū, 枢: hinge; pivot
  • Shuài, 帅: handsome; graceful; smart
  • Shuān, 栓: bottle stopper; plug; (gun) bolt
  • Shùn, 顺: to obey; to follow; to arrange
  • Sì, 嗣: succession (to a title); to inherit; continuing (a tradition)
  • Sōng, 嵩: lofty; Mt Song in Henan
  • Sōng, 松: pine; loose; to loosen
  • Sūn, 孙: grandson; descendant
  • Suǒ, 所: actually; place; classifier for houses, small buildings, institutions etc
  • Suǒ, 锁: to lock up; to lock; lock

Trendy Chinese Boy Names Starting with S (2000s)

  • Sēn, 森: Mori (Japanese surname); forest
  • Shàn, 善: good (virtuous); benevolent; well-disposed
  • Shàng, 上: on top; upon; above
  • Shàng, 尚: still; yet; to value
  • Shào, 劭: stimulate to effort
  • Shēn, 深: deep; depth; deeply
  • Shēn, 燊: brisk; vigorous (of fire)
  • Shēn, 珅: a kind of jade
  • Shēn, 申: old name for Shanghai 上海[Shang4 hai3]; to extend; to state
  • Shén, 神: God; deity; soul
  • Shēng, 升: to ascend; to rise to the rank of; to promote
  • Shèng, 圣: holy; sacred; saint
  • Shēng, 声: sound; voice; tone
  • Shèng, 晟: brightness of sun; splendor
  • Shèng, 盛: flourishing; vigorous; magnificent
  • Shèng, 胜: victory; success; to beat
  • Shí, 实: real; true; honest
  • Shī, 师: teacher; master; expert
  • Shì, 适: to fit; suitable; proper
  • Shǒu, 首: head; chief; first (occasion, thing etc)
  • Shǔ, 曙: daybreak; dawn; the dawn of a new epoch (metaphor)
  • Shū, 枢: hinge; pivot
  • Shù, 澍: moisture; timely rain
  • Shuài, 帅: handsome; graceful; smart
  • Shùn, 顺: to obey; to follow; to arrange
  • Shuò, 朔: beginning; first day of lunar month; north
  • Shuò, 硕: large; big
  • Sì, 嗣: succession (to a title); to inherit; continuing (a tradition)
  • Sōng, 嵩: lofty; Mt Song in Henan
  • Sōng, 松: pine; loose; to loosen
  • Sōng, 淞: name of a river in Jiangsu Province
  • Sūn, 孙: grandson; descendant

Chinese Female Given Names Popular in the Past, Starting with S

  • Sà, 飒: sound of wind; valiant; melancholy
  • Sài, 赛: to compete; competition; match
  • Shā, 沙: granule; hoarse; raspy
  • Shā, 莎: katydid (family Tettigoniidae); phonetic “sha” used in transliteration
  • Shān, 姗: to deprecate; lithe (of a woman’s walk); leisurely
  • Shān, 珊: coral
  • Shǎn, 闪: to dodge; to duck out of the way; to beat it
  • Shū, 叔: uncle; father’s younger brother; husband’s younger brother
  • Shū, 淑: warm and virtuous; (used in given names); Taiwan pr. [shu2]
  • Shuāng, 霜: frost; white powder or cream spread over a surface; frosting
  • Sī, 丝: silk; thread; trace
  • Sù, 素: raw silk; white; plain, unadorned
  • Sū, 苏: to revive; Perilla frutescens (Chinese basil or wild red basil); place name

Chinese Girl Names Starting with S Popular Now

  • Sà, 飒: sound of wind; valiant; melancholy
  • Sài, 赛: to compete; competition; match
  • Shā, 莎: katydid (family Tettigoniidae); phonetic “sha” used in transliteration
  • Shān, 姗: to deprecate; lithe (of a woman’s walk); leisurely
  • Shān, 珊: coral
  • Shū, 姝: pretty woman
  • Shū, 淑: warm and virtuous; (used in given names); Taiwan pr. [shu2]
  • Shū, 舒: to stretch; to unfold; to relax
  • Shuāng, 霜: frost; white powder or cream spread over a surface; frosting
  • Sī, 丝: silk; thread; trace
  • Sī, 锶: strontium (chemistry)
  • Sū, 苏: to revive; Perilla frutescens (Chinese basil or wild red basil); place name

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

  • Sān, 三: three; 3
  • Sāng, 桑: mulberry tree
  • Shǎo, 少: few; less; to lack
  • Shào, 绍: to continue; to carry on
  • Sháo, 韶: (music); excellent; harmonious
  • Shè, 社: society; group; club
  • Shèn, 慎: careful; cautious
  • Shěng, 省: to save; to economize; to do without
  • Shì, 世: life; age; generation
  • Shì, 仕: to serve as an official; an official; the two chess pieces in Chinese chess guarding the “general” or “king” 將|将[jiang4]
  • Shí, 十: ten; 10
  • Shì, 士: member of the senior ministerial class (old); scholar (old); bachelor
  • Shī, 施: to grant; to give; to bestow
  • Shí, 时: o’clock; time; when
  • Shí, 石: rock; stone; stone inscription
  • Shǒu, 守: to guard; to defend; to keep watch
  • Shū, 书: book; letter; document
  • Shù, 术: method; technique
  • Shù, 树: tree; to cultivate; to set up
  • Shǔ, 蜀: short name for Sichuan 四川[Si4 chuan1] province; one of the Three Kingdoms 三國|三国[San1 guo2] after the fall of the Han dynasty
  • Shù, 述: to state; to tell; to narrate
  • Shuāng, 双: two; double; pair
  • Shuǎng, 爽: bright; clear; crisp
  • Shuǐ, 水: water; river; liquid
  • Shùn, 舜: Shun (c. 22nd century BC), mythical sage and leader
  • Sì, 四: four; 4
  • Sī, 斯: Slovakia; Slovak; (phonetic)
  • Sòng, 宋: the Song dynasty (960-1279); also Song of the Southern dynasties 南朝宋 (420-479)
  • Sōng, 崧: variant of 嵩[song1]
  • Sòng, 送: to deliver; to carry; to give (as a present)
  • Sòng, 颂: ode; eulogy; to praise in writing
  • Sù, 肃: respectful; solemn; to eliminate
  • Suì, 岁: years old; classifier for years (of age); year
  • Suì, 穗: ear of grain; fringe; tassel
  • Suì, 遂: to satisfy; to succeed; then
  • Suí, 随: to follow; to comply with

