So, my students are far enough into their English studies that they all already have their own English names. Most of my students have honest, respectable English names but there are always a couple pretty awesome ones. Thus, these lists:
Top Five Most Common Girl's English Names:
5. Jasmine
4. Kitty
3. Lily
2. Sunny
1. Angel
Top Four most Common Boy's English Names:
4. James (After LeBron James)
3. Kobe (After Kobe Bryant)
2. Tiger
1. King
Top Ten Weirdest Chinglish Names I Have Never Encountered Before:
10. Cinderella (girl)
9. Echo (girl)
8. Shadow (girl)
7. Enjoy (girl)
6. Seven (boy)
5. Whiteful (girl)
4. Apple (girl)
3. Potter (I'm assuming after Harry Potter, boy)
2. Elvy (girl)
1. Cullen (after Edward Cullen in Twilight, boy)
The Chinese concepts of names are much more literal than English names, they all have a very direct and literal meaning. Looking at these lists, every one of the common girl's names has a literal meaning, and so do the boys (expecting the ones named after their favorite basketball and movie stars).
Often times Chinese students will name themselves something that is somewhat linked to their Chinese name, for example my student named Seven mentioned that his Chinese name had the number 7 as a part of it, so he decided to call himself Seven.
I'm planning on talking to the students will the particularly interesting names (I do have some names that straight up aren't English names at all: two sound Japanese, one is Amour, a few I don't even recognize where they might even come from). I feel like it is my duty as their teacher to inform them that if they meet someone from America in a business meeting or if they go to America, they should not be called Cinderella, or Cullen. Or at least they should know that real American people will think that is weird. They can change it if they want, or they can keep their interesting names, but I will tell them nontheless.
The closest I have come to my name is one Elaine, and two Eileens. I guess Lane hasn't made it over to China get, though it is a pretty literal name. I just need to become a famous movie star first!
A friend of mine, who is quite American, has a daughter named Apple. Well, it's her middle name (Adelaide Apple), but that's what everyone calls her ...There was a rather bizarre Chinese girl at my middle school that demanded (yes, demanded) people call her "Sunshine"....
ReplyDeleteOh! P.S. I've officially put in my 2 weeks notice and I'm leaving Eat Local!!!!
Lane! This is the first time I have seen your blog - I enjoyed reading it! I am glad everything is working out so far. And it really makes me want to come visit you. I am going to have to start coming up with a plan. So, guess what? Taylor and I watched Dr. Horrible's sing along blog tonight. It was so absurd and awesome - I see why you and Tessa like it so much! Any ways, I suppose I should do my catching up through email or something like that, not as a blog comment!
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