Gregory in Chinese
Gregory in Chinese is 格雷戈里 (Gé Léi Gē Lǐ).
- Origin
- Greek
- Meaning
- watchful, vigilant
Gregory is a name of Greek origin, generally understood to mean "watchful, vigilant". It has been in continuous US use since Social Security records begin in 1880, peaking in the 1960s.
3 ways to write Gregory
phonetic
Following the sound of your name
格雷戈里
Gé Léi Gē Lǐ
The standard transliteration of Gregory: 格 (gé, "pattern, standard"), 雷 (léi, "thunder"), 戈 (gē, "dagger-axe (phonetic 'go')"), 里 (lǐ, "village; mile (phonetic 'ri/li')"). Chosen for sound, it is instantly recognizable as this name.
Why these characters?
Mandarin has no consonant clusters, so the 3-syllable English name is spread over 4 characters: 格 gé + 雷 léi + 戈 gē + 里 lǐ. The tone contour is 2-2-1-3 (rising, rising, high level, dipping). 戈 is kept because it is the established form, even though it an ancient dagger-axe (weapon) by itself.
Character breakdown
34 strokes total (simplified)- 格
gé
Tone 2 · 10 strokes (simplified)
pattern, standard
- 雷
léi
Tone 2 · 13 strokes (simplified)
thunder
- 戈
gē
Tone 1 · 4 strokes (simplified)
dagger-axe (phonetic 'go')
- 里
lǐ
Tone 3 · 7 strokes (simplified)
village; mile (phonetic 'ri/li')
PNG · black on white
Stroke order
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meaningful
Chosen for meaning and association
睿哲
Ruì Zhé
Inspired by "watchful, vigilant": 睿 (ruì, "wise, farsighted") + 哲 (zhé, "wise, philosophical"), expressing wisdom and insight.
Why these characters?
Because Gregory is linked to "watchful", the name leads with 睿 (wise, farsighted); 哲 (wise, philosophical) gives it a natural given-name finish.
Character breakdown
24 strokes total (simplified)- 睿
ruì
Tone 4 · 14 strokes (simplified)
wise, farsighted
- 哲
zhé
Tone 2 · 10 strokes (simplified)
wise, philosophical
PNG · black on white
Stroke order
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balanced
A balance of sound and meaning
聪知
Cōng Zhī
聪 (cōng, "intelligent, quick-witted") + 知 (zhī, "to know; knowledge"): a natural Chinese given name themed on wisdom and insight.
Why these characters?
No attractive character closely matches "gre" (gé), so 聪 ("intelligent, quick-witted") and 知 ("to know; knowledge") were chosen for wisdom and insight.
Character breakdown
23 strokes total (simplified)- 聪
cōng
Tone 1 · 15 strokes (simplified)
intelligent, quick-witted
- 知
zhī
Tone 1 · 8 strokes (simplified)
to know; knowledge
PNG · black on white
Stroke order
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Popularity in the US
US Social Security records show 706,753 boys named Gregory since 1880, with the high point in 1962 (21,964 births) and the busiest decade being the 1960s. Between 1990 and 2017 it slipped, from #51 to #373 among boys.
- Peak year
- 1962
- Peak decade
- 1960s
- First year
- 1880
- Total since 1880
- 706,753
More About Gregory in Chinese
The Chinese translation of Gregory offers multiple styles to suit different preferences. Whether you prefer a phonetic transliteration that sounds like your name, or a meaningful interpretation that captures the essence of Gregory, you'll find options that work for you.
If you're exploring Chinese names for boys, you might also be interested in Nathaniel in Chinese, Adrian in Chinese, and Carlos in Chinese. Each name has its own unique character combinations and meanings.
Other popular choices include Scott in Chinese, Dustin in Chinese, and Jared in Chinese, each with beautiful traditional and simplified character options.
When choosing Chinese characters for Gregory, consider whether you want:
- Phonetic accuracy: Characters that sound like Gregory to native Chinese speakers
- Meaningful symbolism: Characters chosen for their beautiful meanings and cultural significance
- Balanced approach: A combination of sound and meaning that works well in both languages
Browse our complete A-Z index of Chinese names to explore more options, or start with our curated list of popular names in Chinese to see what others are choosing.
Frequently asked questions
How do you write Gregory in Chinese?
格雷戈里 (Gé Léi Gē Lǐ), identical in simplified and traditional script. This is the conventional transliteration used in Chinese media.
How many strokes does 格雷戈里 have?
34 strokes in simplified form; per character: 格 10, 雷 13, 戈 4, 里 7.
Does Gregory change in traditional Chinese?
No. 格雷戈里 uses only characters that are the same in both scripts, so one design works everywhere.