What does Ming mean?
Ming is commonly the character 明, “bright, brilliant.”
What does Feng mean?
Feng is commonly the character 风, “wind,” or 峰, “peak.”
Ming vs Feng
Which is more popular?
Ming and Feng are given to a similar number of US babies today.
| Ming | Feng | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Bright (明) | Wind (风) |
| Origin | Chinese | Chinese |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | MING | FUNG |
| Syllables | 1 | 1 |
| First appeared | 1920 | 1990 |
| Peak year | 1981 (14) | 1996 (9) |
| In 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| Trend | Declining | Steady |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Ming
Feng
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Ming | Feng |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 21 | 5 |
| 2010s | 41 | 0 |
| 2000s | 75 | 8 |
| 1990s | 80 | 17 |
| 1980s | 77 | 0 |
| 1970s | 33 | 0 |
| 1960s | 17 | 0 |
| 1920s | 5 | 0 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Ming or Feng more popular?
Ming and Feng are given to a similar number of US babies today.
What is the difference between Ming and Feng?
Ming means Bright (明) (Chinese origin), while Feng means Wind (风) (Chinese origin).
Which name is older, Ming or Feng?
In US records, Ming first appears in 1920 and Feng in 1990, so Ming has the longer recorded history.