What is the Korean Name Romanizer?
The Korean Name Romanizer converts a Korean name into romanized English so you can use it on passports, driver's licenses, EMS international mail, overseas admission and job applications, and contracts. It follows the Revised Romanization of Korean (Ministry of Culture Notice No. 2000-8): each Hangul syllable is decomposed into initial, medial, and final jamo, and each jamo is mapped to its assigned Latin letters. The tool computes this directly from the Unicode syllable-decomposition formula with no dictionary, so any Korean name converts instantly.
Surnames in particular often use a conventional spelling rather than the strict rule (이 → Lee, 박 → Park, 최 → Choi), so the tool also lists the spellings most frequently seen in passport records, ordered by usage frequency. It shows passport (GILDONG HONG), hyphenated (Gil-Dong), spaced, and Western-order formats side by side, and reveals the jamo breakdown transparently so you understand exactly why a name is spelled the way it is. All processing happens in your browser, so the name is never sent to a server.
Key Features
Real-time romanization
Type a Korean name and it is converted instantly via the Revised Romanization rules (jamo decomposition), with the surname and given name split automatically. Compound surnames are detected too.
Recommended surname spellings + frequency
For surnames like 이 → Lee/Yi/Rhee or 박 → Park/Bak, the tool lists candidates ordered by usage frequency. Pick one and it is applied to the results immediately.
Formats by use case
See passport (surname + given, caps), hyphenated (Gil-Dong), spaced, and Western order (given + surname) at once. Toggle name order and letter case as needed.
Transparent syllable breakdown
A table shows each syllable's initial, medial, and final jamo and the romanized output, so you can understand at a glance why it is spelled that way.
How to Use
- Enter the Korean name — Type the name to convert. Surname and given name are split automatically even without spaces (e.g., 홍길동).
- Choose a surname spelling — From the candidates sorted by usage frequency, click the spelling you want (e.g., 이 → Lee).
- Set order and case — Choose surname-first or given-first, and ALL CAPS or Title Case.
- Compare formats — Compare passport, hyphenated, spaced, and Western-order results on one screen.
- Copy the result — Click the copy button next to the spelling you need and paste it into your passport application or overseas documents.
Use Cases
Choosing a passport name
When applying for a first passport, decide an English surname and given name that match your family's spelling. Use the passport-style result (caps, surname first) as a reference for the form.
EMS / international mail
Sending or receiving items abroad requires an English name. Pick a spaced or hyphenated spelling that fits the shipping label format.
Overseas admission & job documents
Check your spelling when you need to use it consistently with your passport on university applications, English resumes, and visa forms.
Flights & hotel bookings
If the spelling on a ticket differs from your passport, boarding or check-in can fail. Verify it matches the passport-style spelling in advance.
Korean Surname Romanization Reference Table
The tables below mirror the surname data built into this converter, comparing the most common passport spellings with the Revised Romanization (RR) forms. The two often differ, as in Kim vs Gim or Lee vs I, so use the selection guide below to decide which spelling fits your situation.
Major Surname Spellings (Kim to Oh)
| Surname | Most Common (Passport) | Revised Romanization | Other Spellings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 김 | Kim | Gim | - |
| 이 | Lee | I | Yi, Rhee, etc. |
| 박 | Park | Bak | Pak |
| 최 | Choi | Choe | Che |
| 정 | Jung | Jeong | Chung, Jong |
| 강 | Kang | Gang | - |
| 조 | Cho | Jo | Joe |
| 윤 | Yoon | Yun | Youn |
| 장 | Jang | Jang | Chang |
| 임 | Lim | Im | Rim |
| 한 | Han | Han | Hahn |
| 오 | Oh | O | Oa |
The most common and alternative spellings match the surname candidates shown by this converter, in the order typically seen in passport statistics.
Major Surname Spellings (Seo to Yang)
| Surname | Most Common (Passport) | Revised Romanization | Other Spellings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 서 | Seo | Seo | Suh |
| 신 | Shin | Sin | - |
| 권 | Kwon | Gwon | - |
| 황 | Hwang | Hwang | - |
| 안 | Ahn | An | - |
| 송 | Song | Song | - |
| 전 | Jeon | Jeon | Jun, Chun |
| 홍 | Hong | Hong | - |
| 유 | Yoo | Yu | Ryu, You |
| 고 | Ko | Go | Koh, Goh |
| 문 | Moon | Mun | - |
| 양 | Yang | Yang | - |
Revised Romanization forms follow the official 2000 rules and match the syllable breakdown shown in this tool.
Spelling Selection Guide
| Situation | Recommended | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First passport application | Match family spelling | Different surname spellings can complicate family verification at immigration |
| Passport already issued | Use the exact passport spelling | Flights, visas, and overseas documents must match the passport |
| Flight and hotel booking | Passport style (CAPS, surname first) | Boarding or check-in may be a problem if the name differs from the passport |
| EMS and international mail | Passport spelling or spaced style | Customs and delivery checks go smoother when it matches your ID |
| English resume or SNS profile | Hyphenated style (Gil-Dong) or free choice | For informal use you can simply pick the most readable spelling |
| No existing spelling to follow | Revised Romanization (RR) | The official standard, so it stays consistent across documents |
Passport names are hard to change once registered, so confirm with the official passport guidelines before finalizing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use this result directly as my passport name?
It's fine as a reference, but it is not an official spelling. This tool suggests the most common romanization based on the Revised Romanization of Korean. Because a passport name is difficult to change later and families usually keep one consistent surname spelling, match it to your family and existing documents first, then confirm with the official passport guidance.
My surname is ‘이’ — why do Lee, Yi, and Rhee all appear?
Strictly by the romanization rules ‘이’ is ‘I’, but on passports Lee is overwhelmingly the most common, with Yi and Rhee also used. So the tool lists candidates by usage frequency and also shows the rule-based spelling. If your family already uses a spelling, keep it consistent with that.
Are batchim / consonant-assimilation sound changes applied?
For passport names, MOFA recommends NOT reflecting sound changes such as consonant assimilation or palatalization, and this tool follows the same approach, joining each syllable's spelling as written. For example, ‘학년’ is written ‘Haknyeon’ as spelled, not as pronounced.
Why does the passport format put the surname first and in capitals?
Korean passports record the Surname and Given name separately, and the romanized name is typically shown in capitals. That's why the passport result appears surname-first and uppercase, like GILDONG HONG. Use the exact same spelling on flight tickets so boarding goes smoothly.
Is the name I type sent to a server?
No. All conversion happens entirely in your browser. The name you enter is never sent to a server, stored, or collected, so you can use it without privacy concerns.
Do compound surnames or single-syllable given names work?
Yes. Common compound surnames such as 남궁, 제갈, 선우, 황보, 사공, and 독고 are detected automatically and split off as the surname, and single-syllable given names (e.g., 김민) convert correctly. You can type the surname and given name together and it will split them for you.
Privacy Notice
This Korean Name Romanizer processes every conversion entirely within your browser. The name you enter is never sent to a server, stored, or collected, and no external API is called. You can romanize sensitive personal data such as names with confidence.