Seok-jin
Masculine
Korean
Meaning & Origin
Seok-jin is a Korean masculine given name. It is typically composed of two Sino-Korean syllables, seok and jin, each written with a hanja character. The most common combination uses the characters seok (碩) meaning "large, great" and jin (珍) meaning "precious, rare", giving the name the overall meaning of "great and precious". However, many other hanja combinations are possible, as Korean names often have multiple acceptable written forms.
Cultural Context
In South Korea, given names like Seok-jin reflect the tradition of choosing syllables with positive meanings for children. The element seok conveys strength or magnitude, while jin denotes value and rarity. The name is unambiguously masculine and has been used in modern times, partly due to its association with the popular singer Kim Seok-jin, a member of the K-pop group BTS. His fame has contributed to the name's recognition both domestically and internationally.
Usage and Distribution
Seok-jin is a given name found predominantly in South Korea. While not as common as names like Min-hyuk or Ji-hoon, it has seen moderate usage due to its pleasant meaning and phonetic appeal. Census data suggests it may be more frequent among younger generations, possibly influenced by celebrity culture.
Meaning: great and precious
Origin: Korean (Sino-Korean)
Type: masculine given name
Usage region: South Korea