Dear, this should not be written on your ID card. You can use the rest as you like!
Now China is no longer a closed country. With the deepening of globalization, we have more and more exchanges with foreigners, and there is an increasing need for English, an international language, to serve as a bridge. However, names always need to be exchanged before communication, right? At this time an English name is necessary. So the question is, how to choose an English name? What are the tips for choosing an English name? In the following content, Ankang.com will tell you how to choose an English name and some basic knowledge about English surnames.
Tips for choosing English names
1. Keep English names consistent with Chinese names
It should be noted that the name arrangement in my country is that the surname comes first, and the first name comes first. On the contrary, the surname of foreigners comes first and the surname comes last. If there is a given name, the structure of the name is given name, self-given name, and surname. Therefore, when the pronunciation of the English name and the Chinese name are consistent, the written writing should be written like a foreign name. Examples are as follows:
Lily Zheng, June Yang
Lena Kong, Ally Zhang
Lu Meng, Moon Lu, Bob Zhang
Caron Xu, Lisa Jiang
Jill Wang, David Jiang
2. The English name is partially consistent with the Chinese name
If there are some pronunciations in some Chinese surnames If it is difficult to find similar English names, you can use this method. The naming method of this method is to ensure that the last name or first name is consistent, and change the other part, such as free translation. Examples are as follows:
王星——Stellar Wang
Li Bing——Ice Li
Yuan Biao——Tiger Yuan
Qi Tian ——Sky Qi
白云——Cloud Bai
陈平——Apple Chen
Ps: Be careful not to use Chinese-English free translation!
3. Use the names of characters in movies, TV shows or novels.
With the introduction of current British and American dramas, many Chinese drama fans are talking about the characters in the plots. The names of some common protagonists or supporting characters have also become reference materials for many people, and some people simply use them as their own English names.
Using these names as your English names can quickly make strangers familiar with each other, but you must pay attention to the matching with the surname. Good examples include: Katherine (The Vampire Diaries), Vanessa (Gossip Girl), Leonardr (The Big Bang Theory), Scarlettr (Gone with the Wind)
Notes on naming English names
1 , English names are too common
Some people have calculated that among the Han names in my country, the most commonly used names are Zhang Yan, Li Li, Liu Yan, Zhang Wei, etc. The same is true for foreigners, such as Alen, Names like Mark, Sam, Jack, Micheal, etc. are really all over the street with people with these names. Although it sounds nice and easy to remember, to be exaggerated, there may be three or four people with this name out of ten people you know.
Another suggestion is that the names David, John, and Peter are actually religious names. If you are not a Christian, it is best to stay away from these names, otherwise they will cause misunderstandings.
2. Misunderstanding of cultural differences and making taboos
Chinese words have multiple meanings, and the same applies to foreign countries. Due to cultural differences, some good-sounding names may also have bad extended meanings, such as Cat, Kitty, in English slang, they refer to a woman's vagina (Pussy). Cat should be changed to Cathy, and Kitty should be changed to Kate. ?
3. Changing both name and surname
Generally speaking, people from non-English speaking countries may change their names when they arrive in the United States, but they do not change their surnames. This is related to family honor, and in the future it will also be related to genetics. So no matter how difficult your last name is to pronounce, stick to it. It is common for people to change their surnames when giving English names, such as Ken Stone and Yan Shaw. The following English surnames are acceptable, but it is best not to use them, such as: Young Yang, Lee Li.
4. English names and surnames have similar pronunciations
Some people have English names that sound homophonic to their surnames because they are called by their surnames a lot. But such an English name alone is called Shang Ke, and the full name is unnatural, such as: Shawn Xiao, Jone Zhong, Joe Zhou, and Anne An.
5. Use the wrong part of speech if you don’t understand grammar
Names are generally nouns, not adjectives. Some people don't understand this rule and use adjectives to name them, such as Lucky. In fact, this is not an English name. It can only be used as a nickname and is not suitable for formal occasions.
6. Using the wrong gender
Occasionally, people use the wrong gender, such as a woman named Andy or Daniel. This is very bad for foreigners. Some foreign friends are very particular about gentlemanly manners and treat men and women differently. It would not be good if there is a misunderstanding because of the name.
7. Use polysemy to name.
English words have the same characteristics as Chinese words, that is, the same word has different meanings when placed in different contexts. So when choosing an English name, don’t just focus on how good it sounds and looks. Search the Internet to see if the name you choose has the same name as someone else, or if it has other bad connotations. For example, some girls want to be named "cherry", which means cherry, as fresh and tender as a cherry. What a nice name! But do you know? Cherry also has a layer of consciousness that refers to the hymen; as a virgin, do you still dare to name yourself cherry? There are similar examples for boys, Dick, Dick, this name seems quite normal, but it also means that it refers to the male’s private organs.
8. Don’t give names that are too low-end.
Nowadays, English names like Cici, Coco, Vivian, etc. are everywhere in reality. Although they sound very down-to-earth, It gives people a girl-next-door feel, but in some formal occasions, such as business discussions, it is not powerful enough and can easily give people a feeling of unreliability. So if a friend thinks of this kind of name, I suggest you just use it as a nickname.