Here is a list of Chinese names that start with W. 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 W
- Modern Male Chinese Names that Start with W
- Traditional Female Chinese Names that Start with W
- Modern Female Chinese Names that Start with W
- Traditional Male/Female Chinese Names that Start with W
- Modern Male/Female Chinese Names that Start with W
- Chinese Family Names that Start with W
Traditional Chinese Boy Names That Begin with W
- Wàn, 万: ten thousand; a great number
- Wàng, 旺: prosperous; flourishing; (of flowers) blooming
- Wāng, 汪: expanse of water; ooze; (onom.) bark
- Wěi, 伟: big; large; great
- Wèi, 位: position; location; place
- Wěi, 委: to entrust; to cast aside; to shift (blame etc)
- Wēi, 威: power; might; prestige
- Wèi, 尉: military officer
- Wèi, 渭: the Wei River in Shaanxi through the Guanzhong 關中|关中 plain
- Wěi, 纬: latitude; woof (horizontal thread in weaving); weft
- Wǔ, 伍: squad of five soldiers; to associate with; five (banker’s anti-fraud numeral)
- Wǔ, 午: 7th earthly branch: 11 a.m.-1 p.m., noon, 5th solar month (6th June-6th July), year of the Horse; ancient Chinese compass point: 180° (south)
- Wǔ, 武: martial; military
Trendy Chinese Boy Names Starting with W (2000s)
- Wàn, 万: ten thousand; a great number
- Wàng, 旺: prosperous; flourishing; (of flowers) blooming
- Wāng, 汪: expanse of water; ooze; (onom.) bark
- Wěi, 伟: big; large; great
- Wèi, 位: position; location; place
- Wēi, 威: power; might; prestige
- Wèi, 尉: military officer
- Wèi, 渭: the Wei River in Shaanxi through the Guanzhong 關中|关中 plain
- Wěi, 炜: glowing; bright; brilliant
- Wěi, 纬: latitude; woof (horizontal thread in weaving); weft
- Wǔ, 午: 7th earthly branch: 11 a.m.-1 p.m., noon, 5th solar month (6th June-6th July), year of the Horse; ancient Chinese compass point: 180° (south)
Chinese Female Given Names Popular in the Past, Starting with W
- Wǎn, 晚: evening; night; late
- Wān, 湾: bay; gulf; to cast anchor
- Wěi, 尾: tail; remainder; remnant
- Wēi, 微: ancient Chinese state near present day Chongqing; Taiwan pr. [Wei2]; tiny
- Wēi, 薇: Osmunda regalis, a species of fern; Taiwan pr. [wei2]
Chinese Girl Names Starting with W Popular Now
- Wǎn, 婉: graceful; tactful
- Wǎn, 宛: winding; as if
- Wǎn, 晚: evening; night; late
- Wǎn, 琬: ensign of royalty
- Wēi, 微: ancient Chinese state near present day Chongqing; Taiwan pr. [Wei2]; tiny
- Wēi, 薇: Osmunda regalis, a species of fern; Taiwan pr. [wei2]
- Wén, 玟: veins in jade
- Wén, 纹: line; trace; mark
- Wén, 雯: multicolored clouds
Chinese Male/Female Names Popular in the 1900s (Letter W)
- Tuán, 团: round; lump; ball
- Wá, 娃: baby; doll
- Wài, 外: outside; in addition; foreign
- Wǎi, 崴: to sprain (one’s ankle)
- Wàng, 望: full moon; to hope; to expect
- Wáng, 王: king or monarch; best or strongest of its type; grand
- Wéi, 为: as (in the capacity of); to take sth as; to act as
- Wèi, 卫: vassal state during the Zhou Dynasty (1066-221 BC), located in present day Henan and Hebei Provinces; to guard; to protect
- Wéi, 唯: -ism; only; alone
- Wéi, 围: to encircle; to surround; all around
