New chinese name, does it sounds right?

[xpotau]

你好,

 

I am new to this forum, this is my first post and new to learning chinese, just started this week. My teacher told me I needed to get a chinese name as my real one sound like something really unpolite (傻屄). I am actually happy on getting a new chinese name, it makes total sense even if my real name could be pronounced without shame

 

So she proposed Pang Xin You 庞新友 (which seems it means huge/great new friend). My real surname means something like friend (I am a very friendly person as well) and I am a big 6'2'' guy, so I think in terms of meaning in makes sense. But I do not know if it sound right on the street. I suppose it does, as the teacher is native chinese, but would like second thoughts. I'd rather not have to change it later on.

 

谢谢！

[Radical Mandarin]

This name isn't dumb or offensive, but neither does it sound like a name a Chinese person would have (maybe some nickname?). My suggestion would be use it for your classes, and see if you want to change it once you learnt some more Chinese and built more of an identity. It's OK to keep it, it's OK to change it.

Good luck!

[Demonic_Duck]

Why is it not a name a Chinese person would have? Seems fine to me. Although I have to admit “庞” isn't a very common Chinese surname.

[oceancalligraphy]

龐新友 doesn't sound like a great name to me either. 

The surname 龐 does come up in the Hundred Family Surnames, so it's probably ok.

But the given name is 新友, meaning "new friend". I think it sounds like a name of a textbook character. Usually when giving children names, we use words with attributes that we would hope the child to have. I wouldn't name my child 新友 because it would mean the child would always be the new person or stranger in a peer group, but never the old friend or having a stable peer group. This is just my opinion though - if you like the name, and are comfortable with it, go for it. 

[Lu]

the given name is 新友, meaning "new friend". I think it sounds like a name of a textbook character.

That was my first thought as well... It can be a good icebreaker though, for someone new in China. But if the OP would stay there, find a serious job etc, he might want to change it. The name doesn't say anything bad and will be perfectly serviceable, but it will be odd.

[xpotau]

Thanks for the replies, it is hard for a total beginner to understand what might sound right or not, and what would be appropiate and not considered weird in a foreign language.

 

I gotta say that my teacher is a young native girl and she considered the name appropriate, well she came up with it.

 

I think I will follow "Radical Mandarin" suggestion and keep using it in class (out of respect for the teacher at least) and see where and how could I get a better alternative. I am not planning to go to china in the near future, but I'd rather not have to get used to something that's going to give me problems later on. I actually have had enough problems with my real name (both in my native language and in English), I'd rather avoid them with Chinese.