Woo, also spelled Wu or Wo, Ou, U, is an uncommon

Korean surname A Korean name (Hangul: ; Hanja: ) consists of a family name followed by a given name, as used by the Korean people in both South Korea and North Korea. In the Korean language, ''ireum'' or ''seongmyeong'' usually refers to the family name (''seon ...

, a single-syllable

Korean given name A Korean name (Hangul: ; Hanja: ) consists of a family name followed by a given name, as used by the Korean people in both South Korea and North Korea. In the Korean language, ''ireum'' or ''seongmyeong'' usually refers to the family name (''seon ...

, and an element in many two-syllable Korean given names. As given name meaning differs based on the

hanja Hanja (Hangul: ; Hanja: , ), alternatively known as Hancha, are Chinese characters () used in the writing of Korean. Hanja was used as early as the Gojoseon period, the first ever Korean kingdom. (, ) refers to Sino-Korean vocabulary, wh ...

used to write it. There are 60 hanja with the reading "''woo''" on the

South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...

n government's official list of hanja which may be registered for use in given names.

As a surname

As a surname, Woo may be written with either of two hanja (). Each has one ''

bon-gwan Bon-gwan (or Bongwan) is the concept of clan in Korea, which is used to distinguish clans that happen to share the same family name (clan name). Since Korea has been traditionally a Confucian country, this clan system is similar to ancient Chinese ...

'': for the

former A former is an object, such as a template, gauge or cutting die, which is used to form something such as a boat's hull. Typically, a former gives shape to a structure that may have complex curvature. A former may become an integral part of the ...

, Danyang,

Chungcheongbuk-do North Chungcheong Province ( ko, 충청북도, ''Chungcheongbuk-do''), also known as Chungbuk, is a province of South Korea. North Chungcheong has a population of 1,578,934 (2014) and has a geographic area of located in the Hoseo region in the s ...

, and for the latter, Mokcheon-eup ( 목천읍),

Dongnam-gu The Dongnam District ( ko, 동남구; Hanja: 東南區; ''Dongnam-gu'') is a non-autonomous district in the city of Cheonan in South Chungcheong Province, South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in Ea ...

Cheonan Cheonan (; 천안시, ''Cheonan-si''), also spelled Ch'ŏnan, is a city in South Chungcheong, South Korea. Cheonan has a population of 666,417 (2018), making it the most-populous city or county in South Chungcheong, and the third most-populous ci ...

Chungcheongnam-do South Chungcheong Province ( ko, 충청남도, ''Chungcheongnam-do''), also known as Chungnam, is a province of South Korea. South Chungcheong has a population of 2,059,871 (2014) and has a geographic area of 8,204 km2 (3,168 sq mi) located in ...

, both in what is today

. The 2000 South Korean census found 180,141 people with these family names. In a study by the

National Institute of the Korean Language The National Institute of Korean Language is a language regulator of the Korean language. It was created on January 23, 1991, by Presidential Decree No. 13163 (November 14, 1990). It is based in Seoul, South Korea. The institute was originally ...

based on 2007 application data for South Korean passports, it was found that 97.0% of people with this surname spelled it in Latin letters as Woo in their passports, while only 1.6% spelled it as Wu. Rarer alternative spellings (the remaining 1.4%) included U and Wo.

People

People with these family names include: *

U Tak U Tak (, 1262-1342), also known as Woo Tak, was a Korean Neo-Confucian scholar and philosopher during Korea’s Goryeo dynasty. He was also commonly known as ''Yeokdong Seonsaeng'' (). His pen names were Baekun and Danam, his courtesy names wer ...

(1262-1342), Korean Confucian scholar during the Goryeo dynasty *

Woo Jang-choon Woo Jang-choon (April 8, 1898 – August 10, 1959) was a Koreans in Japan, Korean-Japanese agricultural scientist and botanist, famous for his discoveries in the genetics and plant breeding, breeding of plants. Woo was born and raised in Japan, ...

