NP : Hong Kong people i just met me : me
NP : hi, nice to meet you.My name is blah blah blah (some christian name).
me: hi nice to meet you too…My name is weiqi.
np : wei???what’s your name again???
me: weiqi.
np : ooooo..weiqi..do you have a english name??so its easier for me to remember your name.
me : no
i always fall into this kind of conversation since i came to Hong Kong. People here are so fond of getting people’s english name.most of the people like people to address them by their “english name”
Some of them will then ask why i m not getting a english name for myself. ok, now i’ll tell you.
1) I don’t think there is a need to have a English name
wei qi is my given name since i was born. The name i use for almost 20 years. What for i need to change it to Katty or Betty or Jetty?? Wei qi is the name my parents gave me and even if i m going to have another name,i think i should have to let my parents know.
2) They are too many people with the same English name
i don’t want to be the 2nd Sandy or 3rd Jeniffer in you phone book. Honestly, i know some friends with the same name. I have a few friends named Alex, Jeffery and Eric. then some of them have confusing name like Dickson or Jackson. then you’ll have to differentiate them by the Fat Eric, the Short Jeffery or the Dark Alex..
3) People will remember you better
people will remember u better as the person without a christian name when everyone around you has one. I am the 1st person that my English instructor remember in class because everyone else in class have an English name. And i remember during the 1st lesson, she ask us to write our name on a piece of paper and make it stand on the table. Everyone,without hesitation,write their English name, except me. She ask me whether i have an English name, as if i don’t know i suppose to write my English name rather than full name. But in the end, she remember my name 1st..
do not think non-chinese speaker cant remember you name. Actually they can, just give them some time. Us, Chinese speaker also have problem in calling other people’s name. When i know the few guys from Sir Lanka and India, i too have problem calling their name. Its not Chinese nor English. Its their language where who never learn before. It takes me some time to remember theirs. But it’s ok.
4) I can’t find a name that suits me
Honestly, during my childhood days, i always wanted to have a English name. I think having a English name is very chio. I was looking names in books and even in dictionary. But i cant find any name that i think will fit me. I mean the look and character, a name where people will think of me when they heard of the name. Jessica was too feminine, Mandy and Sandy was too ah lian. In the end, weiqi is still the name i like best.
these are all the reason i do not have a English name. What’s yours??Or why are you having one???
i think i’ll have to clarify why am i writing this post. Not that i am against having a Christian name. What i am disagree is how the Hong Kong people mostly think that people should have a some sort of Christian name where it is not given. I still remember people asking me “Why don’t you have a English name?” , and my 1st reaction was “Why do i need to?”
Maybe to them, having a English name is a must because their primary school English will made everyone of them to have English name??So, here comes another question..Why are the English teacher wants them to have English names??Don’t they already have their own name??And is that this practice that makes them think everyone else must have a English name??
And something i want to add on more to this topic.actually not everyone that i know is using an English name. Some of them prefer to be called by nickname.And they have really cute names^^
