Asian names are difficult to remember and to say to an unaccustomed American ear. As westernized generations blend in, they choose to ease the transition by adopting an easier name for their newfound friends to remember. These may be popular shorter names sounding similar to their own like Sean for Chun or Ken for Wen, or from religious influence or after a favorite celebrity. Adopted Asian children may be assigned a Western name either by the agency or the new parents.
To legally change a name on a federal identification card, documents must be presented to government agencies such as birth or family papers. Many non-American countries carry family papers or birth papers rather than birth certificates filled out by family members. Officially registering a name of a child in Asia is not done the same way as in the U.S. Once approved, a legal U.S. document such as Naturalization, Adoption or Citizenship papers may display both Asian and American names.
Cross Over Speech Difficulties
Across several languages some sounds are not an exact match nor even exist to translate well. Tongues, mouths, lips, enunciation, pronunciation and phonetic emphasis are all habitually conditioned since birth to learn the surrounding culture language(s). Clash of new cross over sounds or wrong vocal articulation can cause embarrassment. Asians very seldom choose names with R or L's. In Korean, both letters are represented by the same alphabet symbol and used interchangeably. Asians are mocked with this speech difficulty in many comedy skits.
Tidbit: Persons who learned a new language over the age of twelve will usually show small signs of an accent.
In the beginning of Obama’s presidential campaign, large amounts of people misspoke his name as Osama as a recognizable assimilated close reference. Osama is a known terrorist versus Obama is now the President. An opposite comparison of character of what the mind can recall that may cause embarrassment.
Honoring Family Names
In Korean culture, it is tradition in introductions to say the last name first then the first name to honor past family ancestry. To pass down respect for lineage; middle, last and first names were repeated or switched around in order to keep family names continuing. Similar to renaming a first-born son as Edgar William to William Edgar.
Popular American first names for Asian women:
Anne
Christina
CoCo
Connie
Dianna
Grace
Jenny
Joy
Judy
Kim
Linda
Lisa
Laura
Lucy
Maggie
Sandra
Sue
Popular American first names for Asian boys:
Ben
Bobby
Charlie
Chris
Daniel
David
Jackie
James
John
Ken
Pat
Sean
Nicknames are Universal
Some may go by their nicknames such as Jim for James, Chris for Christopher, and Dee for Dianna or Nicknames of their own Asian names such as: Pannapa to Nan. Like many cultures, nicknames are not unusual to answer to or have. Most Asians only use their Asian birth names for official documentation such as medical, insurance, department of motor vehicles, or taxes. Among close friends it is not normally used. Progressively as acceptance of diversity is growing many may use their natural given name as a sign of Asian pride.
Asians are not the only ones who adopt this name changing idea. Middle Eastern and Africans may give themselves nicknames or use initials for short easier use. For example, A.K. is short for Akpedje or Akouete.
Tidbit: Many Africans are taught to learn at least three languages by ten years of age.
Longer names with many consonants and few vowels are difficult for Americans to remember, spell, or sound out correctly. Respectfully an attempt to say it may be made initially but seldom remembered easily the second or third time meeting.
Don’t be alarmed if an Asian person doesn’t respond to the assigned Western name at first calling. It probably means it’s a new name for them to get used to. To learn a new word, idea, or concept requires repetition for recognition. Next time an Asian girl introduces herself as Jenny it may not be her birth name but she answers to it.
Fun Famous Asian American Name Facts According to imdb.com:
Bobby Lee - Birth name: Robert Lee jr
Bruce Lee - Birth name: Lee Jun Fan
Connie Chung - Birth name: Constance Yu Hwa Chung
Jackie Chan - Birth name: Kong-Sang Chan
John Cho - Birth name: John Yohan Cho
Lisa Ling - Nickname: Baby young one
Lisa Lu - Birthname Yen Chun Lu
Lucy Lui - Born to Chinese immigrants
Margaret Cho - Korean American- Birth name: Moran ChoMing-Na Wen - Has a brother named Jonathan
Sandra Oh - Korean American- Sister named Grace, Brother named Ray
Photos and content:
The Internet Movie Database. World Wide Web. Sept 2009. URL: http://www.imdb.com/.Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. World Wide Web. Sept 2009. http://www.wikipedia.org/
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