Androgynous Chinese Names Starting with S Popular Today

  • Sāng, 桑: mulberry tree
  • Shān, 杉: China fir; Cunninghamia lanceolata
  • Shǎo, 少: few; less; to lack
  • Shào, 绍: to continue; to carry on
  • Shào, 邵: place name
  • Sháo, 韶: (music); excellent; harmonious
  • Shèn, 慎: careful; cautious
  • Shěn, 沈: place name; liquid; to pour
  • Shēn, 莘: long; numerous
  • Shì, 世: life; age; generation
  • Shì, 仕: to serve as an official; an official; the two chess pieces in Chinese chess guarding the “general” or “king” 將|将[jiang4]
  • Shí, 十: ten; 10
  • Shì, 士: member of the senior ministerial class (old); scholar (old); bachelor
  • Shī, 施: to grant; to give; to bestow
  • Shí, 时: o’clock; time; when
  • Shí, 石: rock; stone; stone inscription
  • Shī, 诗: poem; poetry; verse
  • Shǒu, 守: to guard; to defend; to keep watch
  • Shū, 书: book; letter; document
  • Shū, 抒: to express; to give expression to; to relieve
  • Shù, 树: tree; to cultivate; to set up
  • Shǔ, 蜀: short name for Sichuan 四川[Si4 chuan1] province; one of the Three Kingdoms 三國|三国[San1 guo2] after the fall of the Han dynasty
  • Shù, 述: to state; to tell; to narrate
  • Shuāng, 双: two; double; pair
  • Shuǎng, 爽: bright; clear; crisp
  • Shùn, 舜: Shun (c. 22nd century BC), mythical sage and leader
  • Shuò, 烁: bright; luminous
  • Shuò, 铄: bright; to melt; to fuse
  • Sī, 偲: talented; urgent
  • Sī, 司: to take charge of; to manage; department (under a ministry)
  • Sī, 思: to think; to consider
  • Sī, 斯: Slovakia; Slovak; (phonetic)
  • Sòng, 宋: the Song dynasty (960-1279); also Song of the Southern dynasties 南朝宋 (420-479)
  • Sōng, 崧: variant of 嵩[song1]
  • Sòng, 颂: ode; eulogy; to praise in writing
  • Sù, 肃: respectful; solemn; to eliminate
  • Suì, 穗: ear of grain; fringe; tassel
  • Suí, 随: to follow; to comply with

Chinese Last Names Beginning with the Letter S

  • Sā, 撒: let go; to scatter
  • Sài, 赛: to compete; competition
  • Sāng, 桑: mulberry tree
  • Shā, 沙: granule; hoarse
  • Shàn, 单: chieftain; bill
  • Shǎn, 闪: flash; lightning
  • Shān, 山: mountain; hill
  • Shàng, 尚: still; yet
  • Shāng, 商: commerce; consult
  • Shàngguān, 上官: 上: on; up; 官: official; government
  • Shào, 邵: place name
  • Shé, 佘: surname character
  • Shěn, 沈: sink
  • Shēn, 申: 3-5 p.m.; 9th earthly branch
  • Shèng, 圣: holy; sacred
  • Shèng, 盛: to hold; contain
  • Shēng, 生: to be born; to give birth
  • Shí, 时: o’clock; time
  • Shì, 侍: attend on
  • Shǐ, 史: history
  • Shī, 师: a division; teacher
  • Shī, 施: distribute; to do
  • Shòu, 寿: life
  • Shù, 束: bunch; to bind
  • Shū, 舒: relax
  • Shuài, 帅: handsome; graceful
  • Shuāng, 双: two; double
  • Shuì, 税: taxes; duties
  • Shuǐ, 水: water; river
  • Sī, 司: company; control
  • Sī, 思: to think; to consider
  • Sī, 斯: this
  • Sīmǎ, 司马: 司: company; control; 马: horse; horse chess piece
  • Sītú, 司徒: 司: company; control; 徒: apprentice; disciple
  • Sòng, 宋: name of a dynasty
  • Sōng, 松: loose; pine
  • Sù, 宿: lodge for the night; old
  • Sù, 粟: grain; millet
  • Sū, 苏: revive
  • Suí, 隋: name of a dynasty
  • Suí, 随: to follow; to comply with
  • Suī, 眭: evil look of deep-set eyes
  • Sūn, 孙: grandson
  • Suǒ, 索: to search; to demand

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.