- Wēi, 巍: lofty; towering; Taiwan pr. [wei2]
- Wèi, 慰: to comfort; to console; to reassure
- Wèi, 未: not yet; did not; have not
- Wěi, 玮: (reddish jade); precious; rare
- Wéi, 维: to preserve; to maintain; to hold together
- Wěi, 苇: reed; rush; Phragmites communis
- Wèi, 蔚: Artemisia japonica; luxuriant; resplendent
- Wéi, 韦: soft leather
- Wèi, 魏: name of vassal state of Zhou dynasty from 661 BC in Shanxi, one of the Seven Hero Warring States; Wei state, founded by Cao Cao 曹操, one of the Three Kingdoms from the fall of the Han; the Wei dynasty 221-265
- Wén, 文: language; culture; writing
- Wēn, 温: warm; lukewarm; temperature
- Wěn, 稳: settled; steady; stable
- Wèn, 问: to ask
- Wǔ, 五: five; 5
- Wú, 吴: area comprising southern Jiangsu, northern Zhejiang and Shanghai; name of states in Southern China at different historical periods
- Wú, 吾: I; my (old)
- Wǔ, 舞: to dance; to wield; to brandish
Androgynous Chinese Names Starting with W Popular Today
- Wǎi, 崴: to sprain (one’s ankle)
- Wǎn, 皖: abbr. for Anhui Province 安徽省[An1 hui1 Sheng3]
- Wàng, 望: full moon; to hope; to expect
- Wáng, 王: king or monarch; best or strongest of its type; grand
- Wéi, 为: as (in the capacity of); to take sth as; to act as
- Wéi, 唯: -ism; only; alone
- Wéi, 惟: -ism; only
- Wèi, 慰: to comfort; to console; to reassure
- Wèi, 未: not yet; did not; have not
- Wěi, 玮: (reddish jade); precious; rare
- Wéi, 维: to preserve; to maintain; to hold together
- Wěi, 苇: reed; rush; Phragmites communis
- Wēi, 葳: luxuriant
- Wèi, 蔚: Artemisia japonica; luxuriant; resplendent
- Wéi, 韦: soft leather
- Wèi, 魏: name of vassal state of Zhou dynasty from 661 BC in Shanxi, one of the Seven Hero Warring States; Wei state, founded by Cao Cao 曹操, one of the Three Kingdoms from the fall of the Han; the Wei dynasty 221-265
- Wén, 文: language; culture; writing
- Wèn, 汶: Wen River in northwest Sichuan (same as 汶川); classical name of river in Shandong, used to refer to Qi 齊國|齐国
- Wēn, 温: warm; lukewarm; temperature
- Wěn, 稳: settled; steady; stable
- Wèn, 问: to ask
- Wén, 闻: to hear; news; well-known
- Wú, 吴: area comprising southern Jiangsu, northern Zhejiang and Shanghai; name of states in Southern China at different historical periods
- Wú, 吾: I; my (old)
- Wú, 无: not to have; no; none
- Wǔ, 舞: to dance; to wield; to brandish
Chinese Last Names Beginning with the Letter W
- Wàn, 万: ten thousand; a great number
- Wǎn, 宛: similar; winding
- Wáng, 王: king; Wang
- Wàng, 望: hope; expect
- Wāng, 汪: expanse of water; ooze
- Wéi, 韦: soft leather
- Wèi, 位: position; location
- Wèi, 卫: to guard; to protect
- Wèi, 尉: milit. official; to quiet
- Wèi, 未: 1-3 p.m.; 8th earthly branch
- Wèi, 魏: name of a dynasty
- Wěi, 隗: eminent; lofty
- Wēi, 危: danger; to endanger
- Wén, 文: language; culture
- Wén, 闻: hear; sniff at
- Wēn, 温: warm; to review
- Wēng, 翁: elderly person
- Wú, 吴: province of Jiangsu
- Wú, 毋: no; not
- Wǔ, 仵: opponent
- Wǔ, 伍: associate with; five
- Wǔ, 武: martial; military
- Wū, 乌: a crow; black
- Wū, 巫: witch
- Wū, 邬: ancient place name
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.