Meaning
peace, safety
In names
安 is one of the most reassuring characters in Chinese naming. Its core meaning is peace, safety, or calm, and it appears in both everyday words and personal names. The character is simple to write and easy to recognise, which makes it a practical choice for a name that will be used on documents, business cards, and social media.
The traditional explanation of the character is a woman under a roof, an image of shelter and security. Modern readers mostly experience it as a straightforward word for peace. In names, it can read as calm, grounded, and unshowy.
安 is unisex. It pairs naturally with water and light imagery (安澜, 安然), with quiet virtues (安宁), and with song or joy (安歌). The main caution is that 安 is also a surname; when it appears at the start of a full name, Chinese readers may briefly parse it either way. That ambiguity is usually harmless, but it is worth explaining when you introduce yourself.
Structure and etymology
The character combines a roof (宀) with 女, an ancient household image; its modern meaning is peace and safety.
Names that use this character
Naming notes
A calm, unisex character; pairs well with 然, 宁, 澜.
Tags: calm, safe. It reads as unisex in modern names.
Reference: Unihan database · Chinese Text Project. Meanings here are editorial summaries for naming, not full dictionary definitions.