How to Write Your Name in Korean: Complete Guide with Conversion Table

Why Write Your Name in Korean?

Writing your name in Hangeul is often the very first thing Korean learners do. It's motivating, fun, and lets you practice the alphabet immediately.

In Korea, your name will be systematically transcribed into Hangeul on documents, hotel reservations, and even your Starbucks order.

The Principle of Transcription

Hangeul is a phonetic alphabet: you transcribe sounds, not letters. The name "Emily" isn't converted letter by letter but by reproducing its pronunciation.

Golden rule: think about how your name sounds, not how it's spelled.

Sound Conversion Table

Consonants

💡 The "V" sound doesn't exist in Korean: it's replaced by ㅂ (B). "Victoria" becomes 빅토리아.

💡 The "F" sound doesn't exist either: it's replaced by ㅍ (P). "Frank" becomes 프랭크.

Vowels

The 30 Most Common English Names

Special Cases

Silent Letters

Many English names have silent letters that shouldn't be transcribed:

• Knight → 나이트 (Naiteu), not 크나이트
• Wright → 라이트 (Raiteu), not 우라이트

The "TH" Sound

Korean doesn't have "th" — it becomes ㅅ (S) or ㄷ (D):

• Thomas → 토마스 (Tomaseu)
• Theo → 테오 (Teo)

How to Create Your Own Transcription

1. Say your name out loud (slowly)
2. Break it into syllables: Em-i-ly, Mi-cha-el, Da-vid
3. Convert each sound using the table above
4. Assemble the blocks in Hangeul

Your Name Not Listed?

On Seonsaengnim, you can ask Prof. Park (available 24/7) to transcribe any name into Hangeul with the exact pronunciation.