If you didn't know, there are no common names like John and Linda in Chinese. All the names usually mean great things. It's kind of like getting a tattoo that means something to you. Every Chinese American person that has a Chinese name has been able to tell me what their names mean. Michaels and Johns have not been able to tell me what their names mean.
2007-05-23 07:33:12 · 18 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Baby Names
Can anyone please answer my question? HOW MANY AMERICANS DO YOU THINK KNOW THAT MOST CHINESEE NAMES ARE UNIQUE AND MEANINGFUL?
2007-05-23 07:39:24 · update #1
Probably not many and it's a shame. We could learn a few things about naming children from not just China, but other countries and cultures as well. I wish there were some way to educated people about it but I don't think it's practical. Maybe someone should start a web site with the history of names in different countries.........
2007-05-23 07:43:42 · answer #1 · answered by thejezowskis 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
3
2007-05-23 08:10:18 · answer #2 · answered by Darth Vader 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Are you kidding me?? What do you mean that there are no common names in China? Exactly how many Chinese people do you know??? Zero, I'll bet. Of course they aren't going to have names common to the western hemisphere there. They have a different culture than we do.
Just because a name has "meaning" does not make it uncommon. All Chinese names have "meaning" attached to them, but many are VERY common. I mean, for God sakes there's over a billion people in China. How many "unique" names can there be? Ever heard any of the following Chinese names?
1. Wen (culture, writing)
2. Zhi (will, intention; emotions)
3. Yi (cheerful)
4. Ya (elegant)
5. Ming (bright)
6. Hui (smart, wise)
7. Hong (great, wide)
All have meaning but all are VERY common in China.
Many cultures have meaningful ways of naming babies. The name does not make one baby more special or unique than another. A name is just a label. How that child is raised and their individual personality is what makes them unique. Not a name, no matter how meaningful or fabricated it might be.
2007-05-23 10:23:50 · answer #3 · answered by LindaLou 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Names of Chinese origin aren't the only ones that are unique and meaningful. Personally I think many Celtic and Irish names are very unique and have nice meanings. Again, it's personal preference. What you consider unique may in fact not be unique in the Chinese culture.
As far as your question...I don't know how many Americans know that. What does it matter anyway? It's not like it's a matter of national security or a life or death situation!
2007-05-23 07:58:01 · answer #4 · answered by ssjd3436 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Here are a few we love: Girls - Salem Kaine - relaxed/peace ( that is what we're naming our daughter) Rellah Marie - lovely Ellery Sinclaire - joyful Merritt Rome - high-quality valued at Larken Selene - fowl/moon Sora Masen - sky Arwen Patrice - reasonable/high-quality Callista Paige - so much lovely Jensen Ivy - son of Johannes/courageous Kyree Myleese - ocean Boys - Saxon Ridge - sharp (identify we had selected if we had a boy) Bishop Caine - overseer Lincoln Reid - sake payment Grant Lawson - high-quality/tall Lawson Gaige - guy from Laurentum Elliot Pierce - my God is the Lord Perry Jameson - foreigner Foster Mathis - of the woodland Roman Bennett - of Rome Laiken Reid - peaceable Tucker Carson - folds laundry meanings are for 1st names = )
2016-09-05 08:58:03 · answer #5 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am half Chinese and Japanese and my Chinese name is Ching Wan Chin Yung Li or Chingwan Chinyung Li. 4 Chinese names without my last name Li. I know Wan means cloud and Chin means progress and others I can't translate into English. I don't think they have a English word for them.
2007-05-23 09:30:17 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
In 2004, my wife and I were fortunate enough to get to adopt a little girl by the name of Zou Yong Wei. Zou being the ancestral name doesn't have a true meaning but the characters for Yong Wei were translated as Forever Someone Special in the Future. She has been special. She's become a great little ambassador for people thinking about adopting from China. As a sidenote, all the girls brought into her orphanage were given the name Zou as an ancestral name. They further gave everyone the name Yong as part of their name since it honors the city the orphanage is in... and adds Forever to their names.
2007-05-23 07:39:06 · answer #7 · answered by sir_galahad_ks 4 · 4⤊ 1⤋
im not sure...not many probably. i knew chinese names were that way already. i think it is great that they name their children in that way because it really represents their culture. I wish Americans would do that sort of thing too. If I had to guess I'd say maybe about half of Americans.
2007-05-23 08:05:17 · answer #8 · answered by brittany 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
The name Micheal comes from theArch-Angle Micheal which name means to be God like. As far as John, well in Arabic is "Yahya" which means "Life" it probably also has a Semetic origin and Meaning.
2007-05-23 07:43:04 · answer #9 · answered by Nena 2 · 4⤊ 0⤋
My daughters name is Sarah, she can tell you what it means and she's 6 years old, It means princess. Her middle name means "of a handsom man" Maybe not unique but it's great and meaningful to me.
I'm adding to this...
my answer to your question is, some probably do.
2007-05-23 07:41:08 · answer #10 · answered by Rachel B 2 · 3⤊ 1⤋