Names in the World of Avatar

In the World of Avatar, names are drawn from a wide variety of languages and sources. Though many names transliterated into Chinese characters because that is the form of writing used in the world, most names are in fact not Chinese, and are either derived from other languages or completely fictional.

People
The format of this list of name translations is: Name - Traditional Hanzi (simplified Hanzi if different) - Mandarin Pronunciation in Hanyu Pinyin/Pronunciation in other languages - English translation. Because many characters' names are never seen written on screen, and because it is impossible to guess the correct characters to write a name without knowing its meaning, Chinese characters may not be given for all names.
 * A note on East Asian names: Personal names in China and Korea are usually one or two characters chosen to have an auspicious meaning, while given names in Japanese can sometimes be three. Surnames always come before the given name, and are almost always one character in China and Korea, but usually two characters in Japan.

Main characters

 * Aang: 安昂 - pinyin: ānáng - Peaceful soaring.
 * Katara: 卡塔拉 - pinyin: kǎtǎlā - Probably phonetic. Characters mean "block", "pagoda" and "pull".
 * Sokka: 索卡 - pinyin: suǒkǎ - Probably phonetic. Characters mean "inquire" and "block".
 * Toph Beifong: 北方拓芙 - pinyin: běifāng tuòfú - Surname means "North region" and given name means "expanding lotus". In "Tales of Ba Sing Se", her name is written on the title card as 托夫 (tuōfū), meaning "entrusted man", likely due to an error.
 * Zuko: 蘇科 (苏科) - pinyin: sūkē - Resurrected rule. On his wanted poster, his name was written with the characters 祖寇 (zǔkòu), meaning "ancestor robber". This was likely intended to insult him.
 * Iroh: 艾洛 - pinyin: àiluò - Probably phonetic, since the first character means "Chinese mugwort" (a flower, which is not used to name males), and the second character is the name of a river in China.
 * Appa: 阿柏 - pinyin: ābǎi - Characters mean "Cypress"; the word "Appa" corresponds or is similar to cognates for "father" in several non-Chinese languages.
 * Momo: 模模 - pinyin: mómó - Transliteration of Japanese word "momo", meaning "peach"; used as a common pet name in Japan (much as "Fido" is used in the west). Characters mean "imitate".

Water Tribe

 * Yue: 月 - pinyin: yuè - Moon.

Earth Kingdom

 * Bumi: 布米 - pinyin: bùmǐ - Probably phonetic: characters mean "spread rice". 'Bumi' means earth in Indonesian and Malay.
 * Chin: 秦 - pinyin: qín - Qin was the surname of controversial emperor Qin Shi Huang, who unified China. It referred to the state he ruled prior to conquering the rest of China.
 * Hong Lee (Zuko): 洪禮 (洪礼) - pinyin: hóng lǐ - Hong is a traditional Chinese surname meaning "vast" or "deluge"; Lee references the Confucian virtue li, meaning "propriety" or "ritual". He may be named for Li Hong, one of the series' early concept artists.
 * Hong Mushi (Iroh): 洪慕士 - pinyin: hóng mùshì - Hong is a traditional Chinese surname meaning "vast" or "deluge"; Mushi means "to want to become a scholar".
 * Kyoshi: 虛子 - Japanese: kyoshi - "Empty child"; this was the pen name of the famous Japanese poet Takahama Kiyoshi.
 * Long Feng: 龍鳳 (龙凤) - pinyin: lóng fèng - Dragon Phoenix (traditionally stands for "Royal Throne").
 * Miyuki: 美雪 - Japanese: miyuki - Beautiful snow (common Japanese girl's name).
 * Oh: 吳 - Korean: o - Oh (Wu in Chinese) is a common surname in China and Korea. It refers to the ancient Kingdom of Wu in China.
 * Oma: 奧瑪 (奥玛) - Korean: oma - Mysterious Carnelian.
 * Oyaji 親父 (亲父) - Japanese: oyaji - Japanese informal term for "dad".
 * Pao: 包 - pinyin: bāo - Bao is a traditional Chinese surname meaning "To cover" and one of the Hundred Classical Surnames. It is a pun of the character 泡 (pāo), meaning to boil water.
 * Pu-on Tim: 浦安添 - Cantonese: pu on tim - Pu is a traditional Chinese surname meaning "beach"; On-Tim means "Increasing Peace".
 * Shu: 舒 - pinyin: shū - Shu is a traditional Chinese surname meaning "relax".
 * The Boulder: 大塊石 (大块石) - pinyin: dàkuàishí - Big rock.
 * Xin Fu: 辛富 - pinyin: xīn fù - Xin is a traditional Chinese surname meaning "bitter"; Fu means "wealth".
 * Aunt Wu: 巫 - pinyin: wū - Wu is a rare Chinese surname meaning "sorceress" or "shaman".
 * Yu: 余 - pinyin: yú - Yu is a common Chinese surname meaning "surplus".

