Yesterday I discovered the “Asian Name Pronunciation Guide,” which was created by California State Polytechnic University (Pomona) to help its students “more accurately pronounce some common Asian first and last names.” What a cool thing for the school to make available.
There are pages for names in Cambodian, Cantonese, Filipino, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Thai and Vietnamese. Best of all, most pages include audio files of native speakers correctly pronouncing selected names.
Here are all the first names listed:
Cambodian First Names & Pronunciations
- Bopha, bohpah
- Chanda, chahndah
- Chandarith, chahnrit
- Chhoun, choo-en
- Dara Khan, dahrah kahn
- Khan, kahn
- Kosal, kohsahl
- Kunthea, kunt-hee-ah
- Lai, lah-ee
- Lun Ang, loom-ang
- Maly, mahlee
- Map, mahp
- Moeuk, mew
- Pean, pee-in
- Phalla, pahlah
- Phireak, pee-re
- Poew, pohew
- Rith, rit
- Ry, ree
- Sarit, sahrit
- Srey, sray
- Soas, soo-uh
- Socheat, sohjee-et
- Soeun, sew-in
- Sok, sawk
- Somally, sawmahlee
- Sopea, sohpeeah
- Sophal, sohpahl
- Sophat, sohpaht
- Sophea, sohpeeah
- Sopheap, sohpee-up
- Suon, soo-in
- Theary, t-ih-ree
- Thy, tee
- Tren, trayng
- Vanna, wahnah
- Vannak, wahnak
- Vantha, wahntah
- Veng Kim, wayng kum
- Vuthy, wootee
Cantonese (Chinese) First Names & Pronunciations
- Chi-Kung, chee-kahng
- Chi-Man, chee-mahn
- Ka-Ling, gah-leeng
- Kok-Wing, kaw-wing
- Lai-Ying, ly-ying
- Mei-Yee, may-yee
- Pui-Pui, puhyee-pahyee
- Sau-Ha, sow-han
- Shuk-Yee, suh-yee
- Sin-Feng, sin-fuhng
- Siu-Kao, seeyoo-kayoo
- Tak-Wah, duh-wah
- Wai-Keung, wy-kuhung
- Wai-Ling, wy-ling
Filipino First Names & Pronunciations
- Adelaide, ahdelydah
- Angelita, ahngheleetah
- Annal, ahnah
- Antonio, ahntoneeyo
- Aunor, awnor
- Carlo, karlo
- Catalina, kahtahleena
- Dakila, dahkeelah
- Dalisay, dahleesy
- Diego, deeyaygo
- Floricel, florreesel
- Gemma, jemah
- Guillermo, geelyermo
- Honesto, ohnesto
- Irma, irmah
- Isabel, eesahbel
- Ligaya, leegahyah
- Liwayway, leewaiwai
- Luningning, looningning
- Lourdes, lordess
- Magdalena, mahgdahleena
- Manuel, mahnoowel
- Maria, mahreeyah
- Maricar, mahrikahr
- Miguel, meegel
- Norma, normah
Indonesian First Names & Pronunciations
Female Names
- Ade, ada
- Devi, day (silent y)-vee
- Dewi, day (silent y)-we
- Erlin, arleen
- Fanny, funny
- Farida, fareeda
- Glenna, glenna
- Harjanti, harjantee
- Hartanti, hartantee
- Ida, eda
- Inge, enge
- Lanny, lunny
- Leony, leony
- Liana, leeana
- Liani, leeanee
- Ratna, rutna
- Shinta, shinta
- Siska, sisca
- Sri, seri
- Sucianty, soocianty
- Susanti, soosantee
- Utami, utami
- Vera, vera
- Verawati, verawatee
- Veronika, veronica
- Widya, wedya
- Widyawati, wedyawati
- Yanti, yunti
- Yenny, yenny
- Yulia, yoolia
