Young-sook

Young-sook (also spelled Yeong-suk or Yong-suk) is a Korean given name. It is an alternate transcription of the Korean Hangul 영숙, which is typically derived from Sino-Korean characters: yeong (英) meaning "flower, petal, brave, hero" and suk (淑) meaning "good, pure, virtuous, charming". Other hanja combinations are also possible.

Names beginning with "Young" were popular for South Korean babies of both sexes born in the 1940s and 1950s, and Young-sook was the most common of these for baby girls. The name's popularity during that period reflects broader trends in Korean naming conventions. In 2012, there were more than forty thousand South Koreans with the name Kim Young-sook, making it the most common Kim full name in the country.

Notable Bearers

Artists and writers

• Han Young-suk (1920–1990), South Korean traditional dancer
• Kang Young-sook (born 1967), South Korean writer

Sportspeople

• Kim Young-sook (born 1965), South Korean field hockey player
• Yun Young-sook (born 1971), South Korean archer
• Huh Young-sook (born 1975), South Korean handball player
• Kim Yong-suk (born 1979), North Korean figure skater
• Jo Yong-suk (born 1988), North Korean sport shooter
• Park Young-sook (born 1988), South Korean table tennis player

North Korean variant spellings Yong-suk are also seen among athletes and other public figures, reflecting the Korean diaspora and the name's continued use across the peninsula.

Cultural Context

Young-sook exemplifies a common Korean naming pattern where given names are composed of two syllables, each derived from a hanja (Sino-Korean character) with particular meanings. The choice of characters often reflects virtue- or aspirational qualities; in this case, "heroic" or "virtuous" ladies were esteemed in Confucian-influenced South Korean society. The name remains strongly associated with mid-20th-century baby names and stands as a quintessential feminine name of that era.

• Meaning: "flower/brave" and "good/pure/virtuous"
• Origin: Korean (Sino-Korean)
• Type: Given name (feminine)
• Usage regions: South Korea, North Korea (as Young-suk or Yong-suk)