Name (I wasn't going to ask, but...)

[The Elf Piper]

I finally started an actual Mandarin class, and the teacher had us go to chinese-tools to find our names with the little thing there. I don't like mine:

Gillian 吉利安 (Jí lì ān)

Specifically, i don't find this character is not very attractive: 利.

I know I can find other characters for those sounds, but I guess I'd rather have something more .... Chinese.

It would be nice if it could have something to do with, oh, I don't know, nature, trees, watery places, solitude or quiet.

(Although in jest a friend calls me Cruel Egg sometimes.)

Any suggestions?

[Hofmann]

Looking up Gillan, I find that it's derived from Julius, which means "downy-bearded."

As that's not a very feminine name, you could just use 羽. Or maybe change your whole name to 胡羽, as 胡 is a common surname.

[skylee]

consider 子安/恩 or 芷安.

[Lu]

I like skylee's suggestions, 芷安 seems to be something along the lines you want. But you'll need a surname to go with it.

[Luobot]

How about 钟嘉励 (Zhōng Jiālì)

- Inspired by Gillian Chung, a famous HK Cantopop singer and actress.

[The Elf Piper]

Thank you all for the suggestions. I like all of them!

Of course, now that I've heard the teacher pronounce the first name I found, I kind of like that too.

I'm so indecisive!!!

[mudhead]

I think it's a great name! The first two characters 吉利 mean 'lucky' or 'auspicious', and the last character 安 means 'peace'. This is in the best tradition of Chinese names. If your parents gave it to you it would mean they had really good wishes for your happiness and your future.