How English names become Korean
Korean writes sounds, not letters. Each Hangul block is one syllable built from a starting consonant, a vowel and sometimes an ending consonant. So 마이클 (Michael) is three blocks: ma, i, keul.
Korean has no f, v, z or th sounds, and very few consonants can end a syllable. Converters fill the gaps with the closest sound and add a soft ㅡ (eu) vowel after consonants that cannot close a syllable. That is why Smith becomes 스미스 (seu-mi-seu).
| English sound | Hangul | Example |
|---|---|---|
| f, ph | ㅍ | Felix → 펠릭스 |
| v | ㅂ | Kevin → 케빈 |
| z | ㅈ | Rose → 로즈 |
| th | ㅅ | Smith → 스미스 |
| l between vowels | ㄹㄹ | Ella → 엘라 |
| r after a vowel | silent | Mark → 마크 |
Why does my name have two spellings?
The National Institute of Korean Language publishes an official loanword standard, marked here as the standard spelling. Many Koreans still use older or more familiar forms, such as 다니엘 instead of 대니얼 for Daniel. Both will be understood.
Is the result exact?
Common names come from a list of standard spellings. Other names are converted by pronunciation rules and are marked as a phonetic estimate, because English spelling does not always match how a name is said.
Can I use this for a tattoo or a signature?
It is a good starting point. For anything permanent, ask a native Korean speaker to check the spelling and how you pronounce your own name.