(1898–1959), Korean-born Japanese botanist *

Woo Yong-gak Woo Yong-gak (29 November 1929 – 7 December 2012) was a North Korean commando who was released from incarceration in South Korea on 25 February 1999. He served 40 years, 7 months and 13 days in prison as one of South Korea's unconverted long- ...

(1929–2012), North Korean commando held in South Korea as one of the

unconverted long-term prisoners "Unconverted long-term prisoners" is the North Korean term for northern loyalists imprisoned in South Korea who never renounced ''Juche''. The North Korean government considers them to be "pro-reunification patriotic fighters", while South Korean ...

Kyu Sung Woo Kyu Sung Woo (; born 1941) is a South Korean architect and principal of the architectural design firm, Kyu Sung Woo Architects, Inc. The firm's projects include many built and proposed works in the United States and South Korea. Biography K ...

(born 1941), South Korean architect *

U Tong-chuk U Tong-chuk or Woo Dong-cheuk (born August 8, 1942) is a North Korean official. He was a politburo member of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea. In addition, he was head of State Security Department from 2009 to 2012. After Febru ...

(born 1942), North Korean politician *

Woo In-hee Woo In-hee (; died 1981) was a North Korean actress and a mistress of Kim Jong Il. Having reached stardom in the 1960s and 1970, Woo, renowned for her beauty, acted in dozens of films. She married Yoo Hosun, a famed film director, but she was i ...

(died 1981), North Korean actress and mistress of Kim Jong-il *

Woo Bum-kon Woo Bum-kon (or Wou Bom-kon, February 24, 1955 – April 27, 1982) was a South Korean policeman and spree killer who murdered between 56 and 62 people and wounded 33 others in several villages in Uiryeong County, South Gyeongsang Province, ...

(1955–1982), South Korean police officer and spree killer *

Meredith Jung-En Woo Meredith Jung-En Woo is an American academic and author. She is the 13th and current President of Sweet Briar College, and is the former director of the International Higher Education Support Program at the Open Society Foundation in London. She ...

(born 1958), South Korean-born American political scientist *

Woo Hee-young Woo Hee-young (born November 13, 1963), also known as Mr. Woo, is a South Korean former footballer and freestyle footballer. Career Born in Seoul, South Korea, at a very early age, Woo realized he had football talent. Inspired by Diego Maradona ...

(born 1963), South Korean footballer *

Sung J. Woo Sung J. Woo (born June 8, 1971) is a Korean-American writer of three works of fiction. He was born in Seoul, South Korea. Personal Woo came to the United States in 1981, when he was ten years old. He grew up in Ocean Township, New Jersey. He ...

(born 1971), South Korean-born American writer *

Hyo-Won Woo Hyo-Won Woo (also Hyowon Woo, , born 1974) is a South Korean composer, especially of choral music. She uses elements from both Korean music and Western contemporary composition techniques. Career Woo was born in Seoul in 1974. Her father was an ...

(born 1974), South Korean composer * Woo Sung-yong (born 1974), South Korean footballer * Woo Chul (born 1978), South Korean swimmer *

Woo Sun-hee Woo Sun-Hee (hangul: 우선희, hanja: 禹仙姬; born 1 July 1978) is a former South Korean handball player. In 2003, Woo competed in the World Women's Handball Championship held in Croatia and led her team to the bronze medal. She was finall ...

(born 1978), South Korean handball player *

Masta Wu Woo Jin-won (, October 25, 1978), better known by his stage name Masta Wu(), is a South Korean rapper, songwriter and producer. His previous stage name was Ginnwon. He was also a part of the hip hop project duo YMGA. Career After being an unde ...

(born Woo Jin-won, 1978), South Korean rapper * Woo Seung-je (born 1982), South Korean footballer *

Woo Seung-yeon Woo Seung-yeon (24 May 1983 – 27 April 2009) was a South Korean model and actress. Biography Career Woo began her career as a fashion model in magazine and television commercials, and had appeared in minor roles in the films ''Herb (film) ...

