An independent educational product for exploring Chinese names, pronunciation, characters, and cultural context.
ChineseNameGuide Public Evidence Registry
The public entry point for recorded Chinese-name exploration.
ChineseNameGuide provides educational tools and reference material for exploring Chinese names, Mandarin pronunciation, characters, surnames, and cultural context. Use the English name and preferences to retrieve candidates from the recorded name and character datasets. Review each candidate's Hanzi, pronunciation, meaning, and available source details before choosing one. Continue into a focused analysis tool; saving remains optional and requires an account only at that point.
Turn an English identity into Chinese name candidates with meanings and pronunciation.
Chinese Name Generator is a currently enabled public tool that turn an English identity into Chinese name candidates with meanings and pronunciation. Its results are classified as data_backed; those labels keep recorded data, traditional lenses, and creative output distinct. Use the English name and preferences to retrieve candidates from the recorded name and character datasets. Review each candidate's Hanzi, pronunciation, meaning, and available source details before choosing one. Continue into a focused analysis tool; saving remains optional and requires an account only at that point.
Product identity, editorial ownership, and public boundaries.
ChineseNameGuide presents itself as an independent educational product for exploring Chinese names, pronunciation, characters, and cultural context.
Editorial responsibility and correction ownership.
Published editorial pages identify the ChineseNameGuide Editorial Desk as the accountable reviewer unless a separately verified author is named.
Editorial archive with explicit publication gates.
Legacy journal articles remain outside the indexable article sitemap until their claims, sources, and authorship pass the current editorial contract.
Browsable character, reading, meaning, radical, and stroke records.
The character library exposes recorded character data and keeps missing or ambiguous evidence visible rather than treating it as a negative quality score. Unicode documents that ideograph readings and definitions vary across language, time, place, and word context, so character records must not be treated as definitive whole-name interpretations.
Public corrections, withdrawals, and review-state changes.
The legacy journal archive was removed from the indexable sitemap pending claim, source, and authorship review.
Direct answers about name structure, evidence, scores, and product boundaries.
The FAQ states that pronunciation, meaning, source coverage, tone, and traditional interpretations answer different questions and are not combined into one synthetic quality score. Library of Congress Pinyin guidance writes a family name separately and joins the syllables of a multi-syllable given name for cataloging consistency. A character-level reading or English gloss does not by itself determine the pronunciation or meaning of a complete name.
Controlled vocabulary for naming, language data, and evidence labels.
The glossary defines the principal language, naming, and evidence terms used across ChineseNameGuide.
A source-aware process from intended use to contextual review.
The guide separates purpose, name form, surname boundary, pronunciation, character evidence, complete-name sound, and contextual review instead of collapsing them into one score. Library of Congress Pinyin guidance writes a family name separately and joins the syllables of a multi-syllable given name for cataloging consistency. A character-level reading or English gloss does not by itself determine the pronunciation or meaning of a complete name.
How Chinese Names Travel Across Cultures
An editorial framework for separating origin, formation, usage, and script context.
The guide treats name origin, formation, usage, and script context as separate questions when describing cross-cultural names.
A classroom route through evidence, translation, institutions, and cross-cultural names.
The classroom pack organizes twelve published scholar dossiers into an instructional route about changing evidence and scholarly practice.
Orientation to the changing methods and institutions of sinology.
The guide presents sinology as a changing set of language, textual, historical, material, and social-scientific practices rather than one fixed discipline.
A thematic route through transregional and comparative approaches.
This guide groups source-reviewed dossiers around approaches that place China in comparative, connected, or global history.
A thematic route through archaeology, art, manuscripts, and material evidence.
This guide groups source-reviewed dossiers around material objects used as historical and scholarly evidence.
A thematic route through textual and lived religious traditions.
This guide groups source-reviewed dossiers around the study of religious texts, institutions, and practice.
A thematic route through translation as scholarly method.
This guide groups source-reviewed dossiers around translation as an interpretive and scholarly practice.
The publication, evidence-grade, and interpretation rules used by the site.
The editorial method separates recorded data, traditional interpretation, and creative suggestion, and prevents D- and E-grade claims from being published as verified facts.
