Meaning & History
Yeong-suk is a Korean female given name, typically written with two Sino-Korean syllables. The first syllable yeong (英) means "flower, petal, brave, hero," while the second syllable suk (淑) means "good, pure, virtuous, charming." Many other hanja character combinations are possible, but 英淑 is the most common.
Cultural Significance
In Korean naming, generation names often share a syllable within a family. Names ending in -suk were particularly popular for girls born in the mid-20th century, reflecting a preference for virtuous qualities. The name 英淑 (Yeong-suk) combines a heroic or flowery element with chastity and grace, typical of traditional feminine names.
Notable Bearers
Kim Yeong-suk (born 1967) is a South Korean politician and activist. Another famous bearer is the North Korean-born South Korean writer Kim Yeong-suk, known for her autobiographical war novel.
Variant Forms
A common variant is Young-sook, using the Revised Romanization spelling. Under the older McCune–Reischauer system, the same name is written Yŏng-suk. In North Korea, the name may appear as Yong-suk.
- Meaning: "heroic virtuous one" (英淑)
- Origin: Sino-Korean
- Type: Female given name
- Usage: Korea (South and North)