308 Cute Korean Cat Names & Meanings

Sino-Korean names take each syllable from a hanja character, so one sound like ha can mean summer (夏) or river (河). I have selected a list of Korean cat names.

List Of Korean Cat Names And Their Meanings:

Nabi

Butterfly (나비), and Koreans have called stray cats over with “nabiya.”

Chorong

Bright, clear (초롱), as in chorong-chorong, sparkling eyes.

Sagwa

‘Apple’ (사과). As 謝過, sagwa is also an apology.

Gom

Bear.

Dambae

Tobacco, a Korean form of Japanese tabako, that comes from Portuguese tabaco.

Byeol

‘Star.’ Genesis 1:16 says ”God made two great lights … He also made the stars.”

Sikhye

Sweet rice punch.

Haetae

A horned lion of Korean myth that guards palaces so they don’t catch fire. In 2008 Seoul made its form Haechi the city symbol.

Gyeran

鷄卵, egg.

Eomuk

Fish cake.

Seo-yeon

From 瑞 (seo), auspicious and 妍 (yeon), beautiful.

Dubu

豆腐, bean curd.

Korean names for black cats:

Name	Meaning	Pronunciation
Kkami	blackie	KAH-mee
Geumeum	moonless night	GUH-mum
Jjajang	fried bean sauce	JAH-jahng
Kkamagwi	“crow”	kah-MAH-gwee
Hyeon	dark, or mysterious	HYUHN
Heugyoseok	obsidian	HUH-gyo-suhk
Gim	“roasted laver.”	GHIM
Eodum	darkness	UH-doom
Ojuk	crow bamboo, in hanja	OH-jook
Yeontan	coal briquette	YUHN-tahn
Chilheuk	“pitch, like lacquer”	CHIL-huhk
Geurimja	it follows you	GUH-rim-jah or kuh-RIM-jah
Haesam	sea cucumber	HEH-sahm
Meokgureum	“ink cloud”	MUHK-goo-rum
Heuk	black, in Sino-Korean	HUHK
Heugimja	ink-colored sesame	HUH-gim-jah

Scroll for more.

Ha-eun

It combines 夏 (ha), summer, and 恩 (eun), kindness and mercy.

Kkul

Honey.

Yaong

Korean meow (야옹). I recommend it for a Korean girl (cat) dont you thinks is nice?

Dal

Moon in Korean and lentils in Hindi.

Gotgam

Dried persimmon (곶감). In a folk tale a tiger hears a mother hush her crying child with the word gotgam.

Hodu

胡桃, “foreign peach,” the walnut. Cheonan bakes it into walnut cakes that are called hodu-gwaja. Save

Saebyeok

“Dawn” (새벽). It is pronounced as seh-BYUK, and is also spelled Saebyuk.

Min-jun

Min-jun is meaning quick and talented (敏俊).

Horangi

Tiger, and Hodori, mascot of the Seoul Olympics actually was a tiger cub.

Seori

Seori (SUH-ree) – Means ‘frost’.

Ppang

Bread, a Korean form of Portuguese pão, which comes from Latin panis.

Ji-woo

It is made of 智, wisdom, and 友, friend.

Bokseunga

Peach (복숭아). Tradition has them chase away spirits.

Seol

雪: snow.

Mandu

Dumpling (饅頭).

Su-ah

秀雅, outstanding and refined.

Gaeguri

Frog.

Bae

“Pear” in Korean and sweetheart in English slang.

Jumong

Mentioned in Samguk Sagi, Jumong (朱蒙) means “good archer” in the Buyeo tongue. He founded Goguryeo.

Ttalgi

‘Strawberry.’

Korean pet names for lovers:

Name	Meaning	Pronunciation
Aein	“sweetheart”	EH-in
Gwiyeomdungi	little cutie	gwee-YUHM-doong-ee
Yeobo	honey, between spouses	YUH-boh
Gaksi	bride	GAHK-shee
Naekkeo	mine, all mine	NEH-kkuh
Wangjanim	prince	WAHNG-jah-nim
Jjakkung	buddy, or partner	JJAHK-koong
Cheonsa	angel, in Korean	CHUHN-sah or chun-SAH
Nanggunnim	“beloved groom”	NAHNG-goon-nim
Aegi	baby	EH-gee
Banjjok	my other half	BAHN-jjok
Jagiya	“darling”	JAH-gee-yah
Seobangnim	husband, archaic	SUH-bahng-nim
Nae Pyeon	always on my side	neh PYUHN
Gongjunim	“princess.”	GONG-joo-nim
Oppa	big brother	OHP-pah
Nae Sarang	my love	neh SAH-rahng

The lsit continues.

