Why Having An Ethnic Name Is Annoying But Something To Be Proud Of

Posted on by

There are times when we find certain names harder to pronounce than others. Maybe ethnic names, cultural names or names with more than a few syllables. Names we have never heard of that make us stop and wonder if we’ll ever get the pronunciation down pat.

I was born Mabel Kwong in Australia to Chinese-Malaysian migrant parents. Or Kwong Li Teng (lee ting/lì tíng, 丽婷), Mabel – that’s how my name is written on official documents in Malaysia and Singapore. While the first-middle-last-name convention is standard in the Western world, surname/cultural names usually come first before first names in Chinese culture – think last-first-name or first-last-middle-name conventions in a culture where family and seniority are esteemed.

Excuse me. What did you call me? A name, no matter how unique or mundane, says a bit about ourselves | Weekly Photo Challenge: Door.

Excuse me. What did you call me? A name, no matter how unique or mundane, says a bit about ourselves | Weekly Photo Challenge: Door.

Although I go by Mabel in professional and social settings, I’ve encountered numerous people who are convinced that that’s not my real name, lumping me in the same boat with those going by non-Anglo names. Sometimes these instances are annoying. Sometimes there is more to these instances than meets the eye.

It was a 10am graduate tutorial at university. The first tutorial for a subject dissecting theories surrounding audience reception. I stared at my opened notebook on the table, sleepy eyes opening and closing, opening and closing. The tutor rattled names off the attendance list. Emily. Jack. Lok. Min…

Sometimes it’s frustrating bearing an ethnic name because people pronounce it wrong more times we can count; we’re made to feel a bit of a freak. Sometimes the more they say our ethnic name, attempting different variations, the more it sounds ridiculous. But props for persisting, trying to get it right.

“Kim,” the lecturer called out in her Malaysian accent. She made a mark on the sheet in her hand. “Lee Tin.” Silence. My heart felt as if it skipped a beat. Been a while since I heard my Chinese name. Is she really calling me? I’m…a tin can?

The case of mistaken identity tends to follow those of us with cultural names. In Australia, at times there’s the mentality we’re from “somewhere” if we have a non-Anglo first, middle or last name. Sometimes this is true, other times not so…

…one afternoon during my last semester of undergraduate studies, I knocked on my lecturer’s door, ready for a chat about graduate programs in Applied Mathematics. A broad smile stretched across his wrinkled, fair Caucasian face, he greeted me, “Kwong…Kwong! Hong Kong, right?” I forced a smile. “Mabel. Australia, actually.”

Sometimes the more someone tries to get our name right, the more we feel embarrassed.

Sometimes the more someone tries to get our name right, the more we feel embarrassed.

Having a cultural name or a name others generally find hard to say, at times we feel stripped of who we are. When others automatically assign us an abbreviated name they can pronounce, we come to question who we really are, and who we are not. “Lee Tin!” The name reverberated around the tutorial room for the third time. Suppose that’s a version of me….

I raised a hand and put on a polite voice. “Did you mean Mabel? It’s Leee Tiiinng. But I go by Mabel.” The lecturer looked at me with bespectacled eyes, looked down at her list. “Mabel,” she said, and finished marking attendance and started the class.

Mabel, as it has always been. Mabel, as everyone in Australia calls me. I leaned back in my chair, relaxed. About right. About time. Time. The last time someone called me by my ethnic name was…back in Malaysia and Singapore years ago, when my teachers there read out my name in full from the attendance lists. 丽婷. Nothing more than a hazy memory at the back of my mind now it seems…

There’s every chance someone hasn’t heard our name before, is unfamiliar with how it’s pronounced and so can’t wrap their tongue comfortably around each syllable. But there’s also every chance someone can’t be bothered making the effort when it comes to (repetitively) learning how to pronounce ethnic names correctly.

Ethnic. A word connoting cultural hierarchies, often referring to minority groups in the West. In Australia, adopting an Anglo name over an ethnic one on resumes might give one an edge when it comes to finding work – ethnic names are deemed inferior. Can an Anglo demographic be classed as ethnic? Can a white person’s Christian name be classed an ethnic name? Arguably no reason why not depending on one’s perspective.

Sometimes names divide us as beings in this world.

Sometimes names divide us as beings in this world.

Growing up, my parents called me Mabel, never 丽婷. But as a kid, my mum made me write and pronounce 丽婷 until I perfected forming the shape of these Chinese characters and articulated the tones exactly how they sound. I didn’t resent these repetitive lessons though, remembering them like they happened yesterday. However, never have I once thought my Chinese name matched my personality: “beautiful and graceful” as it loosely translates to and I’m klutzy by nature. Moreover, time and time again, Chinese names are given because they sound poetic and roll off the tongue nicely; the meaning behind the given names is secondary.

Each and every day, our name rarely defines our achievements. As writer Hsin-Yi Lo said, our name can’t stop us from achieving. Ultimately, the ways we act and carry ourselves leave lasting impressions: giving an inspiring speech to an appreciative audience who might not have paid attention to our introduction. Getting the attention of someone we fancy from a distance just by using eye contact.

We are more than our name, yet perhaps our name completes the person we are. Our name, inscribed onto our being on our first days in this world, is an infallible marker of our identity and a door to our soul. Our name is nature, an extension of ourselves we’re comfortable with or at least a part of ourselves which we get used to at some point. A part of ourselves we surrender when making connections and striding out into the big, bad world. As writer Haruki Murakami suggested:

“They say a name expresses the things it stands for, but I wonder if it isn’t the other way round – the thing gets more and more like its name.”

Learning to embrace our name, we fly high.

Learning to embrace our name, we fly high.

Whether unique or different than most, each name is embedded with tales of the past and symbolic of moments in time. An “ethnic name” might make us stand out; we might be proud of it or brush it aside constantly. But at the end of the day, either way ethnic names remind us of a life we’ve lived, the shoes we’ve walked in. Remind us of the essence of what makes us, us – our values and where we stand in the present.

The clock ticked noon. End of class. I flicked my notebook and it fluttered shut. My eyes flipped wide open. Scribbled on the cover, scribbled without much thought when I got the notebook a month ago: Mabel Kwong Li Teng. As it has always been. As it has always been whether I’ve moved east or west, wherever I’ve been. And wherever I’m going.

Our ethnic name. Our first, middle and last names. No matter the inconveniences our names may bring, they carry pieces of treasured cultures, pieces of cultures that stick with us for a while to come because we, treasure them.

Do others find your name hard to pronounce?

