Woo-jin

Woo-jin (우진) is a Korean given name. In 2008, it was the fifth most popular name for baby boys in South Korea, with 1,811 given the name that year. The name is an alternate transcription of Korean Hangul 우진, and its root is U-jin.

Etymology

Woo-jin is composed of Sino-Korean characters. The first syllable can be 宇 (u), meaning “house” or “universe”, or 佑 (u), meaning “help, protect, bless”. The second syllable is often 眞 (jin), meaning “real, genuine”, or 鎭 (jin), meaning “town, market place”. Many other combinations of hanja characters can form this name as well.

Notable Bearers

Many South Korean entertainers bear this name, often as a stage name or birth name. Actors include Jo Woo-jin (born 1979) known for films like Inside Men and The King, and Yeon Woo-jin (born Kim Bong-hoe, 1984) famed for television dramas. Oh Woo-jin (born 1991) is a stage and screen actor. Younger bearers include singer Kim Woojin (born 1997), a former member of Stray Kids, and Park Woo-jin (born 1999), a member of Wanna One and AB6IX. Notable sportspeople include Kim Woo-jin, an Olympic gold medalist in archery, and Lee Woo-jin (born 1986), a professional football defender.

Cultural Significance

The name is widely used among younger generations and appears in popular culture, including child actor Seo Woo-jin (born 2015). It can be written in both Hangul (우진) and Hanja characters, with parents choosing hanja combinations for a meaningful name.

• Origin: Korean
• Type: Given name (male)
• Usage regions: South Korea
• Related forms:U-jin