Gamja

Potato. I see food words all over Korean cat Instagram and this one is excellent for a chunky cat.

Ye-eun

Art (藝) and silver (銀), or courtesy (禮) and grace (恩).

Mulgae

A seal, from mul, water, and gae, dog.

Sejong

Sejong (世宗) is made of 世, world, and 宗, ancestor. In 1446 King Sejong wrote in his Hunminjeongeum preface: “Our language is different than that of Chinese and is not compatible with the Chinese characters.”

Bori

Bori: Borri is barley (보리).

Haneul

Sky (하늘). It is pronounced as HA-nool and is also spelled Hanul.

Nyang

“Meow,” short version (냥).Save

Gyul

Tangerine (橘), mostly with roots in Jeju.

Kong

Bean. A proverb says beans can grow where beans were planted.

Chunhyang

Chunhyang (“spring fragrance,” 春香) is the girl who waits for her lover in the pansori Chunhyangga.

Bit

“Light.” Genesis 1:3 says: “And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.”

Dodo

“Haughty,” or “aloof.”

Mallang

Squishy, the word for a ripe peach and for a cat belly.

Ssuk

Mugwort (쑥). In the Dangun myth a bear ate mugwort and garlic in a dark cave and after several years he woke up as a woman.

Tae-yang

Sun (太陽), from 太, great, and 陽, yang.

Maneul

Garlic, the other half of Ssuk’s cave diet.Save

Kkachi

Magpie. On Chilseok, magpies and crows make a bridge.

Ga-eun

Beautiful (佳) and grace (恩).

Hobak

Pumpkin.

Seul-gi

It mean wisdom, a native word (슬기) with no hanja.

Jiknyeo

‘Weaver girl’ (織女), the star Vega, and Kkachi helps her over the Milky Way.

Do-yun

way/path.truly/allow

Bungeoppang

Fish bread (붕어빵).

Yuja

Citron (柚子).

Jindallae

Jindallae is pronounced as jin-DAL-leh and is azalea. Kim Sowol’s best-known poem is “Azaleas” and the flower is all over Mount Yeongchwi in Yeosu.

Gureum

‘Cloud’ (구름).

Tteok

Rice cake.

Ju-won

Ju-won (柱元) is pillar and first.

Dokkaebi

Goblin (도깨비). He’s the one with a club that drops gold.

Ori

Duck.Save

Hwarang

花郎, “flower youth,” the Silla corps of noble young men.

Yu-na

Tender (柔) and graceful (娜).

Simcheong

Clear (淸), the given half of 沈淸. Simcheong jumps into the sea to buy back her blind father’s vision.

Ttangkong

A bean that grows under the ground: peanut.

Haebaragi

Sunflower, word for word a sun watcher (해바라기).

Mu

Radish (무).

Insam

人蔘, person root, the ginseng that looks like a tiny man.

Ji-ho

智浩, wisdom and vast.

Kimchi

Fermented cabbage, and in 2013 UNESCO listed kimjang, the autumn kimchi-making.

Gasi

Gasi (가시) is a thorn. Ahn Jung-geun (1879-1910) wrote in his prison calligraphy: “Unless reading everyday, thorns grow in the mouth.”

Golgol

The purr sound. Korean owners call purring golgol-song, a purr song.

Ha-rin

Summer (夏) and jade glow (璘).

Jipsa

執事, butler and Korean cat owners call themselves jipsa.

Seung-woo

勝佑, victory and help. This is also found in the list with Korean boy names.

Gaenari

Forsythia, first yellow of Korean spring.

Kkori

Tail.

Kkukkuk

From kkukkugi (꾹꾹이), kneading.

Sikppang

Loaf bread (식빵)

Mugunghwa

無窮花, flower without end, the hibiscus that is Korea’s national flower. Pronounced moo-GOONG-hwa.

