Hyun is a unisex Korean given name that has been used for both males and females since ancient times. It is composed of two Chinese characters, 分 meaning "divide" and 運 meaning "fate" or "destiny". Therefore, Hyun can be interpreted as "divided fate" or "fated to be divided". However, it is important to note that this interpretation is not universally accepted, and the true meaning of Hyun may vary based on individual family traditions. In modern times, Hyun has become increasingly popular both in South Korea and abroad, with celebrities such as Hyun Bin, a famous South Korean actor, helping to bring international recognition to the name.
The name Hyun experienced a notable increase in popularity from the late 1980s to the early 1990s, peaking at 14 births in 1989 and remaining high with double-digit figures until 1993. However, it has since shown a general decline, with most years seeing fewer than 10 births. There was a slight resurgence around the year 2000, but it has been consistently low ever since, with only 5 births reported in each of the last three available years (2016). In total, there were 263 recorded births named Hyun between 1972 and 2016.