- Yuliana, yooleeana
- Yuliani, yooleeanee
Male Names
- Ade, ada
- Adi, adee
- Agus, agoos
- Ari (Ary), ari
- Bambang, bumbung
- Benny, banny
- Budi, boodee
- Deddy, deddy
- Djaja (Djaya, Jaya), jaya
- Doddy, doddy
- Hadi, hudee
- Hadian, hudeean
- Hamdani, hamdani
- Handoko, handoko
- Hartono, hartono
- Hendra, hendra
- Hendri, hendori
- Hengki (Hengky), hanki
- Herman, herman
- Indra, endra
- Irwan, erwan
- Ivan, evan
- Iwan, ewan
- Johan, johan
- Ridwan, ridwan
- Sonny, sonny
- Sudirman, soodirman
- Sudomo, soodoomo
- Sugiarto, soogiarto
- Suharto, sooharto
- Suhendra, soohendra
- Sukarno, sookarno
- Suparman, sooparman
- Surya, soorya
- Suryadi, sooryadee
- Susanto, soosanto
- Teguh, taguh
- Yandi, yundee
- Yohanes, yohanes
Japanese First Names & Pronunciations
Female Names
- Akiko, a-ki-o
- Etsuko, eh-tsu-ko
- Hiroko, he-ro-ko
- Hiromi, he-ro-me
- Junko, june-ko
- Kaoru, ka-o-ru
- Kazuko, ka-zu-ko
- Keiko, keh-ko
- Kuniko, koo-ni-ko
- Kyoko, kyoh-ko
- Mariko, ma-ri-ko
- Masako, ma-sa-ko
- Michiko, me-chi-ko
- Miho, me-ho
- Miki, me-ki
- Miyuki, me-you-ki
- Naoko, na-o-ko
- Noriko, no-lee-ko
- Reiko, reh-ko
- Sachiko, sa-chi-ko
- Takako, ta-ka-ko
- Tomoko, to-mo-ko
- Yoko, yoh-ko
- Yoshiko, yo-shi-ko
- Yuki, you-ki
- Yumi, you-me
- Yumiko, you-me-ko
Male Names
- Akio, a-ki-o
- Akira, a-ki-ra
- Hideo, hi-de-o
- Hiroshi, hi-ro-sih
- Ichiro, e-chi-roh
- Junichi, june-e-chi
- Kazuo, ka-zu-o
- Kenji, ken-ji
- Kiyoshi, ki-yo-shi
- Koichi, ko-e-chi
- Koji, ko-ji
- Makoto, ma-ko-toh
- Osamu, o-sa-mu
- Shigeru, shi-ge-ru
- Shinichi, shin-e-chi
- Shiro, shi-ro
- Susumu, su-su-mu
- Tadashi, ta-da-shi
- Takao, ta-ka-o
- Takashi, ta-ka-shi
- Takeo, ta-ke-o
- Takeshi, ta-ke-shi
- Toru, toh-ru
- Tsutomu, tsu-to-mu
- Yoshio, yo-shi-o
- Yuji, you-ji
- Yutaka, you-ta-ka
Korean First Names & Pronunciations
Female Names
- Eun-A, euna
- Eun-Hee, eunhee
- Eun-Ju, eunju
- Eun-Jung, eunjung
- Eun-Kyoung, eunkyoung
- Eun-Mi, eunmi
- Eun-Su, eunsu
- Eun-Sun, eunsun
- Eun-Young, eunyoung
- Hye-Su, hiesu
- Hyun-Ja, hyunja
- Hyun-Ju, hyunju
- Hyun-Jung, hyunjung
- Hyun-Young, hiuniung
- Jin-Sook (Jing-Suk), jinsuk
- Kun-Sun, keunsun
- Kyoung-Mi, kyungmi
- Min-Hee, minhee
- Min-Hoe, minhoe
- Min-Jung, minjung
- Min-Young, miyoung
- Mi-Kyoung, mikyoung
- Mi-Sun, misun
- Mi-Young, miyoung
- Na-Young, nayoung
- Sang-Hee, sang/hee
- Sang-Mi, sangmi
- So-Young, soyoung
- Sun-Hee, sunhee
- Su-Jung, sujung
- Young-Hee (Yung-Hee), young-hee
- Young-Ja, youngja
- Young-Mi, youngmi
- Yun-Hee, iunhee
Male Names
- Chang-Ho, changho
- Chang-Su, changsu
- Chang-Uk, chang-uk
- Dong-Min, dongmin
- Dong-Uk, dong-uk
- Du-Ho, doho
- Hyun-Su, hyeonsu
- In-Ho, inho
- Jang-Ho, jangho
- Ja-Hoon, jahoon
- Jong-Cheol (Jong-Chul), jongchul
