Asking someone's name is one of the very first things you'll do in a Korean conversation — and how you ask shifts with who's in front of you. Here's how to ask 'what's your name?' across politeness levels, how to give your own name, and the 'nice to meet you' that follows. If you want to see your name itself written in Hangul, pair this with our guide to writing your name in Korean.
Asking someone's name
- 이름이 뭐예요?ireumi mwoyeyo?
What's your name? (everyday polite)
The most common version. Casual: 이름이 뭐야?
- 이름이 어떻게 되세요?ireumi eotteoke doeseyo?
What's your name? (polite, softer)
Sounds more natural and considerate than 뭐예요? with new people.
- 성함이 어떻게 되세요?seonghami eotteoke doeseyo?
May I have your name? (honorific)
성함 is the respectful word for 'name' — for elders and formal settings.
Giving your own name
- 저는 [이름]이에요jeoneun [name] ieyo
I'm [name]. (polite)
The simplest intro. 이에요 after a consonant, 예요 after a vowel.
- 제 이름은 [이름]이에요je ireumeun [name] ieyo
My name is [name]. (polite)
제 = 'my' (humble). A touch more explicit than 저는….
- 만나서 반가워요mannaseo bangawoyo
Nice to meet you. (polite)
Said right after names are exchanged. Formal: 만나서 반갑습니다.
A full first exchange
Put together, a first introduction flows like this: 안녕하세요, 저는 마이클이에요. 이름이 어떻게 되세요? … 아, 지수 씨, 만나서 반가워요. ('Hello, I'm Michael. What's your name? … Ah, Jisu, nice to meet you.') Note the -씨 (ssi) attached to a name as a polite address suffix.
The fastest way to make introductions automatic is to actually introduce yourself. In our AI character chat, you can open with 저는 …이에요 and ask 이름이 어떻게 되세요?, then carry the conversation forward. For the greetings that frame every introduction, see our basic Korean greetings guide.
Introduce yourself in Korean
Practice asking and giving names in a real conversation — say hello and introduce yourself to an AI character.
Start a Korean conversation →