This photo released by Everland on July 23, 2026 shows a newborn giant panda cub in South Korea. Ai Bao, a female giant panda on loan from China, gave birth to a female cub on June 3. Photo: Xinhua

As the beloved giant panda cub born in South Korea to popular pair Ai Bao and Le Bao is nearing its 100th day, China and South Korea launched a public vote on Tuesday to name the newest addition to the panda family.

In June, Everland, South Korea's only zoo housing giant pandas, announced that female panda Ai Bao gave birth to a healthy female cub on June 3, according to the Korea Times. The newborn joins her older sisters, including Fu Bao, born in 2020.

The naming vote for the panda cub runs from Tuesday through August 30 and offers five name options, which were selected by both the Chinese and South Korean sides out of 10,281 initial submissions, according to an announcement released by the Chinese Embassy in South Korea on Tuesday.

The five name options carry distinct meanings: You Bao suggests a little one who is blessed and protected; Zhu Bao evokes a treasure cherished like fine jewelry; Jun Bao points to a striking and lovely baby; Lin Bao is likened to a precious piece of jade; and Shu Bao represents brightness like the break of dawn, according to the announcement.

As of 3 pm, You Bao had received the highest number of votes on the Chinese Embassy's voting page, with Zhu Bao in second place. The embassy said the final result will be unveiled when the cub turns 100 days old.

South Korea's Everland also launched the vote on its X post on Tuesday, paired with bilingual Chinese Korean posters to introduce the five names.

South Korea's media outlet Yonhap News Agency said in a report on Tuesday that the five finalist names all follow the shared character "Bao," which is used by the panda family. 

"We ask for your active participation and support in the online and offline voting so that the youngest panda, born under the warm attention of the public, can receive a precious name and grow up healthy," an Everland official was quoted by Yonhap as saying. 

A net user who voted told the Global Times that the name "You Bao" embodies a heartfelt wish for the cub to remain free from illness, holding that the blessing of growing up healthy is the most important.

Another young person based in Beijing said he went for Shu Bao. "The character 'Shu' means the very first rays of sunlight at dawn - it stands for fresh starts and hope," he said. The panda cub carries the love and best wishes of people from both countries, so this name gives this lovely picture of the cub growing up healthy like morning sunshine and bringing joy to everyone, he added.

Chinese Ambassador Dai Bing shared the naming vote in an X post on Tuesday. He said that giant pandas act as friendship envoys between China and South Korea and they play a vital role in nurturing friendly sentiments among people of both countries.