Chinese Names for Foreigners

Chinese people in the United States often pick a foreign name like Annie and Jack, which is pleasant to hear and very convenient. The foreigners in China would also pick a Chinese name for convenience, especially the elite like the diplomat and entrepreneur resident in China.

Now, let's look at some good examples of Chinese names for foreigners as well as how to get authentic Chinese names for expats in China together.

The earliest trend of foreigners in China picking a Chinese name can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty (618 - 907) in history. Abeno Nakamaro, a Japanese diplomat to the Tang Dynasty, was conferred the name of 晁衡 (Chao Heng) by Emperor Xuanzong and he served as an official of the imperial court for more than 50 years until his death. In Ming and Qing Dynasties (1368 - 1912), the European missionaries 汤若望 (Johann Adam) and 南怀仁 (Ferdinand Verbiest) were regarded highly by the imperial court. In the Republic of China, European and American people in China stirred up the trend of picking a Chinese name, including the American ambassador 司徒雷登 (John Leighton Stuart) and the scholar 费正清 (John King Fairbank). After the founding of new China, the unified transliteration rules for foreigners were established and the standards were controlled by the Xinhua News Agency. After the reform and opening up, the rigid rules of translating John into 约翰 and Mary into 玛丽 could no longer meet the individualized needs of foreigners in the increasingly close international contacts and the trend of picking an authentic Chinese name was popular again.

Transliteration is the common way used to name a foreigner in China. It’s based on the sound of the name in the original language and not on the meaning of the name. The present US ambassador in China Max Baucus named 马克斯．鲍卡斯 in Chinese is translated directly from English into Chinese. However, most of the Chinese people think it lacks innovation and is not a good Chinese name. Here are more typical examples of foreign names transliterated into Chinese characters:

No.	Name	Transliteration (Pinyin)
1	Anderson	安德森 (ān dé sēn)
2	Andy	安迪(ān dí)
3	David	大卫 (dà wèi)
4	John	约翰 (yuē hàn)
5	Steve	斯蒂夫 (sī dì fū)
6	Lisa	丽莎 (lì shā)
7	Monica	莫尼卡 (mò ní ká)
8	Iris	艾丽丝(ài lì sī)
9	Wendy	温蒂 (wēn dì)
10	Emily	艾米丽 (ài mǐ lì)

Nowadays, foreigners are more likely to pick a Chinese name by combining the transliteration with the free translation in accordance with the rules of Chinese people in picking a name. The elegant Chinese names are very common among the diplomats in Guangzhou. For example, Rebecca Needham, the New Zealand Consul General in Guangzhou, has a Chinese name 陈立恩 (Chen Lien) which is authentic and elegant. Ole Lindholm, the Denmark Consul General in Guangzhou, has a Chinese name 林宏 (Lin Hong) which is Sinicized, simple and close to the pronunciation of the primitive name. However, the Chinese names of consuls in Guangzhou are not always elegant and restrained. Carlos J. Marin, the Chile Consul General, has an aggressive Chinese name 龙啸天 (Long Xiaotian).

1.    Determine your goal. Your basic goal is to pick a very authentic Chinese name and hope that this name can highlight your characteristics.

2.    Firstly, choose the right surname. I strongly recommend you to choose a surname from the book of Hundred Family Surnames. This is very important to ensure that your name will not be regarded as the name of a place or an item by Chinese people.

3.    Choose a brief name. Your full name shall be in two or three Chinese characters. The surname is a Chinese character and the given name may be one or two Chinese characters.

4.    Ask for help. The differences between Chinese and western cultures shall be taken into consideration in picking a proper Chinese name and you can ask for help from a Chinese.

5.    Don't pick the name same with a celebrity. In China, it is very conceited to pick the name same with a celebrity. In ancient times, the civilians could not have the same name with the emperors and this tradition is deep-rooted in Chinese culture.

6.    Try a few more names. The name you pick will be used in your whole life, so take some time to pick a good name.

Following are some of the good examples of Chinese names for foreigners mainly with the meaning of strong will.

No.	English Name	Transliteration	Chinese Name (Pinyin)
1	Kenneth, Keith	肯尼思	铿石 (jiān shí)
2	Ziegler	兹勒	自克 (zì kè)
3	Steven	斯蒂文	自成 (zì chéng)
4	Robert, Robin	罗伯特	若柏 (ruò baǐ)
5	Roger, Rodger	罗杰	若剑 (ruò jiàn)
6	Kent	肯特	恳挚 (kěn zhì)
7	Lincoln, Lionel	林肯	立行 (lì xíng)
8	Galen	盖伦	刚劲 (gang jìn)
9	Joel，John	约翰	坚恒 (jīan hēng)
10	Josh	宙斯	坚毅 (jīan yì)
11	Garth	加寺斯	刚汉 (gang hàn)
12	Charley	查理	持立 (chí lì)
13	Wayne	韦恩	纬恒 (wěi héng)
14	Harley, Henry	享利	恒励 (héng lì)
15	Harry, Hilary	哈瑞	鸿力 (hóng lì)