Fire Nation

 * Chan: 陳 - pinyin: chén, Cantonese: chan - Chen/Chan is a very common Chinese surname referring to the ancient State of Chen in central China.
 * Chey: 濟 (济) - Korean: che - To ferry; to help.
 * Ding: 丁 - pinyin: dīng - Ding is a common Chinese surname meaning "robust" or "masculine".
 * Jeong Jeong: 琤琤 - pinyin: chēngchēng - The sound of tinkling gems.
 * Liang: 梁 - pinyin: liáng - Liang is an extremely common Chinese surname meaning "bridge" or "beam".
 * Lu Ten: 路騰 (路腾) - pinyin: lùténg - Gallop over a road.
 * Mongke: - Mongolian: möngke - Mongolian name meaning eternal: Name of the fourth Great Khan of the Mongol Empire who conquered Iraq, Syria and Vietnam.
 * Ogodei: - Mongolian: ögedei - Name of Genghis Khan's third son and second Great Khan of the Mongol Empire.
 * Ozai: 敖載 (敖载) - pinyin: áozǎi - Carry proudly.
 * Sozin: 蘇進 (苏进) - pinyin: sūjin - Revival and progress.
 * Tom-Tom: 湯湯 (汤汤) - pinyin: tāngtāng - Phonetic: characters mean "soup" or "hot water".
 * Yeh-Lu: - Khitan: yelü - the family name of Yelü Chucai, an adviser of Ogedei Khan.

Air Nomads

 * Gyatso - (Tibetan) - Tibetan name meaning "ocean of Wisdom."
 * Pasang - (Tibetan) - Tibetan name meaning "born on Friday."
 * Tashi - (Tibetan) - Tibetan name meaning "good fortune/auspiciousness."

Neutral

 * Pathik - (Hindi) - Hindi name meaning "traveler."

Spirits

 * Hei Bai: 黑白 - pinyin: hēibái - Black and white.
 * La: 拉 - pinyin: lā - Pull.
 * Tui: 推 - pinyin: tuī - Push.
 * Wan Shi Tong: 萬知堂 (万知堂) - pinyin: wànzhītáng - Hall of ten thousand knowledge.

Main characters

 * Amon: 阿蒙 - pinyin: āméng - To cover.
 * Mako 信 - Japanese: makoto - Mako is an abbreviated version of the Japanese name Makoto, meaning "faithfulness", one of the five Confucian virtues.
 * Tenzin - (Tibetan) - Tibetan name meaning "defender of the faith."

Republic City

 * Asami Sato - (Japanese) - Asami is a female Japanese name usually meaning either "morning beauty", "hemp beauty", or "morning sea". Sato is the most common Japanese surname.
 * Hiroshi Sato - (Japanese) - Hiroshi is a common male Japanese name with many meanings depending on the characters used. Sato is the most common Japanese surname.
 * Saikhan - (Mongolian) - Saikhan is a Mongolian word meaning "beautiful."
 * Shiro Shinobi - (Japanese) - Shiro is a Japanese name that usually means "fourth child". Shinobi is a Japanese word that means "sneak", "thief", or "ninja".

Neutral

 * Pema - (Tibetan) - Tibetan name meaning "lotus flower."

Bending
The format of this list of location translations is: Bending Art: Traditional Hanzi (Simplified Hanzi if different) - Mandarin Pronunciation (in Hanyu Pinyin) - English translation.


 * Airbending: 截氣神功 (截气神功) - jie qi shen gong - Divine Ability to Halt Air.
 * Waterbending: 截水神功 - jie shui shen gong - Divine Ability to Halt Water.
 * Earthbending: 運土術 (运土术) - yun tu shu - Ability to Move Earth.
 * Firebending: 制火術 (制火术) - zhi huo shu - Ability to Manipulate Fire.

