Name Compatibility

The Korean schoolyard name-match game: write two names syllable by syllable, add up the strokes and boil them down to a two-digit number. Every step of the pyramid is shown, plus each name's sound element (from the 1446 Hunminjeongeum Haerye) and how the two relate.

Your name

Their name

Strokes and sound elements come from the shape and first consonant of Hangul letters, so type the names in Hangul.

Names are worked out on this device only and never sent anywhere.

📏 The stroke table this game uses

A syllable's strokes are its first consonant + vowel + final consonant. People count strokes slightly differently; this game uses the values below.

Consonants (first and final)

ㄱ2
ㄲ4
ㄴ2
ㄷ3
ㄸ6
ㄹ5
ㅁ4
ㅂ4
ㅃ8
ㅅ2
ㅆ4
ㅇ1
ㅈ3
ㅉ6
ㅊ4
ㅋ3
ㅌ4
ㅍ4
ㅎ3

Vowels

ㅏ2
ㅐ3
ㅑ3
ㅒ4
ㅓ2
ㅔ3
ㅕ3
ㅖ4
ㅗ2
ㅘ4
ㅙ5
ㅚ3
ㅛ3
ㅜ2
ㅝ4
ㅞ5
ㅟ3
ㅠ3
ㅡ1
ㅢ2
ㅣ1

Double final consonants

ㄳ4
ㄵ5
ㄶ5
ㄺ7
ㄻ9
ㄼ9
ㄽ7
ㄾ9
ㄿ9
ㅀ8
ㅄ6

☯️ Sound elements — five groups by first consonant

The Hunminjeongeum Haerye grouped consonants by where they are made in the mouth and tied each group to an element. Many modern naming schools swap earth and water; this site follows the Haerye.

🎲 More to try with friends

What this tool does

Korean students have long played this game in the margins of their notebooks: write two names side by side, count the strokes in each syllable and keep adding until a two-digit number is left. This page does the counting for you and shows both orders — your name first and theirs first — with the full pyramid. It also reads the first sound of each given name as one of the Five Elements (wood, fire, earth, metal, water) and tells you whether the two elements match, nourish each other or keep each other in check. Each element has its own page with its traditional associations and the personality image folk name reading attaches to it.

How it is calculated

Strokes for a syllable = initial consonant + vowel + final consonant, from one fixed table. Initials (finals are the same): ㄱ2 ㄲ4 ㄴ2 ㄷ3 ㄸ6 ㄹ5 ㅁ4 ㅂ4 ㅃ8 ㅅ2 ㅆ4 ㅇ1 ㅈ3 ㅉ6 ㅊ4 ㅋ3 ㅌ4 ㅍ4 ㅎ3; double finals ㄳ4 ㄵ5 ㄶ5 ㄺ7 ㄻ9 ㄼ9 ㄽ7 ㄾ9 ㄿ9 ㅀ8 ㅄ6; vowels ㅏ2 ㅐ3 ㅑ3 ㅒ4 ㅓ2 ㅔ3 ㅕ3 ㅖ4 ㅗ2 ㅘ4 ㅙ5 ㅚ3 ㅛ3 ㅜ2 ㅝ4 ㅞ5 ㅟ3 ㅠ3 ㅡ1 ㅢ2 ㅣ1. People count some letters differently; this tool always uses this table. The two names are interleaved one syllable at a time (if one name is longer, its extra syllables go at the end). Keep only the ones digit of each stroke count, then add each neighbouring pair and keep the ones digit, again and again, until two digits remain. Read them as a number from 00 to 99. Example: for Kim Min-su and Lee Seo-yeon, the interleaved syllables Kim, Lee, Min, Seo, Su, Yeon have strokes 7 2 7 4 4 6 → 9 9 1 8 0 → 8 0 9 8 → 8 9 7 → 7 6, so 76. With Lee Seo-yeon first the strokes are 2 7 4 7 6 4 → 9 1 1 3 0 → 0 2 4 3 → 2 6 7 → 8 3, so 83. Order matters, so both numbers are shown. For the Five Elements, the Haerye groups initial consonants by where they are made: molars ㄱ ㅋ (ㄲ) = wood, tongue ㄴ ㄷ ㄹ ㅌ (ㄸ) = fire, lips ㅁ ㅂ ㅍ (ㅃ) = earth, teeth ㅅ ㅈ ㅊ (ㅆ ㅉ) = metal, throat ㅇ ㅎ = water. Many modern name-reading schools swap earth and water (ㅇ ㅎ = earth, ㅁ ㅂ ㅍ = water); this tool follows the Haerye. A person's main element comes from the first syllable of the given name: the 2nd syllable for inputs of three or more syllables, the 1st syllable for one or two. Min-su gives ㅁ (earth), Seo-yeon gives ㅅ (metal), and earth generates metal. Same element = harmony; wood → fire → earth → metal → water → wood is the generating cycle; wood → earth → water → fire → metal → wood is the controlling cycle.

Type one Hangul name in each box. The traditional game includes the family name.

Press the button to see two numbers — your name first and theirs first — each with its stroke pyramid.

Below, check both main elements and how they relate (harmony, generating or controlling). Tap an element to open its page.

"Send the result to a friend" makes a link with only the numbers and elements, no names. "Your turn" sends a blank game.

Things to know

The same two people get different numbers depending on whose name goes first. Feel free to brag about the higher one.

If your friends argue about how to count a letter, just agree on this tool's table and the argument is over.

Follow the pyramid row by row: changing a single stroke can swing the result completely, which shows how much of a chance game it is.

The element comes from the given name's first sound. Try a nickname and you may land on a different element — fun to compare.

Frequently asked questions

We got 76. Does that mean a 76% match?

No. It is simply the two digits left after adding strokes down the pyramid — not a probability or a measurement. The page just runs the old playground game for you.

Why does swapping the order change the number?

Interleaving in a different order changes which digits sit next to each other, so every sum down the pyramid changes too. That is why both orders are shown.

Another site counted the strokes differently.

Letters such as ㅁ, ㅂ, ㅊ and ㅎ are counted differently by different people. This tool uses the single table in the explanation above, so its numbers may differ from elsewhere.

My name-reading book says ㅇ and ㅎ are earth.

Many modern schools swap earth and water, putting ㅇ ㅎ under earth and ㅁ ㅂ ㅍ under water. This tool follows what the Hunminjeongeum Haerye itself says: ㅇ ㅎ are water and ㅁ ㅂ ㅍ are earth.

We got a controlling relation. Are we a bad match?

No. In the old idea, one element restraining another keeps things in balance; it is not a verdict on any real relationship. Names do not decide anyone's fate or compatibility.

A traditional game for fun. The numbers and element relations do not judge real compatibility or destiny, and they are never a reason to change a name. Names you type are not stored on any server and never go into share links.