Hyeon-seo is a Korean female given name, formed by combining two Sino-Korean elements. The first syllable, hyeon, can be written with hanja such as 晛 meaning "sunlight" or 賢 meaning "virtuous, worthy, able". The second syllable, seo, is often written as 瑞 meaning "felicitous omen, auspicious". Additional hanja combinations are also possible, allowing flexibility in the name's meaning.
In Korean naming tradition, given names typically consist of two syllables, each chosen for its positive meaning from a set of approved hanja. Parent often select combinations that convey hope for their child's character or fate. Hyeon-seo, with its options of "radiant" or "virtuous" paired with "auspicious", embodies well-wishes for a bright and fortunate life.
Common alternative spellings in Romanization include Hyun-seo, reflecting varying transcription systems. The name is occasionally used for boys as well, though it is primarily feminine in contemporary usage. According to South Korean government data, Hyeon-seo has been a moderately popular name for girls born in the 2000s and 2010s, ranking within the top 100 most frequent names for those years.
- Meaning: "sunlight, virtuous" + "auspicious omen" (various hanja combinations)
- Origin: Korean (Sino-Korean)
- Gender: predominantly feminine
- Notable bearers: actress Hyun Seo (born as Jung Hyun-seo)
- Usage regions: South Korea