What does Ming mean?
Ming is commonly the character 明, “bright, brilliant.”
What does Chen mean?
Chen is commonly the character 晨, “morning, dawn,” among other characters.
Ming vs Chen
Which is more popular?
Ming and Chen are given to a similar number of US babies today.
| Ming | Chen | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Bright (明) | Morning, dawn (晨) |
| Origin | Chinese | Chinese |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | MING | CHUN |
| Syllables | 1 | 1 |
| First appeared | 1920 | 1977 |
| Peak year | 1981 (14) | 1983 (9) |
| In 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| Trend | Declining | Declining |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Ming
Chen
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Ming | Chen |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 21 | 22 |
| 2010s | 41 | 55 |
| 2000s | 75 | 50 |
| 1990s | 80 | 39 |
| 1980s | 77 | 20 |
| 1970s | 33 | 7 |
| 1960s | 17 | 0 |
| 1920s | 5 | 0 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Ming or Chen more popular?
Ming and Chen are given to a similar number of US babies today.
What is the difference between Ming and Chen?
Ming means Bright (明) (Chinese origin), while Chen means Morning, dawn (晨) (Chinese origin).
Which name is older, Ming or Chen?
In US records, Ming first appears in 1920 and Chen in 1977, so Ming has the longer recorded history.