A surname is a beginning, not a pedigree.

A compact, familiar surname whose rising tone leaves room for a varied given-name rhythm.

The character also means “king”; as a surname it is not a title or a claim of rank.

A level-tone opening that often sits clearly before a two-syllable given name.

Its second-tone syllable is short and distinct; check the complete name rather than the surname alone.

A common-looking but personally neutral surname choice; it should not be treated as a translated English surname.

The rising tone pairs well with a name that has a different tonal shape.

The character can mean yellow; surname use should not be read as a description of the person.

A falling-tone surname with a crisp beginning; hear it alongside the complete name.

A one-syllable surname that is easy to separate from a two-character given name in pinyin.

A level-tone surname; its sound does not establish a link to the Zhou dynasty.

The initial x may be unfamiliar to English speakers; pronounce it as Mandarin rather than English “ex”.

A short first-tone surname; do not infer family ties from a famous bearer.

The character has a color association; as a surname it is primarily an inherited name, not a color label.

The character also means horse; do not translate the surname into English on a name card.

Its rising tone and single character are straightforward, but the full name still needs an oral check.

The diphthong deserves a Mandarin pronunciation check before choosing it for everyday use.

The surname character also functions as a word in ordinary Chinese; in a name it is read as a surname.

The character evokes a grove, but the surname may simply be inherited and need not express a personal theme.

A first-tone surname with a sense of height in ordinary vocabulary; avoid forcing a literal reading of surnames.

A rising-tone surname that benefits from seeing its character beside pinyin, since romanization alone is ambiguous.

The zh sound and falling tone merit practice as part of the complete name.

The sound is two-part to many English ears but is one Mandarin syllable.

As a surname it is not automatically connected to the Song dynasty, whose imperial surname was 赵.

A two-character surname: keep both characters together when identifying the given name.