Objective To clarify the chain mediating role of stress perception and positive coping between nursing students′ sense of meaning in life and professional identity, and to provide a theoretical basis for an intervention pathway to enhance nursing students′ professional identity. Methods A total of 1,463 nursing students from 9 nursing colleges were selected as the research subjects using a convenient sampling method. The general information questionnaire, Meaning in Life Scale (MLS), Chinese Perceived Stress Scale (CPSS), Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire (SCSQ), Professional Identity Questionnaire for Nurse Students (PIQNS) were utilized for the investigation. Results The total scores of nursing students′ MLS, CPSS, SCSQ and PIQNS were (45.72±6.74), (41.19±6.48), (20.88±6.19), and (57.70±10.94), respectively.The sense of meaning in life and positive coping were positively correlated with the sense of professional identity, while the perceived stress was negatively correlated with the sense of professional identity (all P＜0.05).The results of path analysis showed that the sense of meaning in life had a direct effect on the sense of professional identity, with a direct effect size of 0.454 ［95%CI(0.365,0.543)］.Meanwhile, the sense of meaning in life can influence professional identity through perceived stress, with a mediating effect of 0.042 ［95%CI(0.021,0.069)］.The sense of meaning in life also influenced the sense of professional identity through positive coping, with a mediating effect of 0.131 ［95%CI(0.082,0.183)］.Moreover, stress perception and positive coping played a chain mediating role between the sense of meaning in life and the sense of professional identity, with a mediating effect of 0.022［95%CI(0.013,0.032)］. Conclusion The nursing students′ scores for professional identity and sense of meaning in life were at a moderate level. The sense of meaning in life can directly impact the professional identity of nursing students and also alter their stress response process, thereby affecting their professional identity. Nursing educators can improve nursing students′ sense of meaning in life, help them reduce their perception of stress, establish positive coping style, and thus elevate their professional identity.