From Margaret Curtis in China - What's In A Name

From Chongqing Technical and Business University, Sichuan Province, China,

October 26, 2008 Margaret Curtis

What’s in a name?

Quite a lot, apparently. It is mid-semester and I am reviewing endless lists. Each student has a 10 digit number that seems to bear his or her academic DNA. This is followed by a Chinese name, written in Chinese characters, and then written again in pin yin which is English letters. Finally each student has an English name, chosen, after much thought, because the student likes the sound, the supposed meaning, or the association of ideas.

If these names appeared in some kind or order it would be helpful, but as many English classes are comprised of students from a variety of areas, the groupings are not what they call “natural classes”. So the numbers are all over the place, and confusing to say the least. Alphabetical order cannot really be applied, there being no Chinese alphabet, so one handles an amorphous mass of information that struggles to find a niche in the teacher’s mind.

As the “foreign expert” it is my job to advise the student as to whether the name is suitable, whether it will “ring true” in the western world, whether it is dignified and pleasing. Occasionally, as a result of such input, a student will decide to change the name. I then have another challenge – to remember what the first English name was, and now what the new English name is, so that appropriate credit can be assigned to the student’s work.

Dupont says he is a great admirer of that company. Kiddy refuses to change to Kitty. Lychee likes the fruit, so why not the name? Angelling, Icy, and Margin, have no particular rationale in mind, but insist on keeping their names. Formula has changed to Bell, which doesn’t seem much of an improvement to me. Moon is now Thomas. Superman has changed to Duncan. Sunny and Smile are happy people, they say, so they want happy names. Water eventually changed to something, but I don’t recall what. Sofen told me today that he is now Daniel, and Hilary has changed to William, thank goodness.

One young lady announced that she had finally found the perfect name and from now on wants to be called Pota. Why? Well, she had just come from a Chemistry class in which they were introduced to the chemical element potassium. She admires it so much, she says, she wants to be named after it. Hamlet, Romeo, and Juliet, are favorites. Nomad still sounds a little odd to me. Michael says he is to be called Michael Jordan, but he really wants to be Michael Jackson. Fish argued that the fish is a symbol of plenty and prosperity in China, and that it is an honor to bear this name. She relented in the end, and is now Faye.