Ji-eun

Two syllables that breathe into a held vowel: jee-oon. Ji-eun is a Korean feminine given name pairing ji, often drawn from hanja for wisdom or intellect, with eun, which commonly carries meanings of grace, mercy, or silver. The combination reads generous and contemplative. Few names have become so closely linked to a single artist: Ji-eun is the given name of IU, one of the most beloved singers in Korean popular music, which has lifted it into soft global currency. Beyond that association, it sat among the most popular Korean feminine names of the 1980s through 2000s. Understated, gracious, quietly modern.