Thursday, May 5, 2011

English names for Chinese folk

As I'm sure most of us would agree pronouncing Chinese names, let alone remembering them is next to impossible.  So for years the Chinese have used Western names for business practices or when in university and those names carry with them in addition to their Chinese name.  I've even been involved in naming a few people myself.  I've thought about doing something outrageous but never quite pulled the trigger.  That doesn't mean someone else hasn't though, there are some seriously funny ones.
For instance last night I was in Guangzhou for the Canton Fair.  We were at a hotel having dinner and I couldn't help from laughing out loud when I read the waitress's name badge.  She was none other than "Uranus."
So this got me to thinking about some of the other funny ones I have heard or met.  There was a woman working at the Renaissance Hotel in Shanghai on the club level lounge.  Her name surprised me so I asked her how she got it?  Often it is given to them in school so I figured maybe a teacher did.  She said no that she picked it all by herself.  Why? Because as she said nobody would ever forget it.  Well she was right, I haven't in these years and still tell the story.  What is the name you ask?  "Internet."  Enough said!
So after the meeting of "Uranus" last night I decided to post on Facebook a question to my friends of some of the other humorous names that we have run into over here.  In short order I got the following and anticipate to get plenty more:
Peter Pan
Ima Ho
Beer
Swallow
Grizzly
Smallhole
Romantic
Dolphin
Apple
Seven
Trainee
Chewing Gum
Charlie Shin
Yu Ok
Phuc Vu
Dick (was a woman's name)
Sky (as a boy)
Dream
Hibiscus
Natural
Casual
Bunny (for a guy)
Wendy (for a guy)
Morgan Freeman Ho
Superman Wong
Billboard Kwok
Zero
And the all time winner that was a late entry is "Semen".

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