1. Jin

Jin is the oldest member of the group. His stage name is the shortened version of his real name which is Kim Seokjin. His birth name was given to him by his grandfather. His name means “a great treasure” and that is true when it comes to his music skills. 

2. J-Hope

J-Hope is the one with the best dance moves. He revealed that while he and the other band members were thinking of names, he said that he wanted “Ho” in his name and thus, became “J-Ho” initially. The name was changed to “J-Hope” inspired by the Pandora’s box, where the last thing left was hope. His real name is Jung Hoseok. His parents decided on this name after they visited a temple. His name means “a name that will spread throughout the entire country.” Looks like the prediction became true after all. 

3. V

V is the second youngest BTS member and the only actor from the group. He revealed in an interview, that his name was the last to be decided. Three names were suggested- Six, Lex, and V. He chose the last one, to represent victory. His real name is Kim Taehyung, which was given by to him his grandfather. He said that his grandfather is a naming master– someone who names people by keeping their future in mind. V’s name translates to “all wishes will come true” or “everything will work out in the end”.

4. Jungkook

Jungkook is also known as the golden maknae, since he is the youngest member of the band at 23. He revealed that his stage name was almost “Seagull,” as a reference to the official bird of the city he was born in, Busan. However, he decided to use his real name as his stage name and altered the spelling. His full name is Jeon Jeongguk. He was also named by his late grandfather. Though he doesn’t know the origin of his name, according to him, it is similar to “pillars of the nation.”

5. Jimin

Park Ji-Min, also known as Jimin, is one of the main singers, songwriters, and dancers of the band. He initially thought of using a stage name before his debut, but chose otherwise. He was named by his grandfather. His name means “my wisdom will reach higher than the sky.”

6. RM

RM is the group leader of the band and played a major role as a writer in BTS’s hit single, Butter. RM originally stood for “Rap Monster” which he came up with as a trainee because of a line he wrote in a song. He later changed it to Rapmon or RM, after he realised the original didn’t fit his music. His real name is Kim Namjoon. The name means “the genius from South.”

7. Suga

Suga is the primary rapper of the group. His original stage name was “Gloss” which is the meaning behind his real name, Min Yoongi, but he was advised to change it. It is derived from the term “syuting gardeu” which means shooting guard, a position he played in basketball. In 2016, he also took up the name Agust D, which is a variation of the stage name and inspired by his birthplace, Daegu Town.

Did you know the meaning behind their unique names? We’re definitely surprised by the origins.