There’s a great book out there that I’ve seen via ChinaSmack about Chinese people’s English names and how they get them.  I wanted to get into the hype and give out what I’ve seen and heard as an English teacher in China.  With 5 years of experience I feel like I’ve heard them all.  With the book “In China, My name is…” it’s obvious that there are many that I have not heard.  Here’s 2o that I remember:

1. Destiny – She sat in the front row.  A little girl.  It felt so strange to think that “Destiny sat in the front row.”

2. Gnitsy – This guy is super cool.  He created his own name.  As he explained, “It’s STING backwards.”  Never mind about the “Y”.  His English was impeccable and he had the confidence to have a bizarre name.  I think when he entered into the working world he changed it back to STING.

3. Glacier - Slow moving?  No.  Cold?  Nope.  Beautiful and fun, Glacier was a student who was always pleasant and inquisitive.  She was convinced it was a beautiful name.  We told her before she went abroad to Australia that she should change her name since people will not understand.  But she’ll always be “a big chunk of ice” to me.

4. Dreaming - I think her name explains so much about her.  Not a depressing type who was always dreaming of something more, but bubbly, dynamic and lots of fun.  The only problem is is that you would say her name from time to time in conversations that are not about her.  “Last night I was dreaming…” or “What?  You are dreaming!!!”  Kind of weird.

5. Diablo - This guy was a big fan of some computer game.  I asked if he knew the real meaning.  Yes, I know, he said.  It means “DEVIL.”  Yes, I know what devil means.  He seemed ok with that.   I never had a student named GOD though.

6. Chieftan - Another computer game inspired name.  Although he became a chieftan in my mind, he then changed his name as he began to work.  Now he is Barney which is not much better.  I keep thinking of a big purple dinosaur chief of a tribe of purple dinosaurs.  Weird.

7. Celery - This girl was classic since her explanation was that simply, “I like celery.”  Enough said.

8.  Tomato - Sticking with the salad theme, Tomato liked the red color and the taste.  Again, enough said.

9. Talk! -  A young guy who was naturally shy.  So he specifically chose this name to motivate himself to do something… can you guess?

10. Raila - Another student who made up her name.  Her beauty contrasted with her name.  Yet the contrast helped me to remember her name in some strange way.

11. Limpia - Friend of Raila, Limpia enjoyed Spanish and wanted to learn it.  Unfortunately I forgot all the Spanish I learned so I couldn’t help her, but I did know that the verb “limpiar” had something to do with cleanliness.

12. Hans - This guy was one of a kind.  Smart.  Daring.  Never embarrassed.  He was a constant fixture in English corner.  When I asked about how he got his name he calmly said, “My Chinese name is Han Han, so my English name is Hans.”  Naturally.

13. Freedy - A wonderful young lady from the country side living in the big city and giving everyone a run for their money.  She would tell us stories upon stories about how she grew up in the countryside fascinating everyone at English corner.  At first the name meant nothing to me.  After a few years knowing her, Freedy means my good friend.

14. Eric Floyd - One of my best friends in all of the Middle Kingdom.  All five years living in China we were able to keep up with each other via communication or by visiting each other.  He is a big fan of all things Western when it comes to music.  That should get you thinking.  His favorite artist is Eric Clapton and favorite band is Pink Floyd.  Voila!

15. George Oliver Alexander - Another full English name friend that I had in China.  This kid was really really smart.  He went on to university in Nanjing and I’m sure his future is very bright.  Perhaps he couldn’t choose one name and then someone told him about how Western people have middle names.

16. Matthew Trevelyn Knight - A friend of George Oliver Alexander.  Equally intelligent and stunning English.  I taught him in Middle school and therefore never was able to tell him about Knight Rider.  The Trevelyn part I’m not sure about but I’m sure he had some good explanation.

17. King - This was a simple translation from a common family name in Chinese.  But King didn’t really match the regal personality and attitude of a king.  We taught King and his class baseball during the Autumn and he was less than coordinated when it came to sports.  King somehow just didn’t fit.

18. Alpha - Never had an Omega but the name Alpha seemed to fit since she was the class monitor.  When she spoke the class listened.  When she wanted to argue in English, I listened.

19. Yo Yo - This was inspired I think by some Japanese influence.  It had nothing to do with the toy but that is the only image in my mind when I called on her during class.

20.  Sunny - This was the perfect name for this young student.  She was ALWAYS smiling.  Ear to ear.  If her name was anything else it wouldn’t fit.  She was sunny.  She was bright.  She was a breath of fresh air.

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