A. C. Graham is a major figure in the history of Chinese studies, with work spanning language and philology, social history. This dossier distinguishes the person's scholarship from what can—and cannot—yet be verified about the Chinese name.
A. C. Graham is represented in the source dossier as a major figure in language and philology, social history.
Arthur Waley is a major figure in the history of Chinese studies, with work spanning translation, literature, language and philology. This dossier distinguishes the person's scholarship from what can—and cannot—yet be verified about the Chinese name.
Arthur Waley is represented in the source dossier as a major figure in translation, literature, language and philology.
Bernhard Karlgren is a major figure in the history of Chinese studies, with work spanning literature, language and philology, history. This dossier distinguishes the person's scholarship from what can—and cannot—yet be verified about the Chinese name.
Bernhard Karlgren is represented in the source dossier as a major figure in literature, language and philology, history.
David Hawkes is a major figure in the history of Chinese studies, with work spanning translation, literature. This dossier distinguishes the person's scholarship from what can—and cannot—yet be verified about the Chinese name.
David Hawkes is represented in the source dossier as a major figure in translation, literature.
Denis Twitchett is a major figure in the history of Chinese studies, with work spanning history. This dossier distinguishes the person's scholarship from what can—and cannot—yet be verified about the Chinese name.
Denis Twitchett is represented in the source dossier as a major figure in history.
Édouard Chavannes is a major figure in the history of Chinese studies, with work spanning translation, religion and philosophy, language and philology, history. This dossier distinguishes the person's scholarship from what can—and cannot—yet be verified about the Chinese name.
Édouard Chavannes is represented in the source dossier as a major figure in translation, religion and philosophy, language and philology, history.
Henri Maspero is a major figure in the history of Chinese studies, with work spanning religion and philosophy, history. This dossier distinguishes the person's scholarship from what can—and cannot—yet be verified about the Chinese name.
Henri Maspero is represented in the source dossier as a major figure in religion and philosophy, history.
Herbert A. Giles is a major figure in the history of Chinese studies, with work spanning literature, religion and philosophy, language and philology, history. This dossier distinguishes the person's scholarship from what can—and cannot—yet be verified about the Chinese name.
Herbert A. Giles is represented in the source dossier as a major figure in literature, religion and philosophy, language and philology, history.
Jacques Gernet is a major figure in the history of Chinese studies, with work spanning religion and philosophy, language and philology, science and technology, social history. This dossier distinguishes the person's scholarship from what can—and cannot—yet be verified about the Chinese name.
Jacques Gernet is represented in the source dossier as a major figure in religion and philosophy, language and philology, science and technology, social history.
James Legge is a major figure in the history of Chinese studies, with work spanning translation, literature, religion and philosophy. This dossier distinguishes the person's scholarship from what can—and cannot—yet be verified about the Chinese name.
James Legge is represented in the source dossier as a major figure in translation, literature, religion and philosophy.
Jean-Pierre Abel-Rémusat is a major figure in the history of Chinese studies, with work spanning literature, language and philology, history. This dossier distinguishes the person's scholarship from what can—and cannot—yet be verified about the Chinese name.
Jean-Pierre Abel-Rémusat is represented in the source dossier as a major figure in literature, language and philology, history.
John King Fairbank is a major figure in the history of Chinese studies, with work spanning history, science and technology, global connections, social history. This dossier distinguishes the person's scholarship from what can—and cannot—yet be verified about the Chinese name.
John King Fairbank is represented in the source dossier as a major figure in history, science and technology, global connections, social history. 费正清 is the Chinese-language form documented by the cited name-specific source. Bestowed by Liang Sicheng; documented in biographical accounts of the Fairbanks in China. John King Fairbank lived 1907—1991.
Jonathan Spence is a major figure in the history of Chinese studies, with work spanning literature, history, global connections. This dossier distinguishes the person's scholarship from what can—and cannot—yet be verified about the Chinese name.
Jonathan Spence is represented in the source dossier as a major figure in literature, history, global connections. 史景迁 is the Chinese-language form documented by the cited name-specific source. Bestowed by Fang Chao-ying; the account is preserved in a published interview. Jonathan Spence lived 1936—2021.