Sujeonggwa

Cinnamon and ginger punch (수정과), and is served cold after a feast.

Gangnam

江南, south of the river. Psy’s Gangnam Style was the first YouTube video to pass one billion views.

Eun-woo

恩宇, grace and universe.

Gumiho

Nine-tailed fox (九尾狐), and in folk tales she eats human livers to become a woman.

Yeou

Fox.

Hallabong

Jeju citrus named after Hallasan, the knob on top is simialr to the mountain.

Seondeok

Pronounced SUN-dok, this Silla choice comes from 善, good, and 德, virtue. If history is your thing, Queen Seondeok was Silla’s first reigning queen.

Bam

Chestnut, roasted on street carts in winter, and this also means night.

Suyeom

Whiskers.

Narae

Wings (나래).

Jelli

Jelly (젤리), Korean cat-owner slang for paw pads.

Gochu

Chili pepper. Families (this is a tradition) hung red peppers on a rope when a son was born.

Omija

五味子, five-flavor berry: sweet, sour, salty, bitter and pungent.

Udo

牛島, cow island.

Si-woo

時雨, timely rain, a Sino-Korean word for rain that has origins in crops.

Ppoppo

Kiss (뽀뽀).

Mi-rae

Future, from 未, not, and 來, come.

Geobuk

Geobuk (거북) is turtle. The turtle ship of Admiral Yi Sun-sin (1545-1598). His last words: “The battle is at its height. Beat my war drums. Do not announce my death.”

Jebi

Swallow.

Soju

燒酒, burned liquor.

Bak

Gourd (박), the plant from Jebi’s seed.

Ingeo

‘Carp.’

Chamoe

Korean melon (참외). Seongju county grows most of them.

A-reum

Beauty, from areumdapda, beautiful.

Dalgona

Honeycomb toffee. In 2020 dalgona coffee went viral.

Ha-jun

夏俊, summer and talented.

Gonggi

Jacks game with five stones (공기).

Hwatu

花鬪, flower battle, a deck of forty-eight cards.

Yut

A four-stick game. Families play yutnori at Seollal.

Okja

玉子, jade child. Bong Joon-ho’s film Okja follows a girl and her giant super-pig from Gangwon mountains to NYC.

Danpung

丹楓, red maple, Korean for autumn leaves.

Seollem

Flutter (설렘).

Jinju

Pearl, from 眞, true, and 珠 is bead.

Mongsil

“Plump,” or “fluffy” (몽실).

Ttolttori

Ttolttori means clever one and is a diminutive of ttolttol, sharp.

Doraji

Bellflower root, the plant in folk song Doraji Taryeong.

Banditbul

Firefly (반딧불).

Jae-won

Rule (宰) and source (源).

Jangseung

Village guardian pole, a wooden post at a village gate.

Ondol

溫突, heated floor.

Gyeoul

Winter.

Hye-jin

慧珍, wise treasure.

Goguma

Sweet potato.

Bingsu

Shaved ice. Patbingsu adds red beans.

Saida

Soda (사이다)

Patjwi

Red bean. Patjwi is the stepsister in Kongjwi Patjwi, Korea’s Cinderella tale, and I’d keep this for a villain cat.

Seong-min

星民, star and people.

Baram

Wind.

Daechu

Jujube (大棗). At pyebaek, parents-in-law toss jujubes and chestnuts for the bride.

Gil-dong

吉童, lucky child. Hong Gil-dong is Korea’s Robin Hood in Heo Gyun’s tale.

Haetsal

Sunlight (햇살).

Kkoma

Little one, kid (꼬마).

Yeot

Taffy (엿). Students get yeot before exams so they “stick” to a university.

Goe

Goe (괴), cat in Middle Korean, a form of goyangi.

Mindeulle

Dandelion.

Su-bin

秀彬, outstanding and refined.

Bulgasari

Bulgasari (불가사리) is the Korean word for starfish, and also an iron-eating monster from folklore.

Ye-rin

Art (藝) and qilin (麟).

Kkakdugi

Cubed radish kimchi.

Dongbaek

冬柏, winter cypress.

Da-eun

Much (多) kindness (恩).

Sonagi

Shower, a sudden summer rain. Hwang Sun-won’s short story Sonagi is about one such rain by a stream.

