Chinese Name

[Anonimulo]

Hey, I don't know where to turn, but. I'm in Chinese, and I want a Chinese name. It's so hard for me to choose one, though. Normally I just translate my American name. Michael, Michel, Miguel, Michaël, etc. And my last name never changes. But for my Chinese name (and possible future Japanese and/or Korean name) needs a new surname, too. For authenticity. Any help?

The surname should just be one character and the first name two. I don't know what to do or how to choose. I don't remember the characters for my Prof's and TA's name, but they are Zhe and Chia-Chieh, respectively. And I saw their American names were Selina and Mavis. How the hell did they choose them?

Also, for the surname, is it possible to take my last name back to Old Chinese and then phonological morph it to modern Mandarin? I've tried translating it to other languages, too.

[Nannalu]

Ask your grandmother.

[Anonimulo]

1) I'm not Chinese.

2) You're annoying.

[Astraios]

1) Translate your English name.

2) Ask a Chinese person to give you one. That's how I got mine.

[Gulliver]

2) Ask a Chinese person to give you one. That's how I got mine.

Likewise.

I'd be a bit worried about giving myself a "manga-like" name (Quillsh Wammy, Claire Stanfield (who is a man) Tyki Mikk) that "sounds right" but is actually a load of cack.

[Torco]

Something Wang, half of China is supposed to be called Wang. [well, 9% in fact]

Dōng sounds like a great name. Dong Wang or something.

[Grimalkin]

In a similar vein, why not choose 龙王 Lóngwáng? It means dragon king.

Edit: srsly, do what astroturf said

[Astraios]

Edit: srsly, do what astroturf said

Fuck you, CVNTlabial. xD

[ná'oolkiłí]

Name yourself after a Chinese artist or writer you fancy?

[Anonimulo]

I guess that's the only way, then, eh? The choosing is just hard, since it won't resemble my real name. But does anyone know the sound changes from Old Chinese to Mandarin? I think my last name is a legal syllable in Old Chinese and I'd like to see what it would yield in today's Mandarin. Then, maybe choosing a last name will be easier? I don't know. I'm weird like that. But, yes, I guess I could just ask a Chinese person for my first name. :/

[Astraios]

Just ask a Chinese person to give you a last name as well. It's not that hard.

[treskro]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hundred_Family_Surnames

But yeah you can still basically choose anything.

[Gulliver]

I guess that's the only way, then, eh? The choosing is just hard, since it won't resemble my real name.

I had a Chinese colleague called Anita in English, and Lele in Chinese. It doesn't have to have anything to do with your English name.

[finlay]

Do people never just transliterate their names?

[Astraios]

Yes, my teacher called me both my transliterated name and my Chinese name.

[Ziz]

I guess that's the only way, then, eh? The choosing is just hard, since it won't resemble my real name.

I had a Chinese colleague called Anita in English, and Lele in Chinese. It doesn't have to have anything to do with your English name.

Seconded. My Linguistics TA is Chinese; she says her name is Zhe and means "philosopher" (so maybe 者 zhě), but she tells us to call her Tina.

[Anonimulo]

I know I can just pick any surname, but, out of curiosity, is a hypothetical syllable <skrel> (/skrEl/ or /Skrel/ or whatever) possible in the oldest Chinese? And would anyone know the outcome of such a syllable in today's Mandarin if it is possible?

[Bristel]

I just translated/transliterated my name for fun. (Timothy which is my first name, is too long for my liking, so I went with my middle name)

鷹瑞安 yīng ruì'ān

Which sounds cool translated back into English as "hawk propitious safety/peace"

[Rui]

Name yourself after a Chinese artist or writer you fancy?

People don't do that in China, they don't even name their kids after ancestors

My Chinese name is 安烈可, ān lièkě, which is pretty much just a transliteration of my name, Eric. 安 is a relatively rare last name, but it's the closest to my last name, which begins with "an", so it works.

I don't actually like my name because 可 is just an awful character for a name, IMO. 烈 is okay, but it reeks of non-Chinese, I think. I want something more Chinese sounding! I have toyed with changing my Chinese name, but I've never gotten around to it.

[Bristel]

Name yourself after a Chinese artist or writer you fancy?

People don't do that in China, they don't even name their kids after ancestors

My Chinese name is 安烈可, ān lièkě, which is pretty much just a transliteration of my name, Eric. 安 is a relatively rare last name, but it's the closest to my last name, which begins with "an", so it works.

I don't actually like my name because 可 is just an awful character for a name, IMO. 烈 is okay, but it reeks of non-Chinese, I think. I want something more Chinese sounding! I have toyed with changing my Chinese name, but I've never gotten around to it.

lièkě sounds like my best friend's nickname "Rekka", which I suppose is borrowed from Japanese 烈火. Although, 烈火 is "lièhuo in Chinese, so this doesn't quite match.

[Shm Jay]

Name yourself something like "The East is Red" (东方红, Dōngfāng Hóng) and confound everyone. Or if you don't like the sound of it, there are other phrases that might serve as names:

"The sun rises" (太阳升, tàiyáng shēng)

"loves the people" (爱人民, ài rénmín)

"like the sun" (像太阳, "xiàng tàiyáng")

[Nortaneous]

Name yourself something like "The East is Red" (东方红, Dōngfāng Hóng) and confound everyone.

Yes. Dongfang. Do this.

[Anonimulo]

Is there a figure in Chinese religions or Buddhism like Michael in Christianity? Not that I'm religious or anything, but. Analogs and parallels help the decision process. I'm gonna try and look for sound changes, though, for my last name. Just 'cuz.

[Rui]

Is there a figure in Chinese religions or Buddhism like Michael in Christianity? Not that I'm religious or anything, but. Analogs and parallels help the decision process. I'm gonna try and look for sound changes, though, for my last name. Just 'cuz.

I dunno, I think you should just go with characters that you like the meaning of...that's the most natural way to get an "authentic" Chinese name. The two (if you pick two, you could also just pick one) don't even have to have a clear relationship, but they can.

[Rui]

Seconded. My Linguistics TA is Chinese; she says her name is Zhe and means "philosopher" (so maybe 者 zhě), but she tells us to call her Tina.

More likely 哲, which actually means "philosophy," vs. 者 which is more along the lines of "-er" or "-ist".

But I definitely agree with the Chinese people taking names that sound nothing like their Chinese names thing. My freshman roommate's name is Chengzhe (to this day, I have no idea which characters, or even tones...), but he goes by "Paco"...