Joseph Needham is a major figure in the history of Chinese studies, with work spanning science and technology, global connections, social history. This dossier distinguishes the person's scholarship from what can—and cannot—yet be verified about the Chinese name.
Joseph Needham is represented in the source dossier as a major figure in science and technology, global connections, social history.
Kenneth Pomeranz is a major figure in the history of Chinese studies, with work spanning global connections, social history. This dossier distinguishes the person's scholarship from what can—and cannot—yet be verified about the Chinese name.
Kenneth Pomeranz is represented in the source dossier as a major figure in global connections, social history.
Kristofer Schipper is a major figure in the history of Chinese studies, with work spanning religion and philosophy. This dossier distinguishes the person's scholarship from what can—and cannot—yet be verified about the Chinese name.
Kristofer Schipper is represented in the source dossier as a major figure in religion and philosophy.
Marcel Granet is a major figure in the history of Chinese studies, with work spanning translation, literature, religion and philosophy, history. This dossier distinguishes the person's scholarship from what can—and cannot—yet be verified about the Chinese name.
Marcel Granet is represented in the source dossier as a major figure in translation, literature, religion and philosophy, history.
Mark Elvin is a major figure in the history of Chinese studies, with work spanning history, material culture, science and technology, global connections. This dossier distinguishes the person's scholarship from what can—and cannot—yet be verified about the Chinese name.
Mark Elvin is represented in the source dossier as a major figure in history, material culture, science and technology, global connections.
Martin Kern is a major figure in the history of Chinese studies, with work spanning literature. This dossier distinguishes the person's scholarship from what can—and cannot—yet be verified about the Chinese name.
Martin Kern is represented in the source dossier as a major figure in literature.
Martino Martini is a major figure in the history of Chinese studies, with work spanning history, material culture. This dossier distinguishes the person's scholarship from what can—and cannot—yet be verified about the Chinese name.
Martino Martini is represented in the source dossier as a major figure in history, material culture.
Matteo Ricci is a major figure in the history of Chinese studies, with work spanning religion and philosophy, language and philology, history, material culture. This dossier distinguishes the person's scholarship from what can—and cannot—yet be verified about the Chinese name.
Matteo Ricci is represented in the source dossier as a major figure in religion and philosophy, language and philology, history, material culture.
Michael Loewe is a major figure in the history of Chinese studies, with work spanning religion and philosophy, history, material culture. This dossier distinguishes the person's scholarship from what can—and cannot—yet be verified about the Chinese name.
Michael Loewe is represented in the source dossier as a major figure in religion and philosophy, history, material culture.
Miyazaki Ichisada is a major figure in the history of Chinese studies, with work spanning history, global connections, social history. This dossier distinguishes the person's scholarship from what can—and cannot—yet be verified about the Chinese name.
Miyazaki Ichisada is represented in the source dossier as a major figure in history, global connections, social history.
Naitō Konan is a major figure in the history of Chinese studies, with work spanning history, social history. This dossier distinguishes the person's scholarship from what can—and cannot—yet be verified about the Chinese name.
Naitō Konan is represented in the source dossier as a major figure in history, social history.
Nikita Bichurin is a major figure in the history of Chinese studies, with work spanning translation, language and philology. This dossier distinguishes the person's scholarship from what can—and cannot—yet be verified about the Chinese name.
Nikita Bichurin is represented in the source dossier as a major figure in translation, language and philology.
Patricia Buckley Ebrey is a major figure in the history of Chinese studies, with work spanning religion and philosophy, history, material culture, social history. This dossier distinguishes the person's scholarship from what can—and cannot—yet be verified about the Chinese name.
Patricia Buckley Ebrey is represented in the source dossier as a major figure in religion and philosophy, history, material culture, social history.
Paul Demiéville is a major figure in the history of Chinese studies, with work spanning literature, religion and philosophy, language and philology. This dossier distinguishes the person's scholarship from what can—and cannot—yet be verified about the Chinese name.
Paul Demiéville is represented in the source dossier as a major figure in literature, religion and philosophy, language and philology.
