Daniel in Chinese
How to write Daniel in Chinese, how to say it, and real Chinese names picked for it.
Daniel, written by sound
丹尼尔
Dānní'ěr
- 丹dān
- 尼ní
- 尔ěr“you (old)”
This is how Daniel is written by sound: in the news, on maps and in translated books. Each character is there for its sound, so their meanings don't add up to anything.
But it isn't a Chinese name. Chinese parents choose a name for what it means, like the ones below.
Real Chinese names for Daniel
None of these sounds quite like Daniel, but each one is a real name Chinese parents give, with a meaning of its own. Tap the buttons to hear a character, watch it written, or write it yourself.
Poetic name
弘道Hóngdào
spreading the Way
hóng
broad, great
dào
the Way
Classic name
立恒Lìhéng
standing firm and steady
lì
to stand tall
héng
constant
Classic name
立昂Lì'áng
standing tall
lì
to stand tall
áng
held high, spirited
Stroke order follows the mainland China standard; a few characters are written differently in Taiwan.
Get your own Chinese name
Daniel, get eight real names in the style you like (classic, poetic, wuxia…) and pick the one that feels like you. It takes a minute.
How Chinese names work
The family name comes first, and it is almost always one character: 王 Wáng, 李 Lǐ, 林 Lín. A few have two, like 欧阳 Ōuyáng.
The given name follows: one or two characters, chosen for what they mean. A virtue, a flower, a wish from the parents.
So with a family name in front, 弘道 becomes a full name such as 林弘道 (Lín Hóngdào).
About the name Daniel
In the US, Daniel was the 5th most popular boys’ name of the 2000s. In 2025 it is number 22. In England and Wales it was number 2 in 1996 and is number 62 in 2025.
Sources: US Social Security Administration, Office for National Statistics (UK).