The surname "Dongfang" comes from the surname "Zhang". Dongfang Shuo's surname was Zhang. His father Zhang Yi died before he was born, and his mother Tian died three days after giving birth to him. He was raised by his right neighbor. Because it was dawn in the east when he was born, he was named Dongfang Shuo. His descendants took the surname Dongfang and called him Dongfang.