Mei
/M-EY/
Beautiful, the plum blossom that flowers in winter when all other trees are bare — Mei is one of the most beloved Chinese names, carrying the resilience of the plum tree that blooms in snow and has become a symbol of perseverance and hope. In Chinese art the plum blossom represents the triumph of beauty over hardship, and the name promises a child whose loveliness will be most radiant precisely when the world is coldest
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This page tells you what Mei means. The app tells you whether it's right for your baby — scored against your family & your heritage, and your baby's birth details.
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Meaning & origin
Yes — Mei is a Buddhist girl name of Chinese origin, meaning “Beautiful, the plum blossom that flowers in winter when all other trees are bare — Mei is one of the most beloved Chinese names, carrying the resilience of the plum tree that blooms in snow and has become a symbol of perseverance and hope. In Chinese art the plum blossom represents the triumph of beauty over hardship, and the name promises a child whose loveliness will be most radiant precisely when the world is coldest”.
Mei is a girl's name of Chinese origin, traditionally used in Buddhist families. The name means "Beautiful, the plum blossom that flowers in winter when all other trees are bare — Mei is one of the most beloved Chinese names, carrying the resilience of the plum tree that blooms in snow and has become a symbol of perseverance and hope. In Chinese art the plum blossom represents the triumph of beauty over hardship, and the name promises a child whose loveliness will be most radiant precisely when the world is coldest" and belongs to the Nature cluster — names drawn from the natural world — earth, water, sky.
Common among Chinese, Taiwanese, HongKonger, Singaporean, Malaysian families, Mei carries cultural weight that goes beyond its dictionary definition — it's a name with a story and a community.
Mei in the Buddhist tradition
Buddhist names often carry a virtue to aspire to — peace, wisdom, compassion. Mei means “Beautiful, the plum blossom that flowers in winter when all other trees are bare — Mei is one of the most beloved Chinese names, carrying the resilience of the plum tree that blooms in snow and has become a symbol of perseverance and hope. In Chinese art the plum blossom represents the triumph of beauty over hardship, and the name promises a child whose loveliness will be most radiant precisely when the world is coldest”, with Chinese roots.
NameRoot shows the meaning. See the full meaning and heritage of Mei, and how it scores for your family.
See Mei's full reading →What does Mei's numerology say?
Numerology assigns each name a single-digit destiny number by summing its letter values. Different schools use different mappings — NameRoot computes both so you can see how Mei resonates in either tradition.
Mei's destiny number is 9 — but a number only matters in context. The app matches it to your family's own numbers for a real compatibility read. See Mei's full reading →
Does Mei go with your family's names?
Mei breaks into 2 sounds: /M-EY/. The real test isn't how it sounds alone — it's how it sounds beside the names already in your family: yours, your partner's, and any brothers or sisters. NameRoot scores that harmony, so Mei sits naturally next to a Mum and Dad like Michael & Anna, or a big sister named Gianna — no awkward clashes, no two names that blur together. Hear Mei beside your family's names →
Nicknames
Common affectionate forms of Mei — useful for everyday family conversation, early childhood, or as standalone given names themselves.
Names similar to Mei
If Mei resonates with you, these names live in the same world — drawn from the same tradition, sharing the same meaning, or echoing a similar sound.
From the same tradition
Other Buddhist girl names, common in Chinese families
Sharing the same meaning
Other Buddhist girl names from the Nature cluster
Names that sound similar
Buddhist girl names that open with the same syllables as Mei
Explore more names
Keep exploring names like Mei — by tradition, by meaning, or by first letter.
Common questions about Mei
What does the name Mei mean?
Mei means "Beautiful, the plum blossom that flowers in winter when all other trees are bare — Mei is one of the most beloved Chinese names, carrying the resilience of the plum tree that blooms in snow and has become a symbol of perseverance and hope. In Chinese art the plum blossom represents the triumph of beauty over hardship, and the name promises a child whose loveliness will be most radiant precisely when the world is coldest." It is a girl name of Chinese origin, traditionally used in Buddhist families.
Is Mei a boy or girl name?
Mei is most commonly used as a girl name.
What is the origin of the name Mei?
Mei is of Chinese origin, used in Buddhist tradition, commonly among Chinese, Taiwanese, HongKonger families.
Is Mei a Buddhist name?
Yes. Mei is a girl name traditionally used in Buddhist families, of Chinese origin.
What does Mei mean in Chinese?
Mei originates from Chinese, where it means "Beautiful, the plum blossom that flowers in winter when all other trees are bare — Mei is one of the most beloved Chinese names, carrying the resilience of the plum tree that blooms in snow and has become a symbol of perseverance and hope. In Chinese art the plum blossom represents the triumph of beauty over hardship, and the name promises a child whose loveliness will be most radiant precisely when the world is coldest."
What are common nicknames for Mei?
Common short forms of Mei include Meimei.
What is the numerology of Mei?
Mei has a Pythagorean destiny number of 9 — compassion and humanitarian service.
See how Mei scores for your family
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