The first name Jin
A unisex name.
Pronounced /d͡ʒɪn/ 1 syllable Unisex Also a surname
Meaning and origin
The atonal Hanyu Pinyin romanization of the Mandarin pronunciation of Chinese 晉 /晋 (Jìn), adopted as the name of a river in Shanxi in antiquity. As a Zhou state, from the renaming of the marchland Tang (唐) by its second marquis Ji Xie when he relocated to the Jin River c. 1000 BC. As a surname, principally from the Zhou state and its region in China. As an empire and dynastic name, from Sima Yan's status as prince of Jin under the preceding Wei Empire. As a river in Fujian, named for the empire, which settled its banks with colonizers from China's Central Plains. As a dialect, from 晉語／晋语 (Jìnyǔ), from the region of the former Zhou state.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 5 girls were named Jin, making it the 4,201st most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 2008, with 15 births (#1,457).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Jin with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Jin at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 56 boys born in the United States were named Jin, the 2,433rd most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 2023, when 65 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Nicknames and spellings
Other spellings and forms
- Chin
- Kin
Famous people named Jin
8 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Ha JinAuthor and poet, born 1956
- Chen JinChinese badminton player, born 1986
- Min Jin LeeAmerican writer, born 1968
- Ma JinChinese badminton player, born 1988
- Dai JinChinese artist (1388-1462)
- Wu JinyanChinese actress, born 1990
- Luo JinChinese actor and singer, born 1981
- Xie JinChinese mandarin (1369–1415)
Questions
- What does the name Jin mean?
- The atonal Hanyu Pinyin romanization of the Mandarin pronunciation of Chinese 晉 /晋 (Jìn), adopted as the name of a river in Shanxi in antiquity. As a Zhou state, from the renaming of the marchland Tang (唐) by its second marquis Ji Xie when he relocated to the Jin River c. 1000…
- How popular is the name Jin?
- In 2025, 5 girls born in England and Wales were named Jin, ranking 4,201st. Its peak was 2008, with 15 births.
- Is Jin a boy's or a girl's name?
- Both. Of the 1,845 US babies named Jin since 1880, 21% were girls and 79% boys.
- When was Jin most popular?
- 2023 in the United States, when 65 babies were named Jin, its highest rank at 2,203rd.
- How do you pronounce Jin?
- Jin is /d͡ʒɪn/, one syllable.
- What are other spellings of Jin?
- Chin and Kin.
- Is Jin also a surname?
- Yes. Jin is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.