Baekdu

白頭, white head, a volcano on the border with China, two thousand seven hundred forty-four metres high.

Nuri

World in Korean and light in Turkish.

Tokki

Rabbit.

Hotteok

Sweet pancake with brown sugar inside. It is sold from street carts in winter.

Sasum

Deer.

Chae-won

According to Behind the Name, Chae-won comes from 采, collect, or 彩, colour, with 源, source.

Uyu

牛乳, milk. Binggrae sells banana milk in a jar-shaped bottle.

Eun-seo

Kindness (恩) and a lucky omen (瑞).

Jangdok

Earthenware jar (장독) for soy sauce and kimchi.

Ojingeo

Squid.

Danmuji

Yellow pickled radish, the sweet one in gimbap rolls.

Jeonyeok

“Evening.”

Huimang

‘hope/longing’ (希望)..

Sundae

Blood sausage (순대).

Dae-ho

大虎, big tiger, for a cat that thinks it is one.

Saessak

Sprout.

Gireogi

Symbolizing a marriage for life, wooden geese stand at Korean weddings and Gireogi is wild goose.

Min-ji

敏智, quick and wise.

Juk

Rice porridge (죽).

Kasutera

Sponge cake, a Korean variant of Japanese kasutera, which is from Portuguese pão de Castela.

Ip

Leaf.

Haeng-un

幸運, good luck.

Duruami

Red-crowned crane (두루미).

Bongsunga

Balsam, 鳳仙花 in hanja.

Ssal

Rice, uncooked grain.

Maemi

Cicada.

Ha-yun

Summer (夏) and sunlight (昀).

Hwangto

Yellow earth (黃土).

Gam

Persimmon. Farmers leave a few on the branch as kkachi-bap, magpie food.

Tae-min

泰旼, great and harmony.

Myeolchi

Anchovy.

Jjinppang

Steamed bun (찐빵) with red bean inside.

Achim

Morning.

Dasom

Love, an archaic native word (다솜).

Godeungeo

Mackerel, for a striped tabby.

Yeonhwa

“Lotus flower” (蓮花), or “fireworks” (煙火).

Songpyeon

Half-moon rice cakes for Chuseok.

Songi

Pine mushroom (松栮).

Ji-min

智旻, wisdom and autumn sky.

Jandi

“Grass” or “lawn.”

Ttukbaegi

Clay pot (뚝배기).

Bom

It is spring (봄), and is for a cat which is born in March.

Saeu

Shrimp.

Kyung-soo

景秀, view and outstanding.

Makgeolli

Rice wine.

Kkotgae

Blue crab.

Hyang

香, fragrance.

Mogwa

Quince, 木瓜, tree melon.

Bueongi

Owl.

Sowon

Sowon (所願) is a wish. Kim Gu (1876-1949) wrote in “My Wish” (some scholars give the pen to Lee Kwang-soo): “I want our nation to become the most beautiful nation in the world.”

Seo-jun

瑞俊, lucky omen and talented.

Angae

Angae (AHN-geh/AN-gay) – Means “fog” or “mist”.

Gaemi

Ant.

Yakgwa

藥果, medicine fruit.

Bora

“Purple” in Korean, snow in Albanian, storm in Turkish, and an Adriatic wind in Croatian.

Hana

Hana has different meanings in different languages. In Korean, 하나 is one, the number Koreans count first. In Japanese, 花 is flower, and in Arabic, Hana (هناء) means happiness or bliss. In Czech and Slovak it is a form of Johana, from Hebrew Yochanan, ‘God is gracious’.

Sol

Pine in Korean, sun in Spanish, soil in Romanian, and a musical note in Italian.

Ppiyak

Peep, the chick sound (삐약).

Duduji

Mole.

Jun-ho

俊昊, talented and sky.

Gaeul

Autumn.

Beoseot

Mushroom.

Taegeuk

太極, supreme ultimate. On Korea’s flag the red and blue circle is symbolizing yin and yang.

Na-yeon

娜妍, graceful and beautiful.

Kkum

Dream.

Binyeo

Hairpin.

Gul

Oyster.

Jeolpyeon

Stamped rice cake (절편) which is pressed with a wooden pattern.

Norigae

Tassel charm that is hung from a hanbok jacket.