- Jong-Pil, jongpil
- Jong-Su, jongsu
- Jung-Hee, jeonghi
- Jung-Hun (Jung-Hoon), jeonghun
- Jung-Yeol, jung yeol
- Ki-Hoon (Ki-Hun), kihun
- Kwang-Ho, kuangho
- Man-Su, mansu
- Min-Ho, minho
- Min-Ki, minki
- Min-Kyu, minkiu
- Min-Su, minsu
- Sang-Ho, sangho
- Sang-Ki, sangki
- Sang-Kyu, sangkiu
- Sang-Min, sangmin
- Suk-Chul, sukchul
- Sung-Uk, sung-uk
- Yong-Su, youngsu
- Young-Ho, young-ho
- Young-Il, young-il
- Young-Min, youngmin
- Young-Su, youngsu
Mandarin (Chinese) First Names & Pronunciations
- Chien, chee-en
- Chiu, cheeoo
- Di, dee
- Du-Wah, doo wah
- Fah, fah
- Fong, fong
- Jinho, rinho
- Jong, rong
- Ki, kee
- Kwai, kwai
- Lai-Ching, ly ching
- Len, len
- Li-Li, lee lee
- Liang, lee ang
- Li-Kung, lee kung
- Lin, lin
- Ling, ling
- Li-Sheng, lee sheng
- Mei, may
- Riu, ree oo
- Soon, suhn
- Sung, sung
- Wah-Tai, wah tahee
- Wang, wang
- Yung-Ling, yung leeng
- Zhuo-Shing, choh sheeng
Thai First Names & Pronunciations
Female Names
- Amporn, um-porn
- Areya, ar-ree-ya
- Budsaba, bud-sa-ba
- Chompoo, chom-poo
- Chompunut, chom-ou-nut
- Duangrat, duang-rat
- Intira, in-ti-ra
- Jutharat, ju-ta-rat
- Korrakoj, kor-ra-kod
- Krittiga, krit-ti-ga
- Nattaporn, nat-ta-porn
- Nuntida, nun-ti-da
- Orapan, or-ra-pun
- Ornanong, on-a-nong
- Patsaporn, pud-sa-porn
- Pim, pim
- Porntip, porn-tip
- Pradtana, prad-ta-na
- Premwadee, prem-wa-dee
- Preyanutch, pre-ya-nut
- Promporn, prom-porn
- Sangrawee, sang-ra-wee
- Sinee, si-nee
- Sirirat, si-ri-rat
- Sunisa, su-ni-sa
- Suttida, soot-ti-da
- Suwattanee, su-wat-ta-nee
- Tidarat, to-da-rat
- Utumporn, au-tum-porn
- Vipada, wi-pa-da
- Yada, ya-da
Male Names
- Adirake, a-di-rake
- Akkarat, aek-ka-rat
- Chaowalit, chaow-wa-lit
- Chayond, cha-yond
- Chuan, chuan
- Jettrin, jet-trin
- Kiettisuk, kiet-ti-suk
- Kittikorn, kit-ti-korn
- Krit, krit
- Ned, nade
- Niwat, ni-wat
- Nontawat, non-ta-wat
- Pairote, pai-rote
- Paradorn, pa-ra-dorn
- Petch, petch
- Pongrit, pong-rit
- Pracha, pra-cha
- Prakorb, pra-korb
- Pramod, pra-mote
- Prasopchai, pra-soap-chai
- Sakchai, suk-chai
- Sarawut, sa-ra-wut
- Songpole, song-pole
- Sunya, sun-ya
- Surat, su-rat
- Suttipong, sut-ti-pong
- Thongchai, tong-chai
- Tuksin, tuk-sin
- Udom, au-dom
- Vit, wit
- Winai, wi-nai
- Worrawut, wore-ra-wut
Vietnamese First Names & Pronunciations
- Chi, chee
- Cuc, kuk
- Diem, yeeyim
- Duc, duk
- Dung, yuhng
- Duong, yoong
- Hanh, hahn
- Ho, hoh
- Hoa, hwa
- Hong, howng
- Hung, huhng
- Lan, lahn
- Liem, leeyim
- Lien, leeyin
- Loc, lowk
- Mai, mah-ee
- Minh, min
- Nam, nahm
- Nga, nga
- Nguyet, nwyit
- Pham, fam
- Phu, foo
- Thi, tee
- Thien, teeyen
- Tho, toy or tahoo
- Thuy, twee
- Tuan, twahn or twuhn
- Tuyet, tweeyit
- Viet, wee-et
- Xuan, swuhn