Giwon

Giwon is a Korean term that can function as a personal given name and appear in various geographic names in Korea. In Hangul, it is written 기원. As a given name, the meaning of Giwon depends on the hanja chosen for each syllable; because 기 and 원 have multiple possible hanja readings, the name can convey a range of meanings such as origin, source, foundation, or other culturally meaningful concepts. It is used for individuals of any gender, with naming trends varying by era and region.

In toponymy, Giwon or its syllables appear in place names across South Korea, where it may form part of a district, town, or village name. The spelling Giwon reflects the Revised Romanization system; older writings may render it as Kiwon or Kiwon in line with different romanization schemes.

Because Korean names and place names rely on specific hanja or historical context, disambiguation requires additional information, such as the context of a person’s name or the administrative level of a location. See also Hangul, Hanja, and Romanization of Korean for background on how the term is rendered and interpreted in different systems.