Nowadays, it is very trendy to use unusual and evocative names like Rubberpixie, Mint and the likes in the English speaking world. However, while you might not encounter these particular names in England, the US or other officially English speaking countries, they are very common in China where this trend has taken particularly strong root. And what's more, Chinese people have also proven to be very creative with coming up with new English names. But does this fad mean that Chinese names will soon be facing extinction, to be only found in history books?

We spoke with Valerie Blanco, coauthor of the book In China, My Name Is.... The book was a joint collaboration project between Blanco and her compatriot Ellen Feberwee, conceived and executed while they were both living in China. The two women, who had studied together in their native country of the Netherlands, found themselves reunited by a strange twist of fate on the other side of the world in Shanghai. In addition to this happy coincidence, the ladies soon found out that they both shared a love of adventure and a thirst for new experiences, which meant that neither one had any qualms about going ahead with the project.

The culture shock!

Uprooting oneself from his or native culture and moving to the other side of the world can be daunting for anybody. We asked Blanco, who lived in China for a year, if she experienced any kind of culture shock when she arrived there.

This young lady chose the name Apple because she likes to wear green. (Image: chinese-identity.com)“It absolutely happened! I mean China and Holland are so different. You really cannot compare them. The food, the people and the culture were all so different. But it was really a great experience. You just have to be patient and embrace the differences and try to learn from them.”

Before the move, both Blanco and Feberwee had reached a point in their lives where they were looking for some drastic changes. And what better way to flip one's life than to move to another country. The decision to move to China was also spurred by the ladies' strong fascination for foreign cultures.

The idea for writing a book about the Chinese people's habit of adopting English names stemmed from the realization that this trend too was an indication of how individualism is starting to raise its head in the society.

“We started talking and analyzing and observing things, and what really fascinated us was that more than 30 years ago, it was really unimaginable in China to express your personal identity, let alone have an English name. This is really different now and that is really what fascinated us. We also came across many Chinese people that use an English name. And these English names are so different than the ones we use in the west, so we wanted to learn more about this as well. So that is why we decided to write a book.”

The Chinese are becoming English!

Over the last three decades, China has made great strides in opening up to the outside world and, as a result, the Chinese society has also been widely influenced by the English language. It comes as no surprise that English is rapidly becoming very popular and more and more people are studying it. According to Blanco, those Chinese who are studying English naturally also want to use an English name.

“They are mostly young people that live in the big cities. They are most susceptible and capable of adapting to changes and new cultural influences pervading the society. We spoke to many young people and they are using the English names because they are learning English or had made contact with foreigners through their work.”

“We did research for the book in Shanghai. We tried to speak to as many different people from as many different provinces and social layers as we could, because Shanghai is the financial center of China and it attracts a lot of people from all over China. It is really a melting pot where people of different origins and different ages all come together. For this reason, we covered a very large area of the city for the purpose of making this study. We really tried to talk with people from all levels of the society, from students to millionaires and even people cleaning the streets. So we really wanted to give a broad perspective on this subject.”

Getting random people on the street to answer to personal questions could prove somewhat challenging in any country, but Blanco and Feberwee did not encounter any problems, in fact, most were very happy to tell their story and get in front of the camera. One thing that may have helped to lower the barrier to speak with the camera-toting foreigners was the fact that they both spoke Chinese.

“It was kind a surprise for us as well, but they were actually really enthusiastic to be interviewed and photographed. They were really curious about what these two foreign girls were up to. It was really a great experience and they were all very happy.”

The Chinese destiny

In other non-English speaking countries the natives tend to stick to the names given to them at birth even when engaging in conversation with English speakers, but in China, the trend is to adopt an English name to be used at any and all times with foreigners.

“There are of course many different reasons why they choose an English name, but the three main reasons we found were that using an English name is easier in terms of communication. In addition, it also has to do with displaying your social status and strengthening your personal identity.”

“While this might be hilarious for us, it is embarrassing for the Chinese people,” Blanco says.

In China, having an English name shows you probably went to university or have had contact with foreigners. In addition, the Chinese believe that your name can determine your destiny.

“The Chinese attach a huge importance to their names. According to traditional belief, your name is connected to your destiny. And everyone hopes for a good destiny, right? So the name had better be pronounced correctly! During our research, we found that many also opted for the same name as their idol. For example, we met many Bills or Billies, who wanted to become as famous and successful as Bill Clinton or Bill Gates... But if your name is pronounced incorrectly all the time, your destiny will be influenced by that.”

What is your name?

Harry's lesser-known brother Jesse Potter. (Image: chinese-identity.com)“Traditionally, the meaning of the name is really important, but with the spread of the English language, ease of communication has become the most important factor. Thus, for many, the meaning of the name is no longer as important, just as long as it sounds good and is easy to remember. For others, the meaning of their English name is as important as that of their Chinese name. Such people really make sure that the name they choose suits their character and reflects their future ambitions.”

And if someone simply can't find a name to suit their taste, one can be made up and here, only the sky is the limit.

“We indeed came across some very creative names and some of them, like Rubberpixie, Apple, Jesse Potter, Morning, Mint and Shining you probably wouldn't find in Western countries. I think it is very creative to compare yourself with a rubber band and a pixel from a computer design program, or a piece of fruit or a movie star.”

Author: Michel Faas
Interviewer: Michel Faas

For more information on the book In China, My Name Is... please visit www.chinese-identity.com.

Edited by Stina Björkell