Need Help with a Name

[Josiah S.]

I have a quick question about a Chinese name I was given. I am still only learning mandarin and don't know enough to verify if the name is good or not. Like if it has any bad homophones or not. The name that I was given is 白智神. I really appreciate any help or input you can give me.

Josiah

[skylee]

I think it is not a good idea to include 神 in one's name. It sounds very arrogant and inappropriate. Consider alternatives like 深.

[Josiah S.]

Awesome! Thank you for your help. In fact, I really like the alternative that you gave. However, there are a couple other names I would like to put out there if that is okay. I want to consider a couple before deciding on a name. The other ones I am considering are 李明玉 and 白光立. Again, thank you for your help.

Josiah

[Josiah S.]

I really want to make sure to pick the right name as I have started doing chinese painting and calligraphy and want to have a custom seal carved to make my art more special. So any kind of input is greatly appreciated

Josiah

[lips]

白 and 李 are surnames. Usually the Chinese surname of a foreigner is chosen to sound somewhat similar to the first syllable of the foreigner's surname in the foreigner language. In less common cases the meaning is used (like 白 for the surname White) or, if you have the same surname as a famous foreign person, you adopt the same Chinese surname. Since 白 and 李 are pronounced quite differently in putonghua or most common Chinese dialects, I wonder what your surname sounds like in your native language.

BTW if 白 is the chosen surname, 白智深 as suggested above is a good choice IMHO. 智深 is the given name of a famous character in the epic The Water Margins.

[Josiah S.]

Ok. So my last name is Sweetnam, so what about 隋  or 谢 as a surname? And I very much lean toward 智深 as my given name. It kind of sounds similar to my English name, but I didn't know it was also from a story! I guess I will have to check out The Water Margins now!

 

Again, thank you for your help!

Josiah

[Demonic_Duck]

Not sure how common “隋” is these days. “谢” is commonly seen, though.

[skylee]

謝 is OK. Or consider 水, or 田.

[Josiah S.]

Hmm, I kind of like 田 as well. One more that my Dad pointed out is 薛 which if I am correct is also a character for the plant, wormwood, which has significance as a symbol within my family history. Again, thank you guys for your help. It is very appreciated!

 

Josiah

[Josiah S.]

I have done a bit more searching and so far I haven't found anything wrong with 薛智深. Unless someone else knows of any bad homonyms that I missed, or any other reason why it doesn't work, this may be my final decision. 

 

Josiah

[skylee]

I don't have anything against 薛 except that I don't like it. It is not a very common surname but it is not uncommon either. 智深 is a good choice. Good luck.

(I think I don't like 薛 because of Dream of the Red Chamber but this is not rational.)

[889]

As I mentioned here in another thread, you'll be writing out your Chinese name a lot, so it's much better, if not essential, that you adopt a name that you can learn to write out quickly and gracefully. On that ground, I don't think 薛 is a particularly good choice either.

 

In any event, before adopting a Chinese name, write it out again and again, and decide whether you're comfortable with it not just as a name but as a signature.

[Demonic_Duck]

I don't see anything wrong with 薛, and don't see what's so difficult to write about it. 【艹】【追 minus 辶】【辛】

[889]

Well, I find some characters fun to write: I enjoy writing them out and trying to make them look good. 深 certainly falls in that category and so does 智.  And some other characters I don't like to write out, because, try as I may, I can't get them to look right. I'd put 薛 in that category because of the 【追 minus 辶】 component: I can never get those boxes to look right.  And apart from that, it's also got quite a few strokes. Of course 卫 has only three strokes, but I also can never write it to look good, either. Ditto 广.

 

Now the OP's hand may be completely different than mine, but it's nonethless a valid point that in picking a name you should, among other factors, be happy with it as your signature.

[lips]

丁一 would be easy to write. ; )

[Lu]

I don't think you'll be using your Chinese name as your signature, that would cause all kinds of complications. Just use your actual signature. Sure you should practice writing your name so that you can write it without mistakes and without thinking about it, but 薛智深 is not that hard to write. The characters are not a reason not to pick this name, in my opinion.

[889]

Of course he'll be writing his Chinese name, time and again.

And if there's one immutable Chinese characteristic, it's that people judge others by their handwriting, their signature in particular.

Myself, I could not write 薛 attractively. If the OP can, then good on him.

But he should be aware that in China, handwriting counts.

[Demonic_Duck]

Different people will have trouble writing different characters/components/series of strokes.

 

Besides, Chinese people won't judge foreigners too harshly for having ugly Chinese handwriting. As a foreigner, you're not expected to have good handwriting. You're not expected to be able to write at all. You'll even sometimes get compliments from people who already know you can speak once they discover you can type on a keyboard (which is all pinyin anyway).

[Lu]

You'll even sometimes get compliments from people who already know you can speak once they discover you can type on a keyboard (which is all pinyin anyway).

Or even from people who you have already texted or emailed in Chinese and are then totally surprised when they see you type your own address. Behold the Amazing Foreigner.

[889]

"As a foreigner, you're not expected to have good handwriting."

 

And as a foreigner, you're not expected to speak good Chinese, either, so let's just stop worrying about those pesky tones, grammar rules and distinguishing ci and ce. Life will become so much easier.