Paul Pelliot is a major figure in the history of Chinese studies, with work spanning religion and philosophy, language and philology, history, global connections. This dossier distinguishes the person's scholarship from what can—and cannot—yet be verified about the Chinese name.
Paul Pelliot is represented in the source dossier as a major figure in religion and philosophy, language and philology, history, global connections.
Peter C. Perdue is a major figure in the history of Chinese studies, with work spanning history, global connections, social history. This dossier distinguishes the person's scholarship from what can—and cannot—yet be verified about the Chinese name.
Peter C. Perdue is represented in the source dossier as a major figure in history, global connections, social history.
Philippe Couplet is a major figure in the history of Chinese studies, with work spanning translation, religion and philosophy, history. This dossier distinguishes the person's scholarship from what can—and cannot—yet be verified about the Chinese name.
Philippe Couplet is represented in the source dossier as a major figure in translation, religion and philosophy, history.
Richard Wilhelm is a major figure in the history of Chinese studies, with work spanning translation, religion and philosophy. This dossier distinguishes the person's scholarship from what can—and cannot—yet be verified about the Chinese name.
Richard Wilhelm is represented in the source dossier as a major figure in translation, religion and philosophy.
Roel Sterckx is a major figure in the history of Chinese studies, with work spanning religion and philosophy, language and philology, history, science and technology. This dossier distinguishes the person's scholarship from what can—and cannot—yet be verified about the Chinese name.
Roel Sterckx is represented in the source dossier as a major figure in religion and philosophy, language and philology, history, science and technology.
Roger T. Ames appears in the extended index for work in religion and philosophy.
Roger T. Ames is represented in the reviewed source as a scholar working in religion and philosophy. 安乐哲 is the Chinese-language form documented by the cited name-specific source. Ames explained the name and its Analects allusion in an interview.
A two-level research index of cross-cultural names and the history of sinology.
The Atlas contains 112 research index records and exposes 38 source-reviewed dossiers as indexable person pages.
Stanislas Julien is a major figure in the history of Chinese studies, with work spanning translation, literature, religion and philosophy, language and philology. This dossier distinguishes the person's scholarship from what can—and cannot—yet be verified about the Chinese name.
Stanislas Julien is represented in the source dossier as a major figure in translation, literature, religion and philosophy, language and philology.
Stephen Owen appears in the extended index for work in literature.
Stephen Owen is represented in the reviewed source as a scholar working in literature. 宇文所安 is the Chinese-language form documented by the cited name-specific source. Self-chosen; directly explained by Owen in a recorded interview. Stephen Owen lived 1946—2026.
Thomas Francis Wade is a major figure in the history of Chinese studies, with work spanning language and philology. This dossier distinguishes the person's scholarship from what can—and cannot—yet be verified about the Chinese name.
Thomas Francis Wade is represented in the source dossier as a major figure in language and philology.
Timothy Brook is a major figure in the history of Chinese studies, with work spanning history, material culture, global connections. This dossier distinguishes the person's scholarship from what can—and cannot—yet be verified about the Chinese name.
Timothy Brook is represented in the source dossier as a major figure in history, material culture, global connections.
Wm. Theodore de Bary is a major figure in the history of Chinese studies, with work spanning religion and philosophy, social history. This dossier distinguishes the person's scholarship from what can—and cannot—yet be verified about the Chinese name.
Wm. Theodore de Bary is represented in the source dossier as a major figure in religion and philosophy, social history.
Current commercial availability and waitlist state.
The live pricing page is the authoritative first-party source for whether paid access is open and which offers are currently available.
Browse classic, modern, and neutral ideas when you want an unexpected starting point.
Random Name is a currently enabled public tool that browse classic, modern, and neutral ideas when you want an unexpected starting point. Its results are classified as data_backed; those labels keep recorded data, traditional lenses, and creative output distinct. Choose a length or style filter, or leave the controls neutral for a broad sample. The service draws from recorded candidate names and returns pronunciation and meaning data when available. Treat every draw as a starting point and use the analysis tools to inspect ambiguity or missing records.
Browsable surname records, including verified compound-surname routes.
The surname library exposes recorded surname forms and keeps compound surnames distinct from single-character surnames when the underlying record supports that boundary.
