Jung

Jung is an alternate transcription of the Korean given name Jeong, which in Hangul is written as 정. The name is unisex, though more commonly given to females in modern times. The underlying Sino-Korean characters can include meanings such as "quiet, still, gentle" (靜) or "virtuous, chaste, loyal" (貞), among others. In practice, the name Jeong (and hence its variant Jung) is often combined with another syllable to form compound names, but it is also used as a standalone name.

Cultural and Linguistic Context

Korean given names are typically formed with two Sino-Korean characters, but single-syllable names like Jung (or Jeong) are not uncommon. The romanization of the name has varied historically: the McCune–Reischauer system rendered it as Chŏng, while the Revised Romanization of Korean officially uses Jeong. However, the spelling Jung persists due to earlier conventions and is still used by many Korean emigrants overseas, especially in older records. Related forms include Jong, also a transcription of the same Hangul character.

Notable Bearers

Outside Korea, the spelling Jung is most famously associated with the Swiss psychiatrist Carl Gustav Jung (1875–1961), founder of analytical psychology. While Carl Jung's surname is etymologically German, the identical spelling shares no linguistic connection with the Korean name. In the Korean context, notable bearers include Jung Saem (정생), a late Goryeo loyalist, and Jung Ji-yeon, a South Korean actress. The name appears in the names of popular South Korean entertainers such as vocalist and actor Jung Joon-young, the original member of GOT7 (JAERMAE) leader Jung Soo-in, and also legendary crossdressing singer Jung Robin.

Key Facts

• Meaning: quiet, still, gentle; or virtuous, chaste, loyal (depending on hanja)
• Origin: Korean, from Sino-Korean characters
• Type: Given name (unisex, mainly feminine)
• Usage regions: Korea, Korean diaspora