Peng

♂ Boy

How to Pronounce Peng

Pronounced PUNG /ˈpʌŋ/Low

Meaning: Peng is a Chinese name rendered in pinyin; its meaning depends on the written character, most notably the peng, a vast mythical bird or roc of Chinese legend, though other characters give senses like 'friend.'Low

In 30 seconds: Peng is a Chinese boy's name whose meaning depends on the character, often the mythical roc. It appeared in US records around 1995 and stayed rare (said PUNG).

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Origin MediumChinese

MeaningPeng is a Chinese name rendered in pinyin; its meaning depends on the written character, most notably the peng, a vast mythical bird or roc of Chinese legend, though other characters give senses like 'friend.'

U.S. rank (2001)#11852 ↘ Falling

2001 U.S. births5 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year1995

Total births (all-time)≈ 227

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Peng is a Chinese given name whose sense turns on the character used; the famous one names a giant mythical bird, the roc, celebrated in the Zhuangzi. Its US appearances track Chinese immigrant families.

In American records it was always rare, given to only about twenty boys a year around 1995, almost entirely within Chinese families. A boy named Peng then is around thirty today, and the name remains tied to Chinese heritage.

Did you know? Peng most evocatively names the peng, an enormous bird in Chinese mythology whose wings darken the sky, a classical symbol of vast ambition and far horizons.

Overall data confidence 55%

References - Peng — Chinese pinyin name; character-dependent; 'peng' mythical roc bird

Variations

Peng

Nicknames

Peng

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Peng…

Jian— a like Chinese boy's given name

Wei— a common Chinese name in pinyin

Hao— another single-syllable Chinese name

Ming— a familiar Chinese given name

Explore names like Peng

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Peng mean?

It is a Chinese name whose meaning depends on the character, often the mythical roc bird.

How do you pronounce Peng?

It is said PUNG /ˈpʌŋ/, one syllable; English speakers approximate the Mandarin sound.

Is Peng a boy or girl name?

Peng is used as a boy's name.

How popular is Peng?

It has always been rare in the United States, given to only about twenty boys a year at its peak in the mid-nineteen-nineties.