(1983–2009), South Korean actress * Woo Seung-jae (born 1986), South Korean wrestler *

Kevin Woo Kevin Woo (born November 25, 1991), also known mononymously as Kevin, is an American singer-songwriter, actor, and television host based as a Korean in New York City. He is primarily known as a former member of South Korean boy band U-KISS from ...

(born 1991), American singer of Korean descent *

Woo Do-hwan Woo Do-hwan (born July 12, 1992) is a South Korean actor. He is best known for his roles in the television dramas '' Save Me'' (2017), ''Mad Dog'' (2017), '' Tempted'' (2018), '' My Country: The New Age'' (2019), and '' The King: Eternal Monarc ...

(born 1992), South Korean actor *

Woo Hye-lim Woo Hye-rim (born September 1, 1992), known professionally as Hyerim or Lim, is a South Korean singer, rapper, and songwriter known for her work as a former member of South Korean girl group Wonder Girls. Early life Woo Hye-rim was born on Se ...

(born 1992), South Korean singer and member of girl group Wonder Girls *

Zico (rapper) Woo Ji-ho (; born September 14, 1992), known professionally as Zico (), is a South Korean rapper, record producer, singer and songwriter. He debuted as the leader of the boy band Block B in 2011 and made his first solo release in 2014. Zico is ...

(born Woo Ji-ho, 1992), South Korean rapper, member of boy group Block B * Woo Joo-sung (born 1993), South Korean footballer *

Woo Won-jae Woo Won-jae (; born December 23, 1996), also known as Woo, is a South Korean rapper. In 2017, he released his debut single "We Are" () which had commercial success and widespread acclaim. He has released one studio album: ''Black Out'' (2020) on ...

(born 1996), South Korean rapper *

Woo Jin-young Woo Jin-young (; born May 31, 1997) is a South Korean singer and rapper. During his tenure as a trainee with Happy Face Entertainment (now Dreamcatcher Company), he was a contestant on the reality survival series ''Produce 101'' and ''Mix Nine ...

(born 1997), South Korean singer and rapper *

Woo Ha-ram Woo Ha-ram ( ko, 우하람, born 21 March 1998) is a South Korean diver. He competed in the men's 3 metre springboard and men's 10 metre platform at the 2016 Summer Olympics, where he finished 24th out of 29 competitors and 11th out of 28 com ...

(born 1998), South Korean diver

As a given name

People

People with the single-syllable given name U or Woo include: *

Choe U Choe U (; 1166 - 10 December 1249) was the second Choe dictator of the Ubong Choe Military regime. He himself went out on the battlefield to lead in fighting off the Mongolian invasions. Then he realized that the government was no longer safe ...

(1166–1249), military leader of Goryeo * Wang U (1079–1122), the personal name of King

Yejong of Goryeo Yejong of Goryeo (11 February 1079 – 15 May 1122) (r. 1105–1122) was the 16th monarch of the Korean Goryeo dynasty. He was the eldest son of Sukjong of Goryeo, King Sukjong and Queen Myeongui, and succeeded to the throne upon his father's dea ...

* Wang U (1365–1389), the personal name of King

U of Goryeo U of Goryeo (25 July 1365 – 31 December 1389) ruled Goryeo (Korea) as the 32nd king from 1374 until 1388. He was the only son of King Gongmin. Cultural background In the thirteenth century, Mongol forces had invaded China and established the ...

Yi U Colonel Prince Yi U (15 November 1912 – 7 August 1945) was a member of the imperial family of Korea as a prince, the 4th head of Unhyeon Palace, and a lieutenant colonel in the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II. He was killed ...

(1912–1945), member of the Korean Imperial household and grandson of Emperor Gojong * Park Woo (born 1972), South Korean wrestler

First syllable

;Masculine * Woo-jin * Woo-sung * Woo-shik

Second syllable

;Masculine *

Byung-woo Byung-woo is a Korean masculine given name. Its meaning differs based on the hanja used to write each syllable of the name. There are 17 hanja with the reading "byung" and 41 hanja with the reading "woo" on the South Korean government's official ...

