Not sure why, but many Chinese have a custom of adopting Western names. The majority choose run-of-the-mill names like James or Kevin, although sometimes they make unfortunate choices: I've met a man named Lucy.
The fun really starts when they get creative and pick something that's still an English word, but unusual as a name. As I meet more people, a few name genre's are beginning to emerge.
The heroic: Achilles; Aeneas
The simple object: Rock, Stone, Hammer,
The complex object: Radio, Lamp
The feature: Dimple, Small
The action: Howl, Run,
But the best is the animal. In my office, we have:
Bear, Elephant, Fish, Horse and Zebra.
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2 comments:
In earlier times we named for moral qualities or feelings. I've known a 'Happy' and a 'Charity', myself, and we don't even notice 'Faith' and 'Hope.'
'Bear' etc remind me of Native American assumed names - at least in the movies!
What about A Boy Named Sue?
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