安宁: meaning and pronunciation
安宁
Ān Níng · Peaceful and steady
What each character means
安 (Ān) can mean peace and ease. 宁 (Níng) can mean peaceful and settled.
What the two characters suggest together
Two familiar characters together suggest a grounded, peaceful presence. The two peaceful characters reinforce one another. It is deliberately quiet rather than dramatic. We summarize this as “peaceful and steady.” That English phrase is an interpretation, not a literal translation or a guaranteed impression for every Chinese speaker.
How to say it
Read the two given-name syllables separately: Ān uses the 0th tone (); Níng uses the 2nd tone (rising). A frequent mistake for English readers is to ignore the tone marks or pronounce pinyin as if it were English spelling. Listen to the full name and ask a Mandarin speaker to check it.
Who might like this name?
This pair may appeal to someone drawn to a quiet and grounded presence and the natural world. These are aesthetic associations, not a rule about age, gender or personality.
With a family name
Illustrative full-name combinations include 陈安宁 (Chén Ān Níng), 何安宁 (Hé Ān Níng), 叶安宁 (Yè Ān Níng). The family name changes the rhythm and may create different sound associations. These examples have not been certified for every dialect or slang meaning.
Compare 沐阳 and 思源, or return to all 24 name ideas.