Directory of currently enabled tools and their access states.
The tools directory is generated from the registry used for routes, availability, access level, result classification, and SEO state.
Explore a clearly labeled traditional BaZi lens for a name and birth chart.
Four Pillars Name Match is a currently enabled public tool that explore a clearly labeled traditional BaZi lens for a name and birth chart. Its results are classified as traditional; those labels keep recorded data, traditional lenses, and creative output distinct. Confirm a local civil date, optional time, and IANA timezone before calculating the limited Four Pillars chart. Derive stems, branches, Day Master, and element counts, omitting the hour pillar when time is unknown. Compare recorded name-element labels with the chart as a traditional entertainment lens, without predictions.
Explore traditional Wu Xing associations without treating missing elements as deficiencies.
Five Elements Snapshot is a currently enabled public tool that explore traditional Wu Xing associations without treating missing elements as deficiencies. Its results are classified as traditional; those labels keep recorded data, traditional lenses, and creative output distinct. Look up each character's reviewed Five Elements (Wu Xing) mapping and its method version. Count only mapped characters; disputed or missing mappings remain unknown and lower confidence. Describe the resulting distribution as a traditional association without diagnosing a personal deficiency.
Review character meanings, readings, data coverage, and potential ambiguity.
Chinese Name Analyzer is a currently enabled public tool that review character meanings, readings, data coverage, and potential ambiguity. Its results are classified as data_backed; those labels keep recorded data, traditional lenses, and creative output distinct. Normalize the Hanzi, confirm the surname boundary, and let you choose a reading when a character is polyphonic. Join recorded character, surname, pronunciation, stroke, and meaning data into separate evidence-backed dimensions. Keep missing or ambiguous records visible as warnings instead of replacing them with a synthetic overall score.
Turn a name, pinyin, and meaning into a shareable cultural keepsake.
Name Badge Studio is a currently enabled public tool that turn a name, pinyin, and meaning into a shareable cultural keepsake. Its results are classified as creative; those labels keep recorded data, traditional lenses, and creative output distinct. Load or edit the name, pinyin, meaning line, and optional English name used by the artwork. Render the badge from deterministic templates so Hanzi placement and export dimensions remain predictable. Create a standard branded PNG publicly, or use Pro for premium layouts, HD, unbranded, and print options.
Choose a surname and one or two given-name characters deliberately.
Custom Name Builder is a currently enabled public tool that choose a surname and one or two given-name characters deliberately. Its results are classified as data_backed; those labels keep recorded data, traditional lenses, and creative output distinct. Search the real surname and character records rather than a browser-only sample list. Select a surname and one or two given-name characters while reviewing their recorded readings and meanings. Open the completed name in Analyzer or Tone & Rhythm for source coverage and pronunciation checks.
Bring the analyses you choose into a calm, printable name record.
Name Passport is a currently enabled public tool that bring the analyses you choose into a calm, printable name record. Its results are classified as data_backed, traditional; those labels keep recorded data, traditional lenses, and creative output distinct. Choose only the modules you want to include, then run those deterministic analyses for the current name. Label every section as Data-backed, Traditional lens, or Creative interpretation and retain its method version. Preview and print the HTML document; an optional enabled AI layer may add prose but cannot alter the facts.
See Mandarin tone contours, sound repetition, and the traditional Ping and Ze pattern.
Tone & Rhythm is a currently enabled public tool that see Mandarin tone contours, sound repetition, and the traditional Ping and Ze pattern. Its results are classified as data_backed, traditional; those labels keep recorded data, traditional lenses, and creative output distinct. Use the confirmed pinyin readings to derive numbered tones and stable visual contours. Check repeated tones, neighboring initials and finals, and likely reading friction as separate observations. Show level and oblique tones (Ping and Ze) as a traditional lens, not as a scientific quality score.
Unicode Standard Annex #38: Unicode Han Database
Pinyin romanization guidelines: personal names
Fairbank's Chinese name and Liang Sicheng
Jonathan D. Spence, renowned scholar of Chinese civilization
Translating Chinese philosophy on its own terms
Stephen Owen on his self-chosen Chinese name