Location and organization names
The format of this list of location translations is: Location: Traditional Hanzi (simplified Hanzi if different) - Mandarin Pronunciation (in Hanyu Pinyin) - English translation.

Water Tribe

 * Northern Water Tribe 北方水族 - běifāng shuǐzú - (Literal)
 * Southern Water Tribe 南方水族 - nánfāng shuǐzú - (Literal)

Earth Kingdom

 * Earth Kingdom: 土國 (土国) - tǔ guó - (literal)
 * Ba Sing Se: 永固城 - yǒng gù chéng - Eternally Solid City.
 * Cave of Two Lovers: - 情人洞 - qíngrén dòng - (literal)
 * Chin Village: 秦 - qín - Name of an ancient state.
 * Full Moon Bay: 滿月灣 (满月湾) - mǎnyuè wān - (literal)
 * Gan Jin: 乾淨 - gān jìng - Clean.
 * Gaoling: 高陵 - gāo líng - High Hill.
 * Kyoshi Island - 虛子島 - xūzǐ dǎo - (literal, see Names section for translation of Kyoshi)
 * Omashu: 奥瑪舒城 (奥玛舒城) - ào mǎ shū chéng - Transliteration of word "Omashu", "chéng" means city.
 * Senlin Village: 森林村 - sēnlín cūn - Forest Village.
 * Serpent's Pass: 盤蛇關 (盘蛇关) - pán shé guān - Coiled Snake Pass.
 * Si Wong Desert: 死亡沙漠 - sǐwáng shāmò - Desert of Death.
 * South Sea: 南海 - nánhǎi - (literal)
 * Wan Shi Tong's Library: 萬知堂神祕圖書館 (万知堂神秘图书馆) - wàn zhī táng shénmì túshūguǎn - (literal, see Names section for translation of Wan Shi Tong)
 * Yu Dao: 玉島 (玉岛) - yù dǎo - Jade Island.
 * Zhang: 髒 (脏) - zāng - Dirty.

Fire Nation

 * Fire Nation: 烈火國 (烈火国) - liè huǒ guó - Raging Fire Nation.
 * Fire Nation Capital: 皇家首都 - huángjiā shǒudū - Imperial Capital City.
 * Capital Island: 首都島 (首都岛) - shǒudū dǎo - (Literal)
 * Crescent Island: 新月島 (新月岛) - xīnyuè dǎo - New Moon Island.
 * Dragonbone Catacombs: 龍骨墓窟 (龙骨墓窟) - lóng gǔ mùkū - (Literal)
 * Ember Island: 餘燼島 (余烬岛) - yújìn dǎo - (literal)
 * New Ozai (Omashu): 新敖載城 - xīn áozài chéng- literal; "cheng" means walled city or castle.

Businesses and organizations

 * Ba Sing Se University: 永固城大學 (永固城大学) - yǒng gù chéng dàxué - (literal, see above for translation of Ba Sing Se)
 * Ba Sing Se Zoo: 快樂動物園 (快乐动物园) - kuàilè dòngwùyuán - Name actually means "Happy Zoo".
 * Ember Island Theater: 餘烬島劇院 (余烬岛剧院) - yújìn dǎo jùyuàn - (literal)
 * Fancy Lady Day Spa 貴婦美容院 (贵妇美容院) - guìfù měiróngyuàn - (literal)
 * Fragrant Tea House: 芬芳茶館 (芬芳茶馆) - fēnfāng cháguǎn - (literal)
 * Happy Wanderer's Opera Troupe: 快樂浪人歌劇團 (快乐浪人歌剧团) - kuàilè làngrén gējùtuán - (literal)
 * Jasmine Dragon: 茉莉龍 (茉莉龙) - mòlì lóng - (literal)
 * Lao Chen's Smithy: 老陳鐵匠鋪 (老陈铁匠铺) - lǎo chén tiějiàngpù - (literal)
 * Master Yu's Earthbending Academy: - 余師傅著名運土術武館 (余师傅著名运土术武馆)- yú shīfu zhùmíng yùntǔshù wǔguǎn - (literal)
 * Pao Family Tea House: 包氏茶館 (包氏茶馆) - bāo shì cháguǎn - (literal)
 * Yu Dao Grocery Store: 玉島雜貨店 (玉岛杂货店) - yù dǎo záhuòdiàn - (literal)