Another "what's my name in Chinese?" thread...

[JimmySeal]

...but not because I want to tattoo it on myself.

I'm going to Taiwan soon and I'd like to know how to say my name using Chinese syllables. And if I had a way to write it, that would be swell too.

So for my first name, do you know how they usually write the first names of Jimmy Buffett and Jimi Hendrix? How about James Bond and James Dean? I know I'm setting my sights high.

My last name is a bit of an anomaly. It's pronounced /rish/ (rhymes with "dish" or "fish"). Even if you could give me the most likely pinyin transcription, that would be helpful.

Thanks in advance.

[gougou]

That's precisely what we got the Chinese Names forum for. It's so new, it's still got that new-forum-smell...

[JimmySeal]

Hoo boy. Should have looked more carefully before I leapt, er, posted.

[skylee]

For Jimmy or Jimi, consider 子美 (Zimei), which is also the name of Du Fu, a great poet of Tang Dynasty.

For the surname, consider 樂 (Le). The surname can be pronounced either Yue (as in "music") or Le (as in "happy").

[Lu]

Skylee, you really like that 美 in men's names, don't you? I like 子X names (子雲, 子恩), but I wonder if a man called 子美 won't get a lot of strange looks.

[imron]

I dunno, you might wanna avoid 乐子美 as it seems a bit too much like 木子美, and I'm not sure you'd want people to make that association

[skylee]

Yeah I like 美 in men's names. Some years ago there was a HK TV series about doctors and the leading role's name was 程志美, and I think it is a very good name.

One of my classmates at univ is actually called 靜雯. I've never come across a more feminine name for a man.

[HashiriKata]

靜雯. I've never come across a more feminine name for a man.

My Chinese name is 春雯. What do you think?

[JimmySeal]

A look on the internet seems to indicate that 吉米 is a typical way of writing "Jimmy." Would you all agree?

[Lu]

靜雯. I've never come across a more feminine name for a man.

That's so feminine I'd almost think his parents mistook him for a girl when he was born!

My Chinese name is 春雯

I associate that with Haruki Murakami and a guy I know who is called 春, so to me this one sounds only half as feminine as the name of Skylee's classmate.

[skylee]

A look on the internet seems to indicate that 吉米 is a typical way of writing "Jimmy." Would you all agree?

吉米 is so foreign (unless we interpret it as "lucky rice"). I think 子美 (Zimei) and 志美 (Zhimei) are much nicer ... But if you like it then it is what you should choose.

Famous Taiwanese writer Jimmy's name in Chinese character is 幾米. And 機密 (confidential) is also "Jimi" in pinyin.

HK, your name is impressive.

[HashiriKata]

吉米 is so foreign (unless we interpret it as "lucky rice").

What about 吉姆 (for Jim) ? Would it be any better?

HK, your name is impressive.

Thank you, and as you say so, I may consider actually adopting it!

[JimmySeal]

吉米 is so foreign (unless we interpret it as "lucky rice"). I think 子美 (Zimei) and 志美 (Zhimei) are much nicer ... But if you like it then it is what you should choose.

I don't mind having something foreign-sounding. The goal is just to have something to call myself that's not really weird, but I'm open to any ideas. The kanji name that I use for myself in Japan (理珠慈美/Rishu Jimi) doesn't resemble a Japanese name and it confuses the heck outta people.

What about 吉姆 (for Jim) ?

姆 practically has estrogen dripping off of it. Doesn't it mean "nanny?"

[skylee]

慈美 is good. How about 李慈美 (Li Cimei)?

[HashiriKata]

姆 practically has estrogen dripping off of it. Doesn't it mean "nanny?"

I'll have wait for native speakers to say something about this but I often see 汤姆, for Tom, without any question raised about the 姆 part.

How about 李慈美?

Yes, 李 is a nice surname! ( as in skylee )

[JimmySeal]

慈美 is good. How about 李慈美 (Li Cimei)?

Sounds pretty good to me. Thanks to everyone for their help so far. At least one of 子美, 志美, 吉姆 or the two I mentioned is bound to work.

I'll have wait for native speakers to say something about this but I often see 汤姆, for Tom, without any question raised about 姆.

Ah, didn't realize that. If that's the case, then it could work.

[gato]

How about just 李杰?

(You can also change your English name to Jet Li for good measure. )

[JimmySeal]

Hehe.

I like the 李 idea but would it make any sense to have 李朱 or 李珠 for my surname? That would be closer to my actual name. What do you guys think is best of the three choices, 李, 李朱, and 李珠?

Anyway, heading to bed for now. Thanks for all the help!

[Lu]

Unlike Japanese surnames, Chinese surnames usually have only one character. So either 李 or 朱 would work, but the two combined don't make a Chinese surname as far as I know.

珠 sounds very feminine to me; 吉姆 sounds at least as foreign as 吉米, might as well just call yourself Jimmy then; 慈美 sounds very Chinese, and if native speaker Skylee says it's ok I suppose it's not too feminine, and it has the good part of also being your Japanese name, which means the number of names you have doesn't increase too much, which is always a good thing.

[skylee]

李慈美 is feminine, but I think it is not more feminine than 理珠慈美.