Why do Chinese have weird names?

Here’s my theory: In China, most people share a few common family names and thus distinguish themselves by having unique given names. Thus, when Chinese students give themselves English names, they try to pick words that are as unique as possible, similar to how their parents picked their Chinese names.

Why do the Chinese use their surnames in front of their given names?

The first part is the generation name that is shared by all members of a generation, and the last character is given to the individual person. The reason Chinese people write their surname first is to show respect to the ancestors.

How do Chinese people choose their names?

The family name (or ‘surname’) is inherited from one’s parents and shared with other members of the individual’s immediate family. It always comes before the given name and is usually a single syllable/Chinese character. The given name (or ‘personal name’) is chosen at birth as the individual’s personal identifier.

How do Chinese people choose their Western names?

As an old Chinese saying goes: “One does not fear if he/she has a bad fate; what one fears most is to have a bad name,” Chinese speakers use different mechanisms in the process of choosing their Western names. Some people choose Western names that resemble their original Chinese ones, either in terms of pronunciation or meaning.

Why are English names so hard to pronounce in China?

For many, English names are informal haos that represent another layer of identity. Admittedly, some Chinese names are really difficult to pronounce. For instance, westerners find it tricky to pronounce names starting with ‘x’, which sounds a little like ‘sh’ in Chinese, or ‘c’ which is pronounced ‘tz’.

Why do Chinese people have unconventional names?

It also happens that when there is special meaning in one’s Chinese name, one would choose an English name with similar meaning. Examples include: Rainy, Sky, Money, Cloud, Ice and River. Sometimes, in order to have unconventional names, Chinese speaking people get inspirations from famous brands.

Why do so many Chinese students have English names?

Consequently, most Chinese students today have a readily available English name that they could use. 2. Pressure to conform to Western standards. English is viewed as the language of business; many Chinese people assume that using an English name will allow them to be more successful.