284 thoughts on “Why Having An Ethnic Name Is Annoying But Something To Be Proud Of”

  1. I have a ethnic name too. I hate hearing the mispronunciation! I love the part where you say, “Each and every day, our name rarely defines our achievements.” But it does suck how people have these really weird preconceptions before they meet you because of your name. Great post I can relate a lot!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓

    • It really is weird when people mispronounce our names. You just end up staring at them going, “Nooo…” and they feel uncomfortable, and so do you! Often I suppose people have stereotypical preconceptions as they don’t know what else to think about us, and hope to start a conversation with what they think they know…and names are one way to start a conversation.

      Like

      Reply ↓

  2. Five of our six daughters were adopted from China. We gave them American-style first names, but retained their entire Chinese name (surname/first name) as their middle names. They use their Chinese names a lot and sometimes sign school work with their middle names in Chinese characters. They are proud of their heritage AND of their adopted homeland too. Culture is an important thing. I never have understood why some people look at it so negatively.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply ↓

    • That is so good to hear your daughters know their Chinese name and proud of their heritage. I bet it’s interesting for some of the (non-Chinese) teachers to see their Chinese names on their school work, wonder if that’s something other Chinese kids there do too.

      I suppose some look down at another culture as they aren’t too familiar with that culture – and what you don’t know, sometimes you fear.

      Like

      Reply ↓

  3. I quite like your name. Good combination of Anglo and Chinese. And I certainly think of “Mabel” as your real name, it’s rude not to as you are in Australia. Right?

    I get 丽婷 (Li Ting in pinyin btw) but may I ask what’s the character for Kwong?

    We should all remember where we come from… and at the same time people shouldn’t make such a big deal about ethnic names 🙂

    My name Hecht is pronounced ‘Hekt’ and I hate when people try to say the ‘ch’. One day I’ll be famous and no one will ever mispronounce again!

    Like

    Reply ↓

    • True. Mabes or Mabs is what people usually call me in Australia – as it has been throughout my life. Easier on the tongue and Australians generally like to shorten people’s names.

      In simplified Chinese, my surname is 邝, Kuàng . Altogether, 邝丽婷. People tend to stumble pronouncing 婷, since it sounds like a cross between “ting” and “teng”.

      I always thought the “ch” in your name was silent. I am right! Yes, one day you will be a famous writer 🙂

      Like

      Reply ↓

  4. Your name is so beautiful Mabel! Li Teng just rolls off the tongue and you are beautiful and graceful especially in the way that you write and capture images. Having a difficult-to-pronounce surname can be quite awkward and embarrassing. Before I was Rossi, I had my father’s Sicilian surname Di Girolamo and I was teased at school for it and it was never said correctly. When I turned 18, I legally changed my surname to my mother’s maiden name Rossi and now I love the alliteration and how it rolls off the tongue Rebecca Rossi – my mother always says it sounds like an author’s name. For this reason I will keep it even when I get married. I believe names hold such power. You give something a name, you give it life and identity. You will always be Mabel to me but I really love Li Teng as well! Thank you for sharing more of you and I really enjoyed your narrative fiction blend with non-fiction xxx

    Like

    Reply ↓

    • Hahaha! I’ve never associated my name with the way I write and photography but thank you very much. It’s a nice compliment 😀

      I love the way your name sounds. When I first saw your last name, I had an inkling it was an Italian name. I think your mother is right – it does sound like an author’s name; a person who is a deep thinker. In Chinese culture, the woman doesn’t change their last name when they get married, it’s very interesting that way.

      “You give something a name, you give it life and identity.” You said it best. When we love our name, we learn to love ourselves ❤

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply ↓

  5. Happy Thursday Miss Mabel, I have missed your posts, so it really is a delight to see your words here in front of me. Are you well? Are you happy? I hope so. xoxo

    Yes, I hear you re names, although I have no clue what it is like to have an ethnic name, I only know that face I make when I am trying to pronounce foreign names, I always feel such a doofus. Although NEVER EVER want to hurt anyone’s feelings in doing the awkward name pronounce thing.

    I can just picture you saying to the lecturer with a forced smile “Mabel. Australia, actually.” Ha! BOOM. Nailed it. 🙂

    Depends where in the world I am as to how my name is pronounced, always over the phone people call me Emma, or Ann, often people will ask me Ana, and if I am in the US, they say my name like Ehnnna. But mostly its straight up Anna. 🙂

    Happy Thursday little one. Big squishy hugs headed your way. Mwah to the best lil sis a gal could ask for. xoxoxoxo

    Like

    Reply ↓

    • Awww, Anna. You’re so kind, and I’m sure you’ve not offended anyone trying to get their name right when you don’t know how it’s pronounced. I suppose working in hospitality you’ve come across quite a number of “foreign” or non-typical-Aussie names, and that must help 🙂

      Sometimes our accent gets in the way of pronouncing someone’s name correctly, I think. Which would explain why some have called you Ehhhhnna 😉

      I’m not too bad I really look forward to the day a blog post goes up here. And winter is half over, hurrah! Big squishy hugs your way too ❤

      Like

      Reply ↓

  6. Mabel, this is a wonderful post. Clearly you have given a lot of thoughts on the issue. I went to a Catholic college in Taiwan, and we were asked to pick an English name on the first day, so I just keep using it. Many Chinese families using one character of the name to indicate the generation. For example, my generation has “文” as the third character, so my siblings and I all have it as the third character in our name.
    Have a wonderful day.

    Like

    Reply ↓

    • Thank you, Helen. My name has bugged me for a long time but I’ve learned to love it. 文 or wén (I’m guessing that’s the correct pinyin) is a very nice name, sounds very strong and emphatic. Sharing the same name between siblings, I suppose it’s sort of a bond that ties the family together. How nice that must be.

      Like

      Reply ↓

  7. I can relate to all your experiences. Being Singaporean, I have an ethnic name too. It becomes even more complicated when my ethnic name has a dialect version and a pinyin version. I smiled at the part where you scribbled “Mabel Kwong Li Teng” … now that will cause further confusion because your last name appears like a middle name 🙂 But I can totally understand … I have multiple permutations of my own name, haha.

    Like

    Reply ↓

    • “your last name appears like a middle name” I actually never thought of this until you said it :’D So far no one has thought “Teng” as my last name, but I am sure one day there will be someone.

      The thought of physically writing “Li Teng” in between “Mabel” and “Kwong”…I can’t do it. To me, it just doesn’t feel right.

      I am sure there are endless permutations to your name. It’s always a good way to start a conversation, you know 😀

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply ↓

  8. I thought (Lee Ting) is an easy enough name to pronounce, even for non-Chinese people. My name presents more of a challenge: Choon Leong. My American coworkers always struggle to even attempt to pronounce my name, so nowadays I just go by CL, or Lok (my surname). I actually tried to give myself an English name, but none of them seem to work for me, so I sort of just gave up on that idea.

