Chinese Mythology Names

These names occur in the mythologies and legends of the Chinese people.
gender
usage
Baihu 白虎 m Chinese Mythology
From Chinese (bái) meaning "white, pure" and () meaning "tiger". This is the Chinese name of the White Tiger, associated with the west and the autumn season.
Caishen 财神, 財神 m Chinese Mythology
Means "god of wealth", from Chinese (cái) meaning "wealth, riches" and (shén) meaning "god". This is the name of a Chinese god of wealth.
Chang'e 嫦娥 f Chinese Mythology
Means "beautiful Chang", from Chinese (Chang), a character that refers to the goddess herself, combined with (é) meaning "beautiful, good". In Chinese mythology this is the name of a goddess of the moon, the wife of the archer Hou Yi. Her original name 姮娥 (Heng'e) was changed to avoid the taboo of sharing a homophonic character with the 2nd-century BC Emperor Wen of Han (personal name Heng).
Fuxi 伏羲 m Chinese Mythology
From Chinese () meaning "prostrate, lying down" and (), a character that refers to the god himself. In Chinese mythology Fuxi is the twin brother and husband of Nüwa. He is said to have taught humans how to hunt and cook, as well as devising the trigrams. He is sometimes depicted with the body of a snake.
Gonggong 共工 m Chinese Mythology
Meaning unknown, though usually spelled using the Chinese characters (gòng) meaning "together" and (gōng) meaning "work". This is the name of a Chinese water god, depicted as a serpent with a human head. He damaged the heavenly pillar Mount Buzhou, making the sky tilt to the northwest and the earth tilt to the southeast. A dwarf planet in the outer solar system was named for him in 2019.
Huangdi 黄帝, 黃帝 m Chinese Mythology
From Chinese (huáng) meaning "yellow" and () meaning "god, emperor". This is the Chinese name for the Yellow Emperor, a mythical ruler and deity who is said to have reigned in the 3rd millennium BC. He is regarded as the ancestor of the Chinese people.
Huanglong 黄龙, 黃龍 m Chinese Mythology
From Chinese (huáng) meaning "yellow" and (lóng) meaning "dragon". This is the Chinese name for the Yellow Dragon, who is considered the animal form of the mythical Yellow Emperor Huangdi.
Leigong 雷公 m Chinese Mythology
Means "lord of thunder", from Chinese (léi) meaning "thunder" and (gōng) meaning "lord, prince". This is the name of a Chinese thunder god.
Longwang 龙王, 龍王 m Chinese Mythology
From Chinese (lóng) meaning "dragon" and (wáng) meaning "king". This is the Chinese name of the Dragon King, a god associated with water and rain.
Mulan 木兰, 木蘭 f Chinese Mythology
From Chinese 木兰 (mùlán) meaning "magnolia". This is the name of a legendary female warrior who disguises herself as a man to take her ailing father's place when he is conscripted into the army.
Nüwa 女娲, 女媧 f Chinese Mythology
From Chinese () meaning "woman, female" and (), a character of uncertain origin that refers to the goddess herself. This is the name of the creator goddess in Chinese mythology, depicted as a snake with a human head. She molded humans from earth or clay with her brother Fuxi.
Pangu 盘古 m Chinese Mythology
From Chinese (pán) meaning "tray, pan" and () meaning "old, ancient". In Chinese mythology this is the name of the first living being.
Qinglong 青龙, 青龍 m Chinese Mythology
From Chinese (qīng) meaning "blue, green" and (lóng) meaning "dragon". This is the Chinese name of the Azure Dragon, associated with the east and the spring season.
Zhulong 烛龙, 燭龍 m Chinese Mythology
From Chinese (zhú) meaning "candle, torch, light" and (lóng) meaning "dragon". In Chinese mythology this was the name of a giant scarlet serpent, also called the Torch Dragon in English.