Gat

Horsehair hat (갓), black and wide-brimmed, and is worn by Joseon scholars.

Bo-mi

寶美, treasure and beauty.

Eoreum

Ice.

Chamsae

Sparrow.

Sunja

順子, obedient child. Sunja is the girl from Yeongdo in Busan, Min Jin Lee’s novel Pachinko.

Geon-woo

建宇, establish and house.

Morae

Sand, for a beige cat.

Byeongari

Chick (병아리).

Nurungji

Scorched rice (누룽지)

Jjimjil

Steam bath heat.

Dol

Stone.

Yeong-ho

永浩, eternal and vast.

Ji-yu

Wisdom (智) and plenty (裕).

Hae

Sun (해), and this also means year.

Kkwabaegi

Twisted doughnut rolled in sugar.

Iri

Wolf 이리.

Cheong

靑, blue-green.

Darami

Squirrel, a pet form of daramjwi.

Bokbunja

覆盆子, overturned bowl, the black raspberry.

Han-gyeol

Steady, from hangyeolgatda, (한결)

Eun-ji

銀池, silver pond.

Maehwa

Here, a Korean choice with Chinese origins and a sunny meaning of “plum blossom” (梅花).

Haenyeo

海女, sea women, Jeju’s free divers, on UNESCO’s list.

Ganjang

Soy sauce.

Hak

鶴, crane, and in Korean painting it is symbolizing long life.

Sae-rom

Newness (새롬).

Maesil

Green plum.

Ye-ji

藝智, art and wisdom.

Goryeo

高麗, high and beautiful. It is also the dynasty that handed English the word Korea.

Noeul

Noeul (NO-eul) – Means ‘sunset glow’.

Jogae

Clam.

Hanbok

Korean dress (韓服). Is there a better pick for a cat with a two-tone coat?

Tteokbokki

Spicy rice cake sticks in red sauce.

Pungseon

Balloon (風船).

Bada

Sea.

Hye-won

惠媛, favor and beauty.

Kkae

Sesame.

Jeom

Dot, spot (점).

Geum

Geum is meaning gold (金).

Beom

Tiger in older Korean (범).

Yeoreum

Summer.

Dalbit

Moonlight (달빛).

Jamjari

Dragonfly.

Kkamjjak

Surprise! (깜짝).

Inyeon

因緣, fate that brings two people together.

Garam

River (가람).

Sigeumchi

Spinach.

Bareun

Upright, correct (바른).

Haengbok

幸福, happiness.

Namsan

南山, south mountain

Jeongwon

庭園, garden.

Yong

龍, dragon.

Bong

鳳, phoenix.

Kkot

Flower names may feel a played out at the moment…. not in Korean, guys. Kkot (꽃) is flower.

Su-min

秀旼, outstanding and harmony.

Busan

釜山, cauldron mountain.

Cheonhyehyang

天惠香, heaven’s grace fragrance.

Seokryu

Pomegranate (石榴).

Podo

Grape.

Danbi

Sweet rain (단비).

Gukhwa

菊花, chrysanthemum.

Subak

Watermelon.

Suryeon

睡蓮, sleeping lotus

Useum

Laughter.

Miso

微笑, smile.

Gippeum

Joy.

Dalpaengi

Snail.

Hwi

Hwi is meaning shine (輝).

Baek

白, white.

Myeong

明, bright.

Bok

Bok is meaning fortune (福).

Daebak

Jackpot (대박).

Jin

眞, true.

Jjang

The best, the boss (짱).

Pongdang

Plop (퐁당).

Aegyo

愛嬌, cute acting.

Dungdung

Floating (둥둥).

Saechim

Coy, prim (새침).

Hanyang

漢陽, Seoul’s Joseon-era name, on the north bank of the Han River.

Dugeun

Thump-thump of a heart (두근).

Gyeongju

慶州, celebration province, Silla’s capital.

Naeil

來日, tomorrow.

Uri

Our, us (우리).

Nun

Snow (눈), the white on Korean winter roofs, and you know this also means eye (noon).

Oneul

Today.

Ssiat

Seed (씨앗).

Namu

Tree.

Banjjak

Sparkle (반짝).

Sup

Forest.

San

山, mountain.

Jogakbo

Patchwork wrapping cloth (조각보).

Hosu

湖水, lake.