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Nickname

Wang

Chinese 王, the character meaning "king" / "royal" — a major Chinese (and Korean) clan surname.

Confidence
Likely
US frequency
Rank 151 · 169,987 people
Common variants
Wong, Vang

Confidence: Likely. The main story is well supported; some details of the deeper root are less certain.

The short story

Wang is most often the Mandarin form of 王, whose ordinary meaning is "king" or "royal." Multiple Chinese lineages adopted 王 to mark remembered royal or noble status; Korean Wang (왕) uses the same character. That character gloss is agreed; it does not mean every Wang descends from one emperor.

DAFN also lists Mandarin 汪 (a different character) and other streams under the romanization Wang. Cantonese Wong is often the same 王. Like Kim, this is a clan surname filed under nickname for the character's sense among the product's four types.

Also seen as: Wong, Vang

Sources used