Comments on: The “English” Names I Can’t Stand

By: Name Ambiguity | Doubting to shuo: Chinese, Investing, EFL and Being a Geek in Taiwan

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 17:28:48 +0000

[...] written before about the crazy English names people in Taiwan often go by. This year, though, there’s something entirely new for [...]

By: Kaminoge

Kaminoge — Tue, 26 Dec 2006 16:15:25 +0000

I never had a problem with my name being written in katakana in Japan. In fact, I liked being called ジムさん by my Japanese teachers. On the other hand, I take exception to being required to have a Chinese name in Taiwan, probably because none of the names I’ve been given (and I’ve been given several) sound anything like…well, me.
I worked for a language school in Tokyo that did encourage its students (adults) to take English names for use in the classrooms. The idea was that, by taking on an English persona so to speak, the students could relax and be more willing to open up when expressing themselves in English. It seemed to work. Many students who became good friends with their classmates would continue to use their English nicknames with each other outside of class as well. In some cases, they didn’t even know their newfound friends’ real (Japanese) names.

By: lukasz

lukasz — Sun, 19 Nov 2006 01:56:38 +0000

Some of my ‘favourite’ names I heard in Taiwan are:
Masseratti, Hazard, Marlboro
I dont like these names but it is really hard not to remember them..maybe this is the aim..

By: Mark

Mark — Sat, 18 Nov 2006 01:10:44 +0000

I have a Chinese name. no one uses it.

Bushman, do you use your Chinese name when you introduce yourself? If I’m teaching, of course I want my students to call me either Mark or Mr. Wilbur, but outside of work, I introduce myself as 小馬 and it usually sticks. If people call me Mark, though, that’s okay, too. It is the name my mother gave me, after all. I don’t like being called “mock”, though.

This semester, I’ve changed some more students’ names:
Canny -> Kenny
Olive -> Olivia
Jeson -> Jason
Some parents were a bit resistant, and I told them they can call their kids whatever they want, but that they have to use an actual English name in my class. If a kid wanted to use his real name, that would be fine too, of course. I usually just tell them that if they don’t like the names I pick for them they can use any name that shows up after 1950 on the Name Voyager.

By: MJ Klein

MJ Klein — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 23:08:38 +0000

I have a Chinese name. no one uses it. Taiwanese have these names so they can try to pass themselves off as “from” America. countless times i have heard weird pronunciations of words from Taiwanese who think that they are talking like Americans. remember, its not important that one actually is fluent in English - only that one can fool the Taiwanese sitting next to them (which explains why people ask “are you sure?” when you answer the question “how are you?” - that is the next phrase they remember from the textbook). these matronly names that females choose are idiotic, as well as those pre-war popular favorites like “Oscar” that men choose. its not about making it “easier” for foreigners (many of whom speak Chinese quite well). its about separating one’s self from the generation of Taiwanese who would never take an Englishee name. if you want to have some fun, ask your Taiwanese friends what their real names are and then try to use them exclusively. then, insist that they call _you_ by your Chinese name. then, insist that they speak only in Chinese to help _you_ with your language development. see what happens. if strangers come up to me on the street and are obviously trying to waste my time with practicing English (and not interested in talking with _me_ as a person), i tell them that i don’t speak English (in Chinese). by the look on their faces its clear that they are under the impression that everyone, everywhere speaks English (and is at their disposal for practice as well).

By: Prince Roy

Prince Roy — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 12:32:29 +0000

CoCo is also the nom de guerre of a political cartoonist in Taiwan. He comes out with great stuff.

By: Laoban

Laoban — Sat, 11 Nov 2006 22:49:01 +0000

I know a couple of Cocos. They both said it was a famous (Chinese) singer’s English name. They are not “irony compliant” enough to discuss with them whether the singer originally got the name from a stripper.

By: Athelas

Athelas — Fri, 03 Nov 2006 07:33:27 +0000

Dear Warren,

I just may be the English teacher who gave you your English name 20-some years ago. If so, it was by no means
randomly assigned, nor was it for my convenience so as not to have to remember those “weird Chinese names”. I gave English names to the students whose parents wanted them to have them. I spent hours pouring over the Chinese dictionary to determine what the kids’ names meant in Chinese so I could select a comparable English name. If I couldn’t find a name with a similar meaning, I went for sound– nice English names that had some of the same sounds as your name. If your are “my” Warren, I gave you the name of my favorite, very educated uncle, and your mother was very impressed and honored.

I speak Chinese, so the names were not a crutch for me, they were demanded by the parents, as I said. However, my students didn’t know that I spoke Chinese since I never used it in class, just English. I loved my students and worked very hard to make learning English fun and successful. I still am in contact with some of those students from the 80’s, and we are good friends.

Furthermore, I steered clear of such over-used names as Johnny, Jummy, Sandy, Tina, Jenny and Jeannie, etc. Rather, I gave names like Richard, Elizabeth, Patricia, James, Colin and Patrick. I used full names, not diminutives to lend elegance and maturity.

I also tried to get parents to change undesirable names, such as Pinkie and Sweetie who came to me with these names bestowed on them from their grandfather. How do you tell the parents their little 5-year-old’s name sounds like a whore?

If I was your teacher, you knew me as Miss Han or Mrs.Owens and attended class in my home in Tianmou. In any case, you have kept the name your teacher gave you which you didn’t have to do. If you don’t want it, change it to something that has meaning for you. I wish you all the best.

By: Matt

Matt — Sat, 01 Jul 2006 20:51:41 +0000

I teach English on the mainland and the same “English” name problem is common. I usually try to tackle it in the first lesson with a new class. I explain that my friend is learning Chinese, and I want to run some possible Chinese names past them…

Yanjing Yiping (a pun on a local beer brand)
Lei Feng (such a heroic name!)
Zhang Q (Zhang’s the most popular Chinese family name, and Lu Xun’s Ah Q was a typical Chinese person, so it must be great, right?)
++ Guofan (where ++ is a ‘character’ I’ve created, pronounced Tom)

This helps the students to understand. I then give students with unconventional names a list of suggestions. If students are really recalcitrant, I just use their Chinese name. Sometimes you must be cruel to be kind.

By: Bill

Bill — Thu, 29 Jun 2006 14:37:51 +0000

I explain this by saying that I have a Chinese name.

“What is it?” they ask.

好。我的中文名字是 “Khedhleppit”.

“这个不是是一个中文名字！＂

I know. And JEEsper isn’t an English name.