Entry № 0612 · Chinese origin

Daoyun Daoyun — Meaning, Origin & Baby Name Popularity

/ DOW-yun /
Gender
Girl
Origin
Chinese
Meaning
"Jin Dynasty poet (Mistress of Snow)"
Syllables
2
Rank · US 2025
№ 0
First recorded
Ancient (Chinese)

A name that means "jin dynasty poet (mistress of snow)".

Daoyun (道韞, c. 340-c. 410) was the **Eastern Jin Dynasty poet** — niece of the famous Prime Minister Xie An. **At a family snowfall gathering, when her uncle asked the assembled children what the falling snow looked like, she famously answered: "It is like willow catkins lifted in the wind"** — a metaphor that became the canonical literary image and earned her the nickname **"Mistress of Snow."** Featured in the *Shishuo Xinyu* (5th c.) and beloved as a model of female literary wit.

Featured in *Shishuo Xinyu* (5th c.).

Mistress of Snow. Compared snow to willow catkins lifted in the wind.

The name in its native script.

道韞
Transliteration
Dàoyùn
Pronunciation
/ ˈdaʊ.jʌn /
Root
Grammatical form

Where Daoyun stands.

Current rank · 2025
№ 0 in the U.S.
All-time peak
№ 0 in 0
Babies named Daoyun · last year
87 in the U.S.
First entered SSA top-1000
0
Rank, 1995–2025 Lower = more popular
№25 №75 №150 №250 1995 2005 2015 2020 2025 PEAK · — NOW · —

Daoyuns before her.

Real people
Xie Daoyun
Eastern Jin Dynasty poet.
c. 340 – c. 410
In fiction
Daoyun
Shishuo Xinyu.
5th c.

Names connected to Daoyun.

The number behind Daoyun.

6

The Nurturer

Daoyun reduces to six — the number of Mistress of Snow.

Why families chose this name.

"Mistress of Snow. Six letters. Daoyun."
Lily · Mother of one · Jiankang