A surname meaning 'sorrow', from the ancient state of Min, associated with Confucius' disciple Min Ziqian.
Why it scores this way
Easy to say96
Reads the way it looks for an English speaker — no sounds English doesn't have.
Recognised in China45
Outside the top 100 — distinctive, but some people will ask you to repeat or write it.
Easy to write85
7 strokes — one of the simpler surnames to write and sign.
People who carried this name
Min Ziqian — Confucius' disciple (536–487 BC), renowned for his filial piety.
Min Zhen — Qing dynasty painter from Jiangxi, known for expressive figure, landscape, and flower-bird paintings, active in the 18th century.
Min Huifen — Renowned Chinese erhu performer, composer, and educator, celebrated for expressive performances and broad influence on modern Chinese music.