Chang-woo Chang-woo is a Korean male given name. People with this name include: * Han Chang-u (born 1931), Korean pachinko businessman in Japan * Lee Chang-Woo (born 1983), South Korean handball player * Rim Chang-Woo (born 1992), South Korean footballer ...

Chul-woo Chul-woo () is a Korean masculine given name. People with this name include: * Lim Chul-woo (born 1954), South Korean writer *Lee Chul-woo (born 1955), South Korean politician, member of the National Assembly * Park Chul-woo (born 1965), South Kore ...

Hyun-woo Hyun-woo, also spelled Hyeon-woo, is a Korean masculine given name. The meaning differs based on the hanja used to write each syllable of the name. There are 42 hanja with the reading "'' hyun''" and 60 hanja with the reading "''woo''" on the Sou ...

, 5th place in 1980, 2nd place in 1990, 3rd place in 2008, 5th place in 2009 * Jin-woo *

Jung-woo Jung-woo is a Korean unisex given name. Hanja Its meaning differs based on the hanja used to write each syllable of the name. There are 75 hanja with the reading "jung" and 41 hanja with the reading "woo" on the South Korean government's official ...

Ki-woo Ki-woo is a Korean masculine given name. Its meaning differs based on the hanja used to write each syllable of the name. There are 68 hanja with the reading " ki" and 42 hanja with the reading "woo" on the South Korean government's official list o ...

Kun-woo Kun-woo, also spelled Keon-woo or Gun-woo, is a Korean masculine given name. It was the sixth-most popular name for baby boys born in South Korea in 2008, with 1,722 being given the name. The meaning differs based on the hanja used to write the na ...

, 6th place in 2008, 7th place in 2009 *

Min-woo Min-woo is a Korean masculine given name. Its meaning depends on the hanja used to write each syllable of the name. There are 27 hanja with the reading "min" and 41 hanja with the reading " woo" on the South Korean government's official list of han ...

Sang-woo Sang-woo is a Korean masculine given name. Its meaning differs based on the hanja used to write each syllable of the name. Hanja There are 35 hanja with the reading " sang" and 41 hanja with the reading " woo" on the South Korean government's off ...

Seung-woo Seung-woo, also spelled Sung-woo, is a Korean masculine given name. The meaning differs based on the hanja used to write each syllable of the name. There are 17 hanja with the reading "''seung''" and 60 hanja with the reading "''woo''" on the Sou ...

Si-woo Si-woo, also spelled Shi-woo, is a Korean unisex given name, predominantly masculine. The meaning differs based on the hanja used to write each syllable of the name. There are 56 hanja with the reading "'' shi''" and 64 hanja with the reading "'' ...

, 4th place in 2011, 5th place in 2013, 4th place in 2017 *

Sung-woo Sung-woo, also spelled Seong-woo or Seong-wu, is a Korean masculine given name. The meaning differs based on the hanja used to write each syllable of the name. There are 27 hanja with the reading " sung" and 41 hanja with the reading "woo" on the ...

* Tae-woo ;Unisex *

Ji-woo Ji-woo, also spelled Ji-u, or Ji-oo, is a Korean unisex given name. The meaning differs based on the hanja used to write each syllable of the name. There are 61 hanja with the reading "'' ji''" and 60 hanja with the reading "''woo''" on the South ...

, 8th place in 2008, 4th place in 2009, 5th place in 2011 *

Sun-woo Sun-woo, also spelled Seon-u, Sŏn-u, or Seon-woo, is a Korean surname and unisex given name. It may also be written without the hyphen after the 'n', particularly when used as a surname. Surname As a surname, Sun-woo is written with the hanja . ...

Yeon-woo Lee Da-bin (born August 1, 1996), better known by her stage name Yeonwoo, is a South Korean singer and actress managed by 9ato Entertainment. She is best known as a former member of the girl group Momoland. Yeonwoo has acted in television dram ...

References

{{given name, type=both Korean given names Korean-language surnames

As a surname

People

As a given name

People

First syllable

Second syllable

See also

References