counting the total strokes?

[meimei181818]

Hi,

I would like to know if any of Chinese member here still take the rules to count the strokes into consideration when choosing a name for their newborn babies?

My dad gave me Chinese name (43 strokes in total) when i was born which after its strokes being counted recently, means no good to my life. Later a professional asked him to change the writing but same pronounciation, which i don't prefer. I like my old name and get used to it..the new name consist 41 strokes which believed to be good.

To add more, I am from a country which use english name so my chinese name doesn't really affect my legal documents, it is just to continue the tradition because we want to keep our culture (my grandpas are from China).

Is it actually necessary to count the total strokes?or as long as my name has good meaning and blessing from my parents it's actually ok?

Sorry for mentioning Chinese member before, it's just because i've been told that we can only count the strokes if we include the strokes of chinese surname, doesn't mean anything else.

Any help will really appreciate it...........

THANK YOU!

[skylee]

I think it is supersitition. My parents gave me both my Chinese and English names (both are official languages in HK), and they remain my names. The number of strokes of the Chinese name has never been our concern (my family and me). I don't particularly like my names, but I don't think it is necessary to change them either.

[trien27]

I agree with skylee:

I have names in both Chinese & English.

The stroke count superstition really stems from Japan, not China, unless you're talking about Cantonese: The numbers 3,4,5,8,9 when said in combinations with other words might sound like other word combinations which might or might not connotate anything good.

If you don't like your name, you could change it, but must keep all your names on official documents the same, otherwise, no one would know who you really are.

People in ancient China were given many names: last names, given names, nicknames, a name that's used after age twenty, a name used for schooling, a name used for when you got a career, a name when you get married, etc... It seems like in every stage in life, you would be given a name per stage to indicate how you've matured.

Unless you're getting your own house, or a new office, there's no use in believing superstitious stuff, yet people still believe in Feng shui because Feng shui will work or won't work depending on many factors, not just your Chinese name alone.

[Lu]

In my impression, some people care about the stroke count, and go to the fortune teller to get a good name for their child; and some people don't care and just pick some characters that look good or sound good. The only occasion I can think of that someone might possibly want to actually count the strokes is if you would want to marry into a family that cares a lot about this kind of thing.

I'd say if it sounds good, you like it and it has your parents' blessing, go ahead and change your name.

[meimei181818]

Thanks all!! really appreciate it..I think I'm gonna keep my old name now!

THANKS