    The Chinese names, I don’t think they are supposed to represent your personality. I think it is more what your parents wish your personality will be when they gave birth to you. Well, my name 俊良 means handsome and kind. I’d like to think I am half of that name at least. 😀

    Like

    Reply ↓

    • People tend to stumble at “Teng”, which is the way it’s formally written on my birth certificate. Many Westerners pronounce it “Tennng” as opposed to “Ting”. In reality, the correct pronunciation is a cross between the two syllables. Generally, I say to others “Ting” as the correct one is pretty tongue twisty.

      “Choon” or “Leong” sound easy enough to pronounce individually in my opinion. As for English names for you, I don’t know. Perhaps Leon. Or Joseph. Or throw it out to your readers.

      俊良. Handsome and kind. Hey, why not 😉

      Like

      Reply ↓

  9. Dear Mabel, I am stuck in the misunderstanding of why an ethnic name can be a trouble for Asian in Western culture, may be such a name like that is hard to pronounce but I do proud of my name written and spoken in my own language. Thanks for writing such an encouraging post, love your blog as always.

    Like

    Reply ↓

    • Sandy is a lovely name, and I don’t think I’ve ever come across another Sandy in my life. Pretty sure you’re the first. Sandy. It sounds very youthful and energetic in my opinion. And I’m sure you are.

      Like

      Reply ↓

      • Maybe not so energetic today, when it is HOT here (95 at least) — but thanks for the thought. One more thing: past immigrants to the US often had their names changed (unwillingly) to something more homogenized when they came in through Ellis Island and the customs officials shortened or in many cases misspelled their names. Some past political-incorrectness going on there.

        Like

        Reply ↓

        • Interesting bit of history. Thanks for sharing. It must be demoralising to have your name changed against your own will. I guess that was a strategy to assimilate immigrants into the community. Wonder if that still happens today, maybe, maybe not.

          Like

          Reply ↓

  11. My real last name is from somewhere in Europe. It is unusual, and difficult for anyone to pronounce correctly on the first try. (In good news, the length and difficulty scare away potential identity thieves). When teachers took attendance by surname on the first day of school, roll call usually went like this:

    “Mason.”

    “Here!”

    “Norris.”

    “Here!”

    “Owens.”

    “Here!”

    A long silence stretched in the classroom until…

    “Uh…Autumn?”

    Like

    Reply ↓

    • I never thought of that, that long names can deter identity thieves. A valid argument. Somehow I was under the impression during roll call in the States, the teachers called out last names. I probably got this idea from American books I read as a kid.

      Autumn is an easy enough name to pronounce. But I suppose it’s not a common name parents think of giving to their kids.

      Like

      Reply ↓

      • Oh, they do call out last names. (Those didn’t look like last names to you? I suppose with all the hipsters naming their kids last names like Madison, they could be either.) The teachers just couldn’t pronounce mine and so they called out my first name instead. Every. Single. Time.

        Like

        Reply ↓

        • Actually…no. I really thought those were first names. I know a few Masons and Owens here in Australia. Norris? I would believe you if you said it was a first name. I’m sure the kids got used to the teachers calling you out by your first name…

          Liked by 1 person

          Reply ↓

          • Yeah. I think we all waited to see what mangled version would come out of the teacher’s mouth.

            It’s ALMOST enough to make you want to change your name to something easily pronounceable…like, say, “Wong.”

            ALMOST.

            Like

            Reply ↓

            • Hahaha. Wong. Then your life would get a little more bland 😀 But seriously, Wong is a great name and to be honest, I don’t know many people who go by the name Wong, first, middle or last name.

              Liked by 1 person

              Reply ↓

  12. My Dad is Lum King Wah – Henry. At high school the assumption was his surname was Wah so on official documents he is Wah. He married as Wah so my poor Mum had a maiden name, then Wah and then it was all sorted out and they both made Lum their family name/surname. I have a Chinese name but never reveal it. I’m happy being Gary Lum or Gaz or Lummy and now Yummy Lummy 😀

    Like

    Reply ↓

    • Wah is a bit of an uncommon last name to have, don’t think I’ve heard it as a surname in Malaysia or Singapore. Glad that your dad got his name sorted out. Yummy Lummy suits you, Gary. It’s a bit of a tongue twister; try saying it ten times in a row, fast 😀

      I heard a rumour once: if you have a good Chinese name that sounds like a good restaurant name, you must be a good cook 😀

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply ↓

  13. Hi Mabel,

    You are absolutely right! Ethnic names make us proud but it is equally embarrassing when they are not pronounced properly, are shortened for convenience and the person concerned may not like the short name!
    My sister had to face this at a very young age as the nuns who taught her always pronounced her name as Baaldee Baal where as it is Baldeep Bal! Same thing happens to my name…it becomes Baalroo!!

    My dad must be proud of the names he gave us as he seems to have chosen them very carefully. Bal was his surname and very smartly he put this in front as well as at the back of our names so that even if our surname changes after marriage [ which is a common cultural custom ] it has stayed in front of our names!

    This is a very interesting post but with a serious emotion attached to it. Wonderfully handled!

    Like

    Reply ↓

    • So true, Balroop. Not everyone is a fan of their name shortened. But what can you do when they do? Nothing really, unfortunately. In Australia, however, people here are very fond of shortening each other’s names. It’s in the Aussie culture to do so.

      Your dad is very intelligent in the way he has named all of you! I’m sure your name means something significant in Indian culture too – a lot of my Indian friends have told me that their names are tied to historical events and beliefs that happened centuries ago in India.

      Thank you for your feedback as always, Balroop. Very insightful and thank you for reading!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply ↓

      • Yes, names always have a meaning too! In my case, ‘Bal’ means strength and ‘roop’ means a form of beauty. How does it seem?
        William Shakespeare said: What is in a name?Names are an inspiration, we have to live up to our names!

        Like

        Reply ↓

        • The meaning behind your name is so lovely. Strength and beauty – and you certainly showcase strength and beauty through your writing.

          Love that quote by Shakespeare. Thank you for sharing it.

          Like

          Reply ↓

  14. My husband faces this problem because of the rarity of the second character of his Chinese name [which would be the first character of his given name because as you mentioned, surname comes first.] It is not a character that you often see, so not many people in Taiwan know how to read it and not many people know how to write it. I often hear him on the phone, using other Chinese characters to describe how to write it. I see people stop and wait until he aids in the pronunciation. He has gotten wedding invitations from classmates and the character has been written incorrectly and if it is written right, he is actually surprised.

    I am actually awful at remembering Chinese names – pronouncing them is fine, but remembering them is a different story. That is why some of my husband’s friends have nicknames – some include ‘the jello guy,’ ‘the shy guy,’ ‘mafia man,’ etc.

    And I apologize in advance for any mistakes in this comment. I have been writing and staring at a computer since early morning.

    Like

    Reply ↓

    • Your poos husband. I feel very sorry for him. It must be frustrating to have to explain how each stroke goes and their shape in an effort to help others get his name write. The fact that there are numerous characters to a particular pinyin mustn’t help either.

      Remembering names is indeed a different story. Sometimes I can’t even remember a simple name like John. But I suppose it’s harder if it’s a name in a foreign language – remembering the phonetics you’re unfamiliar with takes time.

      Good luck with the writing, Constance. I know you can do it.

      Like

      Reply ↓

      • In all honesty, from hearing my husband speak about his name, I think he rather likes the uniqueness of it. His father put in a lot of effort to select his name by finding the perfect character with meaning as well as keeping in mind the number of strokes he would like in the character. If I remember correctly, all four boys [my husband and his three brothers] have the same number of strokes in the characters of their names, but none of them have a ‘unique’ character like my husband, so I tell my husband that he is very, very special. 🙂

        Like

        Reply ↓

        • Such an interesting story behind your husband’s name. A name given with a lot of love and thought. I bet that makes up for all the hassles of repeating his name over and over again to others who get it wrong 🙂

          Like

          Reply ↓

  16. Well I for one don’t have an ethnic or cultural name. It’s anything but and that is what makes it so difficult for people to understand and pronounce. I feel you Mabel. I’ve been going through this struggle since I was in kindergarten, People just don’t seem to grasp of my real name since it’s so different. It’s been pronounced in so many different ways I can’t even begin to count them ! I’ve often heard “Why did your parents had to name you with such a difficult name”. Gosh it’s frustrating , Even now that I’m in university, nothing has changed, In class it’s always a source of laughter when teachers call my name wrong, Ugh.

    But despite everything I love my name since it’s so unique and reflects my personality perfectly ! ^_^

    On a side note; Hope you are doing great Mabel. I’ve been away a while cause of exams and studies but now I’m back since I’ve got vacations, Yaey for that 😀 Hope everything is working out for you !

    Lots of love,
    Zee ❤

    Like

    Reply ↓

    • I’m so sorry to hear you’ve been teased for your name all your life, Zee. It must not only be frustrating, but embarrassing too. I’m sure you also go the question, “What do you prefer to be called?” many times too, expecting to hear a shortened name that they can pronounce.

      But glad you are proud of your name. I am sure it’s a beautiful name and those closest to you love it and respect it.

      I’m not too bad. Won’t be blogging much since I’m working on my book and want to write more blog posts like this…which take time. Congratulations on finishing the exams and I’m sure you did very well. Well deserved holidays so enjoy 🙂 Double hearts for you 💕

      Like

      Reply ↓

      • Yes exactly, they do want to know my nickname all the time. And nickname that I don’t like ! 😛

        Oh wow Mabel, that is so great , you are working on your own book !! Congratulations are in order that means 😉

        Thank you so much, I hope you are enjoying your summer too ❤

        Like

        Reply ↓

        • Oh no! Maybe one day you will be able to convince them to call you by a nickname that you like. I like Zee a lot, though. It’s short and sweet, and unique. Haven’t met anyone else that calls themselves by this name.

          Thanks, Zee. It will be a long time before my book gets finished. But, there’s progress. Enjoy the warmth ❤

          Liked by 1 person

          Reply ↓

          • Yeah I like Zee too, Other nicknames? Not so much ! lol

            Well whenever your book will be finished you will find me first in line to get your autograph 😉

            Have a spectacular day Mabel ! ❤

            Like

            Reply ↓

            • Zee is so easy to pronounce and say. I absolutely love it! It can be pronounced high and low ❤

              Awww, so kind of you to want to be first in line to get my autograph. Thank you :')

              Like

              Reply ↓

  18. Very interesting Mabel. One thing I’ve often wondered about when people adopt a name over their ethnic name, do they actually change things in official paperwork? Or do they just go ahead and rename themselves wherever they feel like it?
    Sure people see my name written with an f instead of ph and don’t know how to pronounce it. Also here in Spain, you use two surnames. The 2nd surname comes from your mum, so my second surname is a long Indonesian one,… that absolute no Spanish teacher of mine was ever able to pronounce 😛

    Like

    Reply ↓

    • I did know a few international friends at university who adopted Anglo names but never formally recorded these names on official paperwork – and the lecturer scribbled their English names down on the roll during the first tutorial. Most of them, did, though.

      That is so interesting. Two surnames for you in Spain. Family must be very esteemed there too, or at least carrying on the family name and the traditions. It sounds like you don’t have a choice.

      Your comment was eaten up by my Spam Folder – it was hungry – so I saved it. This is it and I hid your second comment 😉

      Like

      Reply ↓

  20. I love your seagull pics, great shots, especially the first one. I think Australia is so multicultural now that there will always be someone who has a problem with some name because it will be unfamiliar. People often mispronounce my last name because they are misled by the spelling, even though it’s an ‘English’ name and actually quite a commonly used word (Sergeant, as in police …).

    Like

    Reply ↓

    • That’s one of the upsides of multicultural Australia – that we have so many diverse names going round, each with their own story behind them. It’s time Australians recognise this. It would be great if we all paid more attention to and learnt to pronounce Indigenous names correctly too, or at least appreciate the significance behind them.

      Your last name really is English. I suppose since we are so used to going by the word police, people here scratch their heads at sergeant 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply ↓

  21. Great post, as always Mabel. Some of us do really identify with a name and feel more comfortable with a different name to the one we were born with. This applies a little to me too, (except not for cultural reasons). We all have choice and as adults can alter our name as we wish. Our ancestors, of all ethnicities, certainly changed their names/spellings many times, often when they came to Australia. Many workplaces these days, also have preferred names fields in their applications, which is a lot easier. I can see my ancestors followed a patroynomic naming pattern so there is a point to being named a certain way, and this can be a source of pride in one’s heritage. I think, however, there are many more people whose names are mispelt/misprounounced than are said correctly. I have seen more misspellings/mispronounciations of my name, by strangers/telemarketers than I care to remember and kind of accept it now. In fact it is a surprise if someone gets it right.

    Like

    Reply ↓

    • That is so, so true. Some of us just might not identify with our name at all and certainly have the right to legally change it. It’s a personal choice. To be honest, I’ve never heard anyone changing their name when I lived in Singapore and Malaysia – it was when I moved back to Australia that I realise people do it quite often. Maybe it’s a cultural thing, I don’t know.

      I get telemarketers calling my house pretty much every day, requesting to speak to a Ms Kwong, and they an never pronounce it correctly. Very amusing to hear and like you, I’m surprised if anyone gets it right.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply ↓

  22. Mabel my maiden name was Baker but when I got married and took Dave’s last name, the confusion began. Pronounced slat, as in rhyming with flat, our last name has silent letters. You can imagine the confusion of the spelling Slaght. I’ve gotten used to it over the years. My daughter who is being married this summer states she is upgrading her name and taking her Fiancé’s last name which is far easier to spell and say.

    Like

    Reply ↓

    • Many of us seem to stumble at silent letters, often not knowing what is silent. I’ve had that problem before but I think the more names you come across the more better you get at picking it up.

      I like the way how your last name is pronounced. Sounds very robust and I like it.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply ↓

  23. I understand totally how you feel! My name is truly Indonesian name and maybe you already aware that majority Indonesians do not have family name. My name is fully given by my parents – Indah Susanti so Susanti is not family name. It could be a hassle whenever there is sort of official paper related that required parents names in European administration systems – since none of my parents name is Susanti…my first resident permit card in the Netherlands mentioned that my family name as UNKNOWN 😀 😀

    My name is easy to pronounce but writing my name is something else. Some of my European friends kept making mistake when writing down my name, from Indah to INDA (without H). It’s cultural thing or maybe ignorance like what is the use of H – like maybe it is similar or mean the same as the popular name “Linda” – Actually there is a meaning of “indah” in my mother language, so INDA will mean nothing and certainly not Linda!

    I like to keep my ethnic name as it is and I refuse to use Dutchie’s family name as my additional name. Never ever I would like to add my name after a marriage. I am that proud 😉
    Name is part of a person’s identity, and sometimes it does tell where the person comes from. Sadly, the discrimination against certain names that come from certain area/beliefs is still existing regardless the fact that the person with ethnic name do not represent the prejudice/generalization created by public..

    Like

    Reply ↓

    • I actually had no idea that many Indonesians don’t take their family name and don’t have a last name. Now I know better, thanks to you. You’re probably one of the rare cases in the Netherlands with an UNKNOWN last name 😀 You COULD always list Susanti as your last name in some situations there and no one would really look twice…wouldn’t surprise me that many assume Susanti is your family name. I was one of them 😀

      Good to hear you are proud of your ethnic name. In Chinese culture, when the lady gets married, she usually formally retains her name and doesn’t take after her partner’s. Not sure if it’s the same with Indonesian culture, perhaps so.

      Like

      Reply ↓

  24. Hi Mabel, I have only recently discovered and started following your blog and have been really enjoying and relating to your blog posts. My Chinese and English name is Ting, with the same chinese character too =) In my experience I haven’t had too much problem with people pronouncing Ting, it’s more my Chinese middle name Yuk that has been more embarrassing because it’s quite often mispronounced as Yuck rather than Yook, which is a Chinese character similar sounding to Jade. I always appreciated the teachers that had the politeness to ask me how its pronounced rather than say ‘Yuck’. I think it’s just polite to ask to be honest, that’s what I do if I encounter any name I don’t feel confident pronouncing, whether its Italian, Indian or even Chinese sometimes.

    My sister adopted a Western name when she was in high school and later on legally changed her first name from a Chinese name to a Western name (I’ve always called her older sister in Chinese and still use her Chinese name when I speak English) and my brother, being born in Australia has a Western first name with a Chinese middle name. I’ve always grown up as Ting and that’s who I am and how others know me so I never felt it was necessary to adopt a Western name, although I know others who have because of constant mispronunciation or confusion by others about which is the first or last name.

    Over the years, the most lovely comment I’ve received about my name was from a university tutor who said that the name Ting sounded bright, positive and optimistic..

    I also find it really interesting that in Chinese culture, women maintain their maiden name but will also be referred to as Mrs.[insert husbands surname]. When I got married, I was adamant that I was going to keep my surname because it was part of my (Chinese) identity and my family lineage. I also believed that our marriage was bringing two families together, so I have a hyphenated surname which I really love as it represents our new family.

    I look forward to your next thoughtful post.

    PS. Have you heard of the Melbourne comedian Ting Lim? She has previously used her name as a source for jokes.

    Like

    Reply ↓

    • How cool is that, we have the same Chinese name, Ting. What a coincidence and you’re the first person I know who has that character as part of their name. It really is very polite of your teachers to ask how your name Yuk is pronounced. I’ve had some teachers and lecturers in Australia who straight up try to pronounce names as they see it – ethnic or non-ethnic – in the way they think it sounds, with Western pronunciation as if that reigns supreme. A lot of my classmates have been on the receiving end of this, and all the time go along with what the teacher said.

      So happy to hear that you like the name Ting. I like it too, but on official documents it’s written as “Teng”. But it has always been pronounced Ting, like you. Seeing “Teng”, some Westerns have actually stumbled at pronouncing that, but when I say Ting, they automatically get it. Then again, Ting is easy to roll off most tongues.

      I’ve actually never heard of comedian Ting Lim. I googgled her, great on her for going after her passion in comedy in Australia. I wonder if she shares the same name as us 😉 Thanks for the kind words. Hopefully another blog post up at some point soon 🙂

      Like

      Reply ↓

      • Appreciate your reply Mabel, I overlooked that the spelling of your name was Teng but pronounced ting. I can see why that would be a little more confusing. I speak Cantonese so my parents call me Teng Teng. Some friends call me Tingles, it’s on the back of my Dragon boat racing uniform so it’s official now. 😜
        I’ve met a couple of Tings in my travels with that same character – my dad saw a Chinese fortune teller when I was born and apparently I was going to be a bit of a Tomboy so needed a character with ‘girl’ in it to balance my personality ie more feminine qualities (don’t know if its worked though 😝)

        I’ve just started a blog myself and was starting to have some doubts this week and when I saw your post yesterday and that we had the same Chinese name, it was extremely serendipitous! I admire your writing (and how you interact with your readers) and I interpreted it as a sign from the universe to keep going and to maintain self belief in my ‘why’. Thanks for the inspiration!

        Like

        Reply ↓

        • Funny how my name is spelt Teng but pronounced Ting. The latter pronunciation you hear more, though, in my opinion 😀 So true that some Chinese parents are

          I followed your blog. I think it’s great that you’re sharing Chinese cultural events and exhibitions around Melbourne and Australia – something we should all be more aware of. Looking forward to reading your blog and thank you for the nice words.

          Like

          Reply ↓

  25. You have a beautiful name Mabel and it suits you perfectly. Strange that people get offended when you correct them when they pronounce your name wrong. My name is Sophia and I don’t know if some people are just stupid or deaf, because they would ask me my name, and I would tell them what it is, and then they call me Sophie. I hate that! It irritates me endlessly. Luckily enough here on the internet and the blogs I merged my name and surname to Sonel. Makes it much easier and less irritation. 😀

    Great post as always. ♥

    Like

    Reply ↓

    • Thank you very much, Sonel. You have a lovely name too. Sophia. It sounds so elegant, classy and uplifting. I actually had a classmate of the same name too at university, and she too faced the same problem as you – the lecturers either called her Sophie or had no idea how to pronounce. It surprised me as I thought it was a common name.

      I like Sonel too. And I also like your gravatar. It’s very cute and I just love the little flash coming off your camera 💕

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply ↓

      • Thank you very much Mabel and I am glad you think so.

        I feel sorry for her as I know what it is like. Maybe they were just spiteful. Will we ever know? 😆

        I am glad you do. Thanks again. You’re very sweet. 😀 ♥

        Like

        Reply ↓

        • I think we’re spiteful towards each other when we laugh at each other’s names. Trying to pronounce it, it could go either way.

          Sad that you have closed comments on your blog but I respect your decision. Always love our chats ❤

          Liked by 1 person

          Reply ↓

          • Yes, I don’t think it’s nice when they do that. Some people can be really nasty.

            Thanks for understanding. At this stage I just don’t have the energy or will to deal with people who don’t know how to behave.

            We’ll still chat on your blog. I won’t stop visiting. 😀

            Like

            Reply ↓

  26. Great post! Yes, you know already, folks say my first name wrong often and try to be funny with my last name (at least in high school – boneheads). I just find it fascinating that I was confused as to why people asked me if I was married when I went to job interviews. It wasn’t until much later that I realized my British English last name threw them off every time I stood up and walked through the door. They were expecting a Hong or a Kong or a Lee 😛

    Like

    Reply ↓

    • That is so intrusive of interviewers to ask you if you’re married at job interviews. I wouldn’t want to work for anyone who asked me these sorts of personal questions. Lani sounds easy enough to pronounce, but since some get it wrong I suppose they go with “Leni” sometimes. Wild guess. Oh dear on those who make fun of your last name – no reason too and I’m sure karma came around to them.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply ↓

      • There are a couple of ways to say the “a” sound and people say the “a as in average” instead of the “a as in awesome” 🙂 My former boss still says my name wrong, occassionally, even though I’ve known him for over a year.

        People can be mean about names, but that’s okay, it says more about them than me.

        Like

        Reply ↓

        • “Laaah-ni” versus “Lehhh-ni” 😀 I suppose those are the two most common pronunciations.

          “People can be mean about names, but that’s okay, it says more about them than me.” Spot on, girl. Spot on!

          Liked by 1 person

          Reply ↓

  27. My boyfriend’s name is Le, but everyone pronounces it like Lee. And the funny thing about it, is that in french (my mother tongue), Le is a pronoun and is pronounce like it should be in Chinese ! So actually, I could pronounce his name right and I was quite happy :p

    My name, Virginie, is very difficult to pronounce for English speakers, so I usually say Gin or V, it’s easier :p Last time, at the job center, they thought that Virginie was my surname, it brought a lot of confusion 😀

    Like

    Reply ↓

    • Hahaha, that must be so confusing, pronouncing “Le” in your family. I’m sure your boyfriend is used to it by now. You managed to pronounce his name right..so the two of you are meant to be together after all 💕 😉

      What a pretty name you have! But I like Gin a lot and reckon it suits you.

      Like

      Reply ↓

      • It is very confusing. And when we are talking french, we used the article in our conversation, and at the beginning, he thought we called him 😀

        I don’t really like Virginie that much, the “r” sounds harsh. I like the softness of Gin 🙂

        Like

        Reply ↓

  28. Mabel, you just don’t run out of interesting topics. 🙂

    The part where I got infuriated was when one of your lecturers called you this: “Kwong…Kwong! Hong Kong, right?” I could just imagine your reaction and no one in sound mind would feel good about that. It was a deliberate insult, or so I thought. The good thing about your story is that you always find a silverlining and translate it into a beautiful piece.

    Anyway, I never had an issue with my name until I was asked to produce an original copy of my birth certificate back in college. It was only there that I learned about the registered spelling of my first name, which is “Sonyboy”.

    I had used Sonny Boy (two words) from elementary until high school and I love the fact that I am a junior–the meaning of Sonny. I remember a few instances where my classmates called me “Panasonic” or any popular appliances’ names. It was amusing at first but became annoying eventually. I would not want my name to be replaced with an appliance’s. You get the picture. So what I did was I confronted my peers and told them right then and there that I am not okay with them–calling me that–anymore. That if they refuse to do so, they could no longer see my paper during exams–ever.

    I thought that would be the end of the story. I never expected that I will experience worse here in Saudi Arabia. Apparently, the locals and other nationalities in our workplace love the idea of playing with my name. That is, each time they realized my name is actually spelled as “Sony” with a single “n”. The catch is they don’t call me by any of the appliances’ names but brands. It went on for several months until it faded away. Yey!

    Like

    Reply ↓

    • It wasn’t as if the lecturer didn’t know my first name. In the emails I exchanged with him prior to our meeting, I signed off as “Mabel”. I suppose he was really interested in my background. After all, all of us do wonder about the other’s background if we find them interesting.

      I must confess, Sony, and my apologies in advance if I do offend you. When I first saw your comment on my blog a couple of years ago on my About page, I thought, “Sony. Like my Sony Walkman music player. And this old CD player that I have that’s not Sony branded…What a cool name you have.” Nowadays whenever I see the word Sony in Australia, I think of that popular Filipino travel blogger living in Saudi Arabia whom I would love to meet someday. Now, I think I will stop this since it’s ignorant and you are certainly more than an appliance and a brand. You are a blogger, writer, family person and much more.

      Sorry to hear that your colleagues have been giving you a hard time about your name. Certainly they are joking but at the same time, making fun of someone’s name often equates to poking fun at their culture too – you become the laughing stock of the office. I’m sure your name has it’s own meaning and significance that you are proud of, and no one has the right to wipe their hands over it.

      Like

      Reply ↓

  29. My name is actually easy to pronounce however it really depends on the country…Timo is even pronounced differently in Germany and in Finland 🙂
    To avoid any troubles we gave our Nathan a whole array of names so he can handle himself well in many countries

    Like

    Reply ↓

      • Yes, the pronounciation of my name is always different, depending even on the region here in Germany! I always got trouble to pronounce Chinese name properly due to the different tones. My wifes name was very easy as the “Finnish Way” of saying it actually fits it perfectly 🙂

        Like

        Reply ↓

        • Would love to hear all the pronunciations – you can tell me if we happen to meet someday. Chinese tones can be hard, but I think Cantonese tones are harder as there are more tones 😀

          Like

          Reply ↓

  30. It is with each uncomfortable interaction resolved well, I tell myself, that the world becomes an easier place to navigate for my little nephew.

    Like

    Reply ↓

  32. It is so true that in the West, people really have a difficult time pronouncing foreign names ~ a lack of understanding of international pronunciation (and culture) being the big culprits. In China, especially the areas where my work takes me, I use my Chinese name because my friends and colleagues can never remember my name (or ever get use to the pronunciation which to me is very vanilla). It fascinated me, but also I understood it completely as for me it is easier to remember names if the names are “western” as that is what I grew up with and even after decades in China, remembering the Mandarin (pinyin) name is more of a struggle than a western name. Although, I do like the trend of Chinese using their native names instead of adopting a Western one just for the sake of it (my friends who have done that say they would take a western name if it had meaning ~ but simply will not chose one just to have one). Cheers to a great weekend ahead 🙂

    Like

    Reply ↓

    • You are the second person in the comments to use the word “vanilla” to describe names/pronunciation. Certainly growing up in a certain environment, more often than not we are used to hearing and saying certain names. I hope your Chinese colleagues don’t give you too much of a hard time when you stumble over their names, if you do. Chinese names tend to come in twos, or pairs, as opposed to Western names (“Li Teng” versus “Mabel”). Sort of like remembering two separate names for one person if you get what you mean. Maybe that plays a part in why some of us have difficulty in remembering ethnic and cultural names. You too, Randall. Have a good one 🙂

      Like

      Reply ↓

      • Ha, it is funny ~ vanilla is used to represent a pretty bland/uninteresting thing ~ but nothing is better in my mind than good vanilla (especially ice-cream).

        My Chinese colleagues are very good, too good to me as I would like them to correct me more ~ instead they ignore my mistakes 🙂 My partner, who speaks no English, will always ask me to repeat a foreigner’s name “phonetically” in Mandarin so he can remember it. Eric becomes “艾里克” and occasionally it can be fun, for one guy named Joe who drinks a lot becomes “酒”. For me, sometimes it can be really frustrating to forget a Chinese name of someone I just met, then I realize that I also am forgetful of names in English too (not a good trait for business ~ or socializing!). Cheers to you too丽婷 🙂

        Like

        Reply ↓

        • Hahaha! Pronouncing a Westerner’s name phonetically is always fun. I’ve heard there are Westerners who want a Chinese name and sometimes end up choosing a Chinese name solely based on this pronunciation…no matter what it means. And I’m sure at times these names sound downright vulgar…oh dear 😀

          I tend to remember faces and not names, which is equally frustrating as not being able to remember names 😀 And I love vanilla ice-cream!

          Like

          Reply ↓

  34. Beautiful post Mabel! It made me laugh out loud. tin can…and “Kwong…Kwong! Hong Kong, right?”
    My surname is never pronounced right. When I came here, often people assumed Alka is a western name. It‘s very much Indian, rather the real Sanskrit word is ‘Alk’ which means ‘a lock of beautiful hair’. People think it is similar to Elka so it becomes easier for them to pronounce rather than say some other Indian sounding Indian name.

    I didn’t know that in Chinese culture your surname is put first. This happens in South Indian names. Family pride comes first. Also that Chinese women do not change their last name when they get married. That’s liberation.

    You are right, Name completes the person we are. At the same time our name changes our personality.

    Like

    Reply ↓

    • Thanks, Alka. What a beautiful name you have, and I’m sure you have luscious dark hair too. So maybe we do become our names, and we grow to become our names. Funny how the universe works.

      Never knew in South Indian culture surnames are put food. Seems to have similarities with Chinese culture. It can be confusing when Chinese women don’t change their surname when they get married – others automatically assume they take on their husband’s name and call them Mrs …!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply ↓

      • Yes, I do have thick dark black hair 🙂 I am a North Indian but, although I’m not sure of the exact pattern followed, I think in South they first use initials for place of origin, then father’s name and later comes your own name. Plus it varies from state to state.
        As you say it’s confusing for Chinese women, possibly it would be more so for children. But I suppose they go for father’s surname.

        Like

        Reply ↓

  37. I can’t relate personally to your post but my sister had to tell people how to pronounce her name all the time. It was a Scottish Gaelic name. I suspect this will be an escalating problem, based on recent birth notices and kids’ names I’ve noticed at school. Strange spellings and made up names – teachers will have their work cut out to get any of them right!

    Like

    Reply ↓

  38. great post, as always, Mabel. i don’t have an ethnic name but i can totally relate to your points. if i am not sure how to pronounce one’s name, i politely ask. i’d rather admit my ignorance than second guessing. 🙂 awesome captures, Mabel. lovely pictures! 🙂

    Like

    Reply ↓

    • You really are very polite, Lola. Nothing wrong with asking at all. No need to be shy asking how to pronounce someone’s name – I think they’d appreciate it since we’re showing a keen interest getting to know the person from the get go. Thank you, I had a lot of fun taking these images.

      Like

      Reply ↓

  39. Firstly, I must congratulate you on your gorgeous bird photography, Mabel. I so enjoyed you pictures. 🙂 We lived in England when I was growing up. My father’s surname is ‘Sommeling’, of Dutch origin, and many times it was misspelt on letters and documents. I remember one letter came addressed to Mr and Mrs Gumding. More often than not, a mysterious ‘r’ would creep in between the ‘e’ and the ‘l’. Children at school use to make up silly versions of my surname, just to tease me. I have always had to spell it over the phone, so it was quite a relief when I got married to get my husband’s short simple surname. 🙂

    Like

    Reply ↓

    • “Sommeling” sounds like a very elegant surname, and so sorry to hear it has been mis-spelt several times. I would have thought it was fairly common too, having seen it in books I’ve read. Spelling your name over the phone – that can take ages for the person on the other end to get it right. Glad it’s not an issue for you now. Thank you, lots of fun shooting the birds 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply ↓

  41. i don’t really have an asian name but people kept pronouncing it wrong that by the time i got to college, i just let them pronounce it whichever way they want.

    those who eventually became my close friends transitioned to calling me just “jan.” which is what my family calls me anyway. with those three letters, there’s no way you could ever pronounce it wrong. although there’s one particular girl who keeps calling me “jane.” lol. go figure.

    Like

    Reply ↓

  42. I can relate to it all. I’m proud of my ethnic name. It just gets annoying sometimes especially when your in class waiting for your name to be called out. People always mispronounce my name or butcher it completely. Before I would simplify it for them, but then I realized I shouldn’t apologize for it. Now I make sure people learn it! At least now I’m memorable. 😀

    Like

    Reply ↓

    • “I shouldn’t apologize for it” So agree with you, and with an ethnic name, our names are certainly memorable 😀 It IS always a conversation starter and you can make a friend that way. Haha, during attendance taking, there must always be a dramatic pause before the teacher read out your name!

      Like

      Reply ↓

  43. My name is a very common one in Spain so I never had problems of people mispronouncing it. However, my second surname (in Spain we have 2 surnames, one from dad and one from mum) is quite uncommon and many people asked me to repeat it when I said it, even though it is only 4 letters and come on, it’s not that hard! CISA!! They would say, what? Fisa?? (the ci sound in the Spanish from Spain is a difficult sound, that is true, but Spanish people at least should have no problem with it haha).

    In China many people pronounce my name as mat-ta but oh well, I know the r is hard for them xD

    Like

    Reply ↓

  44. Names are indeed a funny thing!

    Mine seems simple on the surface – Carissa – yet was uncommon when growing up in Canada and often people would say Clarissa or Larissa or…? It became more challenging in India where there is zero familiarity with a similar sounding name so it morphs into ‘Karishma’ or something like that.

    My sister’s name – Chandra – was mispronounced in Canada ‘Shandra’ like a shhhushing Sandra which stuck! Rather than the correct pronunciation of ‘Ch’ as in ‘Chair’.

    Working across Asia, I’ve always been particular about asking how folks want to be addressed. Ideally when conducting programs, request participants write on a tent card their ‘preferred’ name – which in places like the Philippines or Thailand often bear zero relation to their ‘official’ name. I then would add the preferred name to attendance lists – else would have no way of connecting their email ID with how they prefer to be called!

    All this to say… you’ve clearly struck a chord with your name topic!!! 🙂

    Like

    Reply ↓

    • Carissa is such a lovely name! I’ve heard and seen that name in books and things I’ve read but never before met anyone with this name. You are the first!

      So sorry to hear people have mispronounced your name. Maybe adding an “l” to your name makes it easier for them to roll it off the tongue. Your poor sister too. But I bet it’s amusing in some way.

      Preferred names can be very different to one’s official name. It’s commonplace for a preferred names box to appear on a form these days, thankfully.

      Certainly lots of things to talk about names 😀

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply ↓

      • Lots indeed! 🙂 It has actually never bothered me that my name is rarely spelt correctly and often said incorrectly. I just make a choice whether it is a situation whether it helps to clarify or just let it slide. 🙂

        I’ve not seen an official form with ‘preferred’ name though I’ve certainly created forms with it!

        Like

        Reply ↓

  45. My middle name is French and last is Italian, almost always both are pronounced wrong. I can live with that, what drives me nuts is when I get comments like “what is that mess?” when people are taken aback by my middle name. It’s like, it’s my middle name?! My first name is super easy and common though, so most of the time I breeze through with out people tripping up on that 🙂

    Like

    Reply ↓

    • ““what is that mess?” That is such a rude comment to get about your name. Can hardly believe it. I applaud you for standing by your name. I am sure it’s a beautiful name and it has great meaning behind it.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply ↓

  46. My legal and name I use in English is always Jean which hasn’t been use in ages by next generations.
    My Chinese name sounds very similar to jean but different meaning: Precious or Highly Treasured. In the past 3 decades, too many people ask how to spell Jean. probably related to weirder different spelling variations of names.

    my Chinese name is only use by my mother and relatives. Even my father used my English name.

    Like

    Reply ↓

    • Sounds like a very nice Chinese name you have, Jean. Maybe those who asked you to spell your name thought it could go either Jean or Gene. Or as you said, some other weird variation we can dream of.

      Maybe your Chinese name is your pet name in your mother’s eyes. Just a thought.

      Like

      Reply ↓

  48. Names are a strange thing, Mabel, and a touchy subject for many.

    I was always envious of girls at school, with exotic-sounding names, such as Kiki – silly, really.
    Have you ever heard of the concept of nominative determinism? It’s rather interesting.(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nominative_determinism)

    I have a common name, which is pronounced two different ways where I come from, but in Australia, only one way is know and the way mine is pronounced is unknown, and so it gets mangled in all sorts of ways. I discussed it with my linguistic lecturer, who said that it’s because the sound used to pronounce the first part of my name is an uncommon pronunciation of the vowel-consonant combination in Australia. Fascinating.

    Like

    Reply ↓

    • Names are indeed a touchy subject, BB, you hit the nail on the head. Such an interesting concept you brought up, norminative determinism and so relevant. One time at work my colleagues were discussing the surname “Power”. Have that surname and you sound like a determined and strong-willed person.

      I’m sure your name has brought many amusing situations. Must have been a great chat with your linguistic lecturer about it. He/she must know a lot of pronunciations and names in general.

      Like

      Reply ↓

  49. Bingo. Great topic, Li Teng. =) (Kwong…Hong Kong?!!! Please!) I won’t divulge my birth name but we hit upon a most curious happenstance when I was in first grade. There was a boy in my class w/ the same Korean name! It was a bit confusing during roll call and the teacher joked that one of us should change our name. My parents liked Elizabeth. I went ewww (at 7). Fine name, just not for me. I named myself (my parents loved Diana LOL). It is my legal name in the States.

    A rich, bold post, my friend. I love the way you braided your narrative with moments from the past and gave us a lovely description of how our names hold our history and culture.

    Like

    Reply ↓

    • That is funny. I hope none of you actually changed you names or chose to go by another name. I like Diana and reckon it suits you a lot. It sounds elegant and classy at the same time, with a hint of sophistication. Traits that you exemplify through you writing too.

      Thanks, D. I am having a lot of fun writing in this narrative style. Probably will write this way for a bit before switching it back up. Tee hee 🙂

      Like

      Reply ↓

  50. My stepdaughter’s mother is Kyong Suk(Korean). She goes by Jeannie though here in the US. I’m saddened by the thought that people with different cultural backgrounds are changing their names to suit the culture they currently live it. Bigotry was started in this country with the changing of names. In my opinion, absolutely disgusting.

    Like

    Reply ↓

    • I too am saddened to hear people change their names to assimilate with the status quo. Perhaps some value fitting in over more than their name – and to them, a name is just a name. Then again, names are often one of a kind in their own way. Kyong Suk sounds like a lovely name, as does Jeannie.

      Like

      Reply ↓

Share your thoughts. Join the discussion

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.