Waiters name tag was, Iron
7/11 name tag was Doreamon.
[quote=“Robotea”]
7/11 name tag was Doreamon.[/quote]
I have a friend called Doraemon. We named him that because he loved the show. He hated the name, but it ended up becoming his de facto English name.
A lot of the odd English names adults have here come from nicknames that stuck.
[quote=“ceevee369”]Names of friends ( they selected their names themselves):
Bizarre ? No.
Creative ? Don’t think too much
- Rambo (1.55 cm tall)
- Shumacher ( drives a scooter)
- Cash (…gambled, mahjong)
- Winnie (mmmm… No comment)
- SIR
Seriously ?[/quote]
These are bloody brilliant. Sheer genius. I’m just looking forward to the day when Taiwanese people discover the concept of middle names. Spin might then become Spin Cycle or Spin Doctor, Shabu will be able to call himself Shabu Shabu, and perhaps Winnie will be a hyphenated Pooh. And yea, there will be much rejoicing in the land, and foreigners will take the piss mercilessly.
I justify this childish behaviour with the thought that (apparently) my real name sounds a bit daft to Chinese ears, and people no doubt have a good giggle about it after I’ve left the room.
What’s wrong with Winnie? Is it because a male or what.
Bit old-fashioned, but a fairly normal name for a female in the UK.
Bmw (one of my 7-11 cashiers today)
A few unusual local English names I’ve encountered over the years:
Mask
Spectrum
Book
Hawk
Feeling
Pork
Pranton
Meow
Dink
There must be loads more that I can’t think of right now. I’ve also found quite a lot of people here like to choose less common English names like Winston, Caleb, and Clarence, as well as European or Latin names, like Giovanni, Gino, Heidi, and so on. It’s one of the little fun things about living in Taiwan, along with funny menu translations and signs and instructions.
Middle-aged lady with ‘Dragon’ on her name-tag yesterday.
I like ‘Pork’. Is it supposed to be a noun or a verb, I wonder?
[quote=“finley”]Middle-aged lady with ‘Dragon’ on her name-tag yesterday.
I like ‘Pork’. Is it supposed to be a noun or a verb, I wonder?[/quote]
Well, I had a new female student in my weekend class called Bedroll. There was another one in the same class calling herself manrol.
[quote=“Walis”]A few unusual local English names I’ve encountered over the years:
Mask
Spectrum
Book
Hawk
Feeling
Pork
Pranton
Meow
Dink
There must be loads more that I can’t think of right now. I’ve also found quite a lot of people here like to choose less common English names like Winston, Caleb, and Clarence, as well as European or Latin names, like Giovanni, Gino, Heidi, and so on. It’s one of the little fun things about living in Taiwan, along with funny menu translations and signs and instructions.[/quote]
I recently had a student (18 years old) who named herself Happy Frog! Sheesh! lol
[quote=“El Toro”][quote=“Walis”]A few unusual local English names I’ve encountered over the years:
Mask
Spectrum
Book
Hawk
Feeling
Pork
Pranton
Meow
Dink
There must be loads more that I can’t think of right now. I’ve also found quite a lot of people here like to choose less common English names like Winston, Caleb, and Clarence, as well as European or Latin names, like Giovanni, Gino, Heidi, and so on. It’s one of the little fun things about living in Taiwan, along with funny menu translations and signs and instructions.[/quote]
I recently had a student (18 years old) who named herself Happy Frog! Sheesh! lol[/quote]
Check out IT industry, where you can find all sorts of ridiculous English names…
- Standly (I’m pretty sure he meant Stanley)
- King (fortunately his surname is not Kong)
- Juicy (“he” is 45yrd)
- Solo
- Only (Does he knows Solo?)
- Wisdom
- Poken (I guess he meant Poker)
- Yoyo
- Paddy
- Yvon (“he” is 38yrd)
- Friend (Fred?)
[quote=“ac_dropout”]
I also find many Japanese surnames to be amusing when read in Chinese characters. Middle Rice patty, Cave, Dry river bed.
But that’s just me.[/quote]
Japanese friend told me that few hundred years ago, Japanese had no last names. One day, emperor decided everyone should have a last name. So, people picked up last names according to where they were, what they do, etc.
Honda = My (rice) field
Toyota = rich (rice) field
General Yamamoto = Mountain foot en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isoroku_Yamamoto
there are more: Grave side, Big tree, Big field (my friend’s name), etc.
I was a TA for a Chinese Department few decades ago while pursuing my CS degree. ‘Black September’ was a well known terrorist group then who massacred Isarali Olympic team in Munich years earlier. Somehow that name got stuck in my head. One day, I was giving back the Chinese 101 tests to the students. When I called out the name ‘April Justice’, I stumbled and asked a student close to me. Is this a real name?
I thought someone made a political statement. This was in a liberal college during the '80s.
A girl next to him, stood up, stormed out of the classroom. I never saw her again.
I believe the same is also true of the Dutch.
[quote=“superking”][quote=“fh2000”]
Japanese friend told me that few hundred years ago, Japanese had no last names. One day, emperor decided everyone should have a last name. So, people picked up last names according to where they were, what they do, etc.
[/quote]
I believe the same is also true of the Dutch.[/quote]
And of Indians…to an extent.
Ok, now help me here, I’m about to register my name this week in the TECO office here in Texas and my wife gave me this name since we were dating 5 years ago and most people in here family call me that and here it is
葛福曼 or gé fú màn
She said is a fine name but I want to hear others opinion, will I be teased by the locals in Taiwan? I’m Mexican btw, does it have any sort of connotations?
It’s not just here. Jay-Z named his daughter Blue Ivy. Check out some of the crazy names that are popular in the states.
http://deadspin.com/5924827/american-baby-names-are-somehow-getting-even-worse
Zebulon? Sharpay? Makes names like Apple, Bobo and Yoyo seem not so bizarre.
I don’t know what possessed Cenk Uygur and his (yes, Taiwanese!) wife to name their son Prometheus Maximus. At least they call him Max for short.
Eudora (girl)
Doha (girl)
Iven (pronounced Ivan - 20 something young woman)
Ariel (Yes, as in The Little Mermaid - a 30 year old guy)
[quote=“bismarck”]
Ariel (Yes, as in The Little Mermaid - a 30 year old guy)[/quote]
The Little Mermaid has got to be better than Ariel Sharon.