China
China: name meaning, origin and popularity
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈt͡ʃaɪnə/ · [ˈt͡ʃ(ʰ)aɪ̯nə]
Meaning and origin of China
Root meaning: “China”
- A female given name.
Etymology
From Portuguese China, from possibly Venetan Cina probably under influence from Old French Chin, from Classical Persian چین (čīn) under influence from Medieval Latin Sīna (“China”), from Middle Persian 𐭰𐭩𐭭 (Čīn, “China”), from Sanskrit चीन (cīna, “the Chinese; China”) of uncertain etymology. It is usually thought to be derived from Chinese 秦 (Qín) (sm Qín, mc d͡zin, oc *dziŋ, "Qin"), the westernmost ancient Chinese state, but other theories have been proposed, including derivation from 晉 /晋 (jìn) (sm Jìn, mc t͡sinh, oc *tsiŋh, "Jin"), another important ancient state; 荊 /荆 (jīng) (sm Jīng, mc kɹaŋ, oc *kreŋ, "Chu"), the southernmost ancient Chinese state; or Zina, the endonym of the people of
How popular is China?
Since 1880, 4,608 girls and 10 boys in the U.S. have been named China (100% girls). Its highest rank for girls was #816 in 1992. Its highest rank for boys was #9021 in 1994. In 2025, 8 babies were given the name, outside the top 1,000.
Names similar to China
Names that start with the same letters, most popular first.
More Portuguese girl names
Sibling name ideas for China
Sister and brother names that share China's Portuguese roots and are still in the U.S. top 1,000.
China FAQ
What does the name China mean?
China traces back to a root meaning "China". A female given name. From Portuguese China, from possibly Venetan Cina probably under influence from Old French Chin, from Classical Persian چین (čīn) under influence from Medieval Latin Sīna (“China”), from Middle Persian 𐭰𐭩𐭭 (Čīn, “China”), from Sanskrit चीन (cīna, “the Chinese; China”) of uncertain etymology. It is usually thought to be derived from Chinese 秦 (Qín) (sm Qín, mc d͡zin, oc *dziŋ, "Qin"), the westernmost ancient Chinese state, but other theories have been proposed, including derivation from 晉 /晋 (jìn) (sm Jìn, mc t͡sinh, oc *tsiŋh, "Jin"), another important ancient state; 荊 /荆 (jīng) (sm Jīng, mc kɹaŋ, oc *kreŋ, "Chu"), the southernmost ancient Chinese state; or Zina, the endonym of the people of
What is the origin of the name China?
China is listed as a name of Portuguese origin.
How popular is the name China?
Since 1880, 4,608 girls and 10 boys in the U.S. have been named China (100% girls). Its highest rank for girls was #816 in 1992. Its highest rank for boys was #9021 in 1994. In 2025, 8 babies were given the name, outside the top 1,000.
Is China a boy or girl name?
China is mostly a girl name in the U.S.: 4,608 girls and 10 boys since 1880.
Popularity data: U.S. Social Security Administration baby name data, 1880–2025 (names given to 5+ babies per year). Origin and etymology text: Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.