What’s Your Name?

Over the