# Transliteration of names



## Christhiane

Since learning how to read Hangul (the alphabet), I've realised that many names are being transliterated quite a bit differently than what I would expect.

An example is the surname 이, which is transliterated to Lee. 

Is this because names are originally Hanja characters? And does anyone know where I might find any guidlines about the transliteration of Korean names?


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## glaspalatset

Whether to transliterate 이 in last name into Lee or Yi is a controversial one and some linguists argue that it should be Yi which is more close to the actual prononcuation, rather than conventional Lee (which most of us would prefer to use now).

There are guidelines, but there is no rule that enforces how each word should transliate to Roman alphabet. Korean English name is what you write down when you first go to apply for your passport for the first time.

You might want to check out this Wikipedia article named "Korean names"

Hope this helps.


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## Christhiane

감사함니다. It helped. =)


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## yiying

If my name is Kung Yi Ying in English, how I translate it??
Can anyone help me??
If you know what is my name in korean, you may send to my mail

Thank you very very much...
Kamsahamnida!!


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## nhk9

킁이잉 --> keung (y)i (y)ing

But if your name is of Chinese? origin, you can always look up the Korean pronunciation for the characters in your Chinese? name individually.


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## branchsnapper

Most surnames were often transliterated before the new system of the year 2000, and people had their names that way on official documents etc, and became used to them. Therefore they often still correspond to other older systems, or the whim of the individual. Common ones are:

이 Lee, Rhee, Yi (A single "I" is very uncommon)
김 Kim
문 Moon
최 Choi
박 Park


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