The ancients were indeed very particular about naming, and names and characters were used in different ways. Most people today are unaware of these cultures.
We have all heard of a word called "Mingzhuang", which is an adjective with a descriptive meaning. The names of the ancients also carry such a layer of meaning, and are not just as simple as a random name. For example, when someone is born, there is thunder in the sky. Well, then, let’s name it after this kind of image, and then name it with the word “thunder” or “shock”, or other words related to it. Another example is that when someone was born, a magpie happened to fly from the roof. Then choose a word related to magpie. Or, if someone is short and fat, then the person is named after the image of being short and fat. Therefore, you will understand why the ancients said that "the name is like the person", because there is a certain correlation.
Usually, the name is given by family members or relatives and friends with help. That is to say, the name is called by someone close to the person you are familiar with. When you grow up and go out, your name will be hidden, and you will generally not say it, unless it is out of humble introduction. Outsiders will not use your name to respect you. It is similar to the nicknames we modern people give our children, such as "Ding Ding", "Doudou", "Mu Mu" and so on. However, the nicknames given by people today are really not flattering. Compared with the names given by the ancients, they are not. Loss of standard.
The ancients usually had a name first, then a character, and then later, if they were more refined, they would even take a nickname. As for words, they are picked up when they grow up, or when they start to study, the teacher will help them pick them up. This word is not chosen randomly, but is made into an extended structure based on the name. Guan Yu was a famous figure during the Three Kingdoms period and was also worshiped by later generations. Take him as an example here, Guan Yu, whose name is Yu and whose courtesy name is Yunchang. What an elegant and handsome name! Why is it called Guan Yu? This is unknown, but we know that "yu" refers to feathers, so we chose the word "cloud length", which is the image of a bird flying up to the sky and flying through the clouds. There is such a connection. Is it beautiful? What a nice word!
We people nowadays are not so sophisticated. Names are all connected together, a name is also a name, and a character is also a name. Everyone wants to save worry. When choosing a name, just choose one you like. However, this doesn't seem to be a good idea. Through my many years of research on names, I have found that names do have an impact on people, usually in four aspects: personality, health, marriage, and happiness. Therefore, choosing the right name is obviously even more powerful.