For Robinson, I would start with 罗, Luó. It keeps the first character of the established transcription 罗宾逊, and it is a Chinese surname in its own right. 洛, Luò, and 骆, Luò, offer the same consonant and vowel sequence with a falling tone and different characters. If the older meaning behind Robinson matters more to you than its sound, 荣, Róng, is worth considering for its association with honour.
The first decision is what you want your Chinese name to preserve. 罗 gives you a visible connection to the written transcription. 荣 needs a short explanation of the name's history. Neither choice reproduces your whole English surname, and either can be the starting point for a Chinese name you use as an adult.
Why 罗 is a useful starting point
China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs uses 罗宾逊 in its Chinese account of a 2015 meeting with Peter Robinson. The corresponding English account identifies him by name, so this is a checkable example of the surname's transcription. It establishes a published usage, rather than a spelling that every Robinson must adopt. Chinese account, English account
Cambridge gives the British pronunciation of Robinson as /ˈrɒb.ɪn.sən/: the stress falls at the beginning. Luó has an l sound, a uo vowel sequence and a rising Mandarin tone. Choosing 罗 therefore retains a character from the Chinese transcription; it does not reproduce the English /rɒb/ exactly. The English r changes, the vowel changes, and the remaining sounds are left out. Cambridge pronunciation entry
That reduction can still be useful. You can explain how your Chinese surname connects to Robinson without asking one character to carry all three English syllables. If you need to represent Robinson in full, keep 罗宾逊 instead of treating the single character as an equivalent transcription.
罗, 洛 and 骆 are different choices
罗, Luó, written 羅 in traditional characters, is recorded as a surname in Taiwan's Ministry of Education dictionary. The character also has meanings involving a net and fine silk. Those dictionary meanings do not identify the occupation or personality of everyone called Luo. Here, my reason for choosing it is its exact continuity with the first character of 罗宾逊. Dictionary entry for 羅
洛, Luò, is also an attested surname. Its dictionary entry connects the character with the Luo rivers and Luoyang. Compared with 罗, you change the rising second tone to the falling fourth tone and choose a character with a geographical association. You do not make the English-to-Mandarin sound match more exact. It is a reasonable alternative if that character appeals to you or fits better with the given name you are considering. Dictionary entry for 洛
骆, Luò, written 駱 in traditional characters, shares both the syllable and tone of 洛. The dictionary recognises it as a surname and gives an older meaning of a white horse with a black mane. Its horse component offers a practical way to distinguish the written character. Choosing 骆 over 洛 is chiefly a choice of writing and association; the two surnames sound the same in Mandarin. Dictionary entry for 駱
Try the characters before ranking them by taste. If keeping the visible link to 罗宾逊 is your priority, 罗 has an advantage the other two do not. If you prefer a falling tone, compare 洛 and 骆 in your whole name. There is no need to discard either simply because it is less familiar to you.
What Robinson's history can contribute
For the English surname, the *Dictionary of American Family Names*, reproduced by Ancestry, gives a patronymic formation from Robin, a familiar form of Robert, with -son. The older personal name Robert contains Germanic elements associated with fame and brightness. A meaning-based choice therefore takes two steps back, through Robin to Robert; it does not translate the modern surname directly. Robinson entry, Robert entry
荣, Róng, written 榮 in traditional characters, is a real surname. Its dictionary meanings include honour or distinction, as well as flourishing. I would consider it if the idea of honour appeals to you more than the sound of Robinson. That is a selected association with part of Robert's older meaning: it leaves behind the patronymic formation and almost all the English sound. Róng is not an alternative way to pronounce 罗. Dictionary entry for 榮
明, Míng, gives another meaning-based possibility. It is attested as a surname, and the character can mean bright or clear. Choose it if brightness is the particular element you want to retain. It does not preserve the fame element or the sound of Robinson, so I would not present it as a closer overall match than 罗. Dictionary entry for 明
These links are optional. You can value your existing family name without turning its remote etymology into the meaning of your new one. The linguistic history also cannot establish your individual ancestry; a family record may tell a more specific story.
Make the choice in a complete name
Start by saying 我姓罗, Wǒ xìng Luó, “My surname is Luo.” Then try the surname before the Chinese given name you are considering. Keep the character and tone visible while comparing: plain “Luo” hides the difference between 罗 Luó and 洛 or 骆 Luò.
For a simple listening exercise, use 宁, Níng, as a temporary given name: 罗宁, Luó Níng, has two rising tones; 洛宁 and 骆宁, Luò Níng, begin with a falling tone. The last two sound identical in Mandarin, although they are written differently. This is an editorial test combination, not a personalised recommendation or a translation of your English given name.
My first choice remains 罗 for an easily explained connection to Robinson. Compare 洛 and 骆 if you prefer their characters or the way the falling tone works in your name. Consider 荣 or 明 only if you deliberately want to move towards an older meaning. Read and write the whole name, then decide which connection you actually want to carry into everyday use.
