Choose your western name
For many Europeans, pronouncing a Chinese name is a phonetic exercise – and not many master the subtlety of sounds and precise intonation. Chinese students studying abroad understand that this can be a challenge, and many of them choose to make both their life and that of their colleagues easier by choosing an English name. This practice is not uncommon – especially for those working in an international environment. In fact, even Chinese business books emphasize choosing a “European name” as an essential step in establishing a business relation with the West.
But how does one go about choosing an English name? What criteria should one follow to find a suitable name? We interviewed Chinese students in the Netherlands and came to an interesting conclusion: there are no criteria. Choosing an English name is a creative process that follows no rules. Adopting the name of one’s favourite film star, that of a German Kaiser’s out of the history book or simply inventing a new name, such as Rainbow or Sky – there are no boundaries:
sky
My Chinese name is Heng He, which is difficult to be pronounced correctly by Non-Chinese people, so I had to find out an English name. My first english name was Kimi, which I used two years ago. I got this name from a Chinese male singer, his English name is KiMi. But after I used for half year, I didn’t like this name anymore, as I think the name did not match my personality and it sounds girly. For myself, I like freedom and doing what I want. Sometimes, I think birds are free; they can fly wherever they want and fly highly. Additionally, blue is my favorite color while the sky is also blue. This is why I choose Sky as my English name. This is not a girly name. Moreover, sky is a very simple name, so it is easier for foreigners to be remembered. Definitely I am happy with my English name and won’t change it anymore.
Thank you for making this clear! Indeed, I always wondered how they choose their names!