# Chinese pseudonyms **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 11, 2005, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chinese-pseudonyms/316593 "2005-08-11T15:25:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bomzaway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e480ec/32.png) [@Bomzaway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bomzaway)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2005, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chinese-pseudonyms/316593/1 "2005-08-11T15:25:28Z")
When I deal with the Peoples Republic of China, I often come across the strangest names. I listed my company’s employees from various PRC locales and found the following. Obviously, these are not their real names but business pseudonyms that these folks use when dealing in the language of international business. But rather than take names like Bob or Susan, they use various . Some of these I listed are kind of beautiful in their own weird way and some are downright hilarious, especially when paired with traditional Chinese names like Wang. BTW: No disrespect is intended by this. I just found it interesting. **Most of the last names have been changed to protect the innocent** Aces Lim Aggie Cai (Must’ve gone to Texas A&M) Agile Guong Air Yu Apple Shan Avis Zhang (He’s got a brother named Hertz and a cousin named Dollar) Bear Chan Beetle Wong Beyond Fen Blank Song Brave Xiang Brown Shu Buffett Liu Cloud Lei Cool Leng Dew Oh Easy Tao Eleven Pang Elf Zhang Fake Wan First Ji Fish Xie Flag Meng Fly Fang Fog Liu Fox Hu Gang Chan Glass Yung Given Hu Green Fan Handsome Shi Healing Wang Hero Xiao Hippy Zang Honda Ding Ice Huang Jet Huong Kunta Gong (his parents really liked Roots) Leaves Ye Leech Weng Lemon Qiang Lion Liu Lucid Liu Luck Jiang Melon Cao Mould Gong Ocean Weng Panda Dang Phantom Pan Pink Wang Rain Kuang Reach Zhang Real Yu (I’ve been searching for the Real Me for decades and here he is…in China! Whodathunkit?) Reason Wang Saga Sung Seaman Dang Seal Guo Seven Weng Shadow Pang Shine Shi Smart An Solo Woo Starry Ho Steel Wang Strong Lin Sweat Wang Tivo Hou Track Zhu Volcano Yen Warrior Huang Wind Hu Winner Shin Wish Chan ---
**Author:** ![Madd\_Maxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Madd\_Maxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Madd_Maxx)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2005, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chinese-pseudonyms/316593/2 "2005-08-11T18:02:35Z")
Like you mentioned many Chinese people give themselves “Americanised” names to make pronunciation easier for foreign coworkers/customers. But are these anymore unbeliveable then Mercedes, Shaquille, LaTissue or any other of the American made up names? ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2005, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chinese-pseudonyms/316593/3 "2005-08-11T18:45:02Z")
When I taught English in China, there were a couple of students who I pulled off and firmly suggested that they change their names. I’m struggling to remember them, but there was one girl named “Pippi,” (pronounced in the most unflattering way, PEE-pee). There was a guy named Steel, and when I suggested he take some other name, he said he wanted to retain a name that showed his strength (he was a muscular guy), he thought of “Rock.” Hm. There were a few nonsensical names, too… I can’t recall what they were, but imagine me introducing myself as “Flarb” or “Shnar-Shnar.” ---
**Author:** ![Bomzaway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e480ec/32.png) [@Bomzaway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bomzaway)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2005, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chinese-pseudonyms/316593/4 "2005-08-11T20:16:12Z")
Some of them are actually pretty cool, like Cool, Saga, Beyond, and I kind of like Given, but I have to question some of the other selections. Sweat? Fake? Mould!? ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2005, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chinese-pseudonyms/316593/5 "2005-08-11T20:46:09Z")
> [@Bomzaway](#): > > Pink Wang Too…many…jokes… :: head explodes :: ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chinese-pseudonyms/316593/6 "2005-08-12T01:20:08Z")
Foreign grad students in the U.S. frequently take typical English or American names. My mother had a Chinese woman who called herself “Mabel”. I knew an Indian woman who went by “Daisy”, and at the last place I worked there was an “Alex” (who has since gone back to hi true Chinese name). I’ve never seen any really weird names, though.