Choosing a Chinese name

[nico]

Hi.

One of my friends recently chose for me a Chinese name (Ku Xiang) for me to use for the rest of my year in China. Personally, I don't like the name very much. I thought I could return to her with other suggestions, and ask her advice. Can you suggest any resources online to help choose Chinese names?

Thanks for your help.

Nicola

[笨笨德]

I wouldnt suggest trying to directly choose a name yourself, perhaps you can ask your friend or any other chinese person who knows you quite well for a bunch of suggestions, then you can choose the one your like the sound of the best.

There is a name suggestion page on http://www.mandarintools.com if you wish to have a look, but I would definitly ask someone personally to give you a unique name. Most people, especially girls, in taiwan hate their chinese name if it is too common.

slán

[semantic nuance]

Hi nicola,

If you don't mind to post your full name here, I'd love to think of names for you. What kind of names you prefer?

[nanyangguy]

I wonder if you can just translate your current name into Chinese name. Or is it compulsory to choose another Chinese name which is different. Is your name Nicola? The word "Nicola" can be translated into three Chinese words and it will be unique. Is it compulsory to have surname? I hope you won't mind if I say something wrongly.

[笨笨德]

yeah, you could translate your complete name and everyone will think you are a movie star

with the downside that your name might well be horrendously long...

安東尼霍普金斯 <--- Anthony Hopkins

[nico]

I have looked at translations of 'Nicola' and discovered them to be next to meaningless. Also, I would be more than happy to lose my surname even if I retain Nicola. It would be nice to have a new name that sounds like a Chinese name and that means something. I you have a translation of Nicola that does this I would be overjoyed, but I have asked and looked and found very little.

I will certainly check with my Chinese friends before choosing a name, but I thought there may be some resources to give me ideas, beyond just a dictionary.

Thank you for your offer of help, SN. What would you suggest?

Nicola

[semantic nuance]

Hi, Nicola,

I'm afraid if you insist using Nicola to find its Chinese counterpart with meaning, it will be a bit difficult, for there are not many. The words of 'Nicola' translated into Chinese are few and they're only words combined together and don't mean anything (of course each word has its own meaning), at least, to me. I've thought several variatiations of 'Ni-co-la' and list only 5 because they're not directly sounded as Ni-co-la:

倪克倫(克=restrain/overcome 倫=ethics)

倪可涵

倪谷涵(谷=valley 涵=contain, encompass, meaning something like deep, humble, encompassing)

倪格蘭 (格=standard/square, 蘭=orchid)

倪若蘭(若=as if 蘭=orchid)

If you can take your surname into reconsideration, maybe the choices will be more. Or, you may consider to have a new Chinese totally without connection to 'Nicola'. You mayn tell your friends or here what kind of spirit you would like your name to symbolise you. Hope it helps!

[malinuo]

I'm afraid I don't have any name dictionary available, but I know there are some about.

There must be half official translations of Nickolas, Nicolas, Neil, Niels, Claus or other variants of your name, which you could use.

Did anyone look that up?

[NYC]

It's from an ancient Greek name literally meaning "Victory People", so that could be rendered in Chinese as Shengmin 勝民. If you know the meaning of your surname perhaps you could end up having a very Chinese-sounding yet meaningful name if this is what you want.