Eun-ju

Eun-ju is a Korean female given name, often spelled Eun-joo, Un-joo, or Un-ju. It was notably the sixth most popular name for baby girls born in South Korea in 1970.

Etymology and Meanings

The name Eun-ju is formed from two Sino-Korean syllables. The first syllable eun can derive from 恩 meaning "kindness, mercy, charity" or 銀 meaning "silver". The second syllable ju can be 珠 meaning "jewel, pearl" or 宙 meaning "sky, heaven". Many other hanja character combinations are also possible, giving the name a variety of nuanced meanings.

Notable Bearers

Lee Eun-ju (born 1970) is a South Korean sport shooter who competed in the 1992, 2004, and 2008 Olympics, while another Lee Eun-ju (born 1999) is a South Korean artistic gymnast. Im Eun-ju (born 1961) is a former long-distance runner. In the variant spelling Un-ju, Kim Un-ju (born 1989) is a North Korean weightlifter who won a bronze medal at the 2012 Olympics, and Kang Un-ju (born 1995) is a North Korean recurve archer.

Variants and Usage

Besides Un-ju, phonetic variants such as Eun-joo are common in romanization. The name remains a classic choice in both South and North Korea, likely due to its positive connotations of kindness, preciousness, or grandeur.

• Meaning: "kindness" or "silver" (based on common hanja readings) combined with "jewel" or "heaven"
• Origin: Korean (Sino-Korean)
• Type: Feminine given name
• Usage regions: South Korea, North Korea