How to choose your Chinese name

As I promised last time, we’re taking a break from Fluent Forever this week with something a bit lighter.

Over the years, a lot of my students have asked me to help them choose a Chinese name. So today I want to walk you through how you can pick one for yourself. After all, your Chinese name should be something you enjoy using, not just something someone else gives you. There are a few different approaches you can take. Let me share them with you.

Phonetic Translation (Sound-alike)

This is actually the same approach many Chinese parents take when choosing English names for their kids. Often they don’t realize that the words they pick aren’t really used as names in English. If they find a word they like that sounds similar to their child’s Chinese name, or just starts with the same sound, they’ll go with it. That’s how you end up meeting people named Jelly, Money, Stone or Rainy.

In Chinese, most foreign names are translated based on their sound. The easiest way to find your Chinese name is to type it into Google Translate, select Chinese, and see what comes up. You don’t need to worry about ending up with a strange name like “Jelly” or “Money,” because phonetic translations almost always work and sound natural. Phonetic translations usually don’t carry any special meaning in Chinese. This is also how most actors’ or singers’ names are handled. For example, Taylor Swift becomes 泰勒·斯威夫特 (Tài lè Sīwēifútè) and Zendaya is 赞达亚 (Zàn dá yà). Their Chinese names don’t have a meaning. They are simply based on the pronunciation of their original names.

My husband also didn’t stress about picking a different Chinese name, so his Chinese friends just ended up calling him 汤姆 (Tāngmǔ), which is the phonetic translation of Tom.

Combining Phonetic Translation with Meaning-based Names and Chinese Surnames

Now, if you want a Chinese name that sounds less foreign, then what you can do is try to find some characters that sound similar to your name, but also have a nice meaning. This way, your name keeps a connection to your original name while feeling more natural in Chinese. For example, if your name is Lily, you could choose 丽丽 (Lìlì, “beautiful”) or 李莉 (Lǐ Lì, using a common Chinese surname and the character for “jasmine”). Combining sound and meaning gives your name a personal touch and makes it easier for Chinese friends to remember and use.

You can also find the most common Chinese surnames on Wikipedia. Just remember, if you feel like Chinese surnames don’t suit you, you don’t have to force it on yourself.

Using this Chinese name generator can also help you get started with finding meaning-based names.

If you don’t find anything you like on this website, you can look through a Chinese dictionary for more ideas. If you’re not sure whether a word would make a good name, you can ask your teacher for advice. Or, just reply to this email with your name, and I’ll be happy to suggest some good options for you.

Nicknames

Alternatively, you can just pick a name that has nothing to do with your original name. Sometimes it’s easier and more fun to have a nickname that just feels right in Chinese. For example, even though Taylor Swift has a phonetic translation (泰勒·斯威夫特), she’s also called Meimei (霉霉) in China, which just means “little unlucky” and is used affectionately. (It comes from the word 霉运 méiyùn, which means “bad luck.”)

When you’re choosing a Chinese nickname for yourself, here are some ideas:

• Play with your name. You could shorten it, repeat a character, or pick something that sounds a little bit like your original name. Adding a prefix like 小 (xiǎo, “little”) can also make it sound friendly and casual. Examples: 小明, 明明, 小怡.

• Pick something you like. Some people choose a favorite food, color, or animal as a nickname. For example, you might call yourself 小熊 (xiǎoxióng, “little bear”) or 小白 (xiǎo bái, “little white”).

• Go with a vibe. You can pick a character that represents a feeling or quality you want to show, like 乐 (lè, “joy”), 星 (xīng, “star”), or 安 (ān, “peace”). Examples: 乐乐, 星星, 安安)

I hope today’s newsletter will help you find a fitting Chinese name. And if you’re unsure whether it sounds natural, just send me a message and I’ll help you figure it out!

Have a nice day,

Sandy