A free online resource crammed with advice about choosing a Chinese baby name... The correct order The order in which names in China are presented is the reverse to those from Western cultures. Traditionally these would therefore be transcribed in the following order: surname, given name. There are often errors in transcriptions when the characters of the given name are written separately. Many Chinese-Americans have adopted a Western name however they use their given Chinese name as a middle name. Chinese Pregnancy Calendar Chinese Given Names There are thousands of Chinese characters and the given name originating in China usually consists of two syllables taken from any of the thousands of these Chinese characters. The range of names is therefore almost limitless. These can represent and reflect all forms of nature and the environment or characteristics or even have mystical meanings. Many reflect specific periods in history. The Western custom of naming a baby after the given name of another member of the family would be unheard of in the Chinese culture. Family Usage The given Chinese name is rarely used within the traditional family circle in China. In Western culture children rarely address their parents by their given name - they are referred to as " Mom" or "Dad". This custom is also adopted by the people of China but the custom extends to the whole family. In a family of three brothers their siblings would use the address of 'second brother' for instance. In turn the parents of Chinese children often give then a unique nickname within the family. Outside the family circle the given name would be used. Chinese Surnames These are predominately family surnames. They are passed down from one generation to the next. Surnames in China convey the family's history and the deeds of their ancestors. As explained at the top of the page the majority of Chinese baby names are unique to each baby. Any duplication of a first name is purely coincidental. The following list of male and female Chinese baby names are therefore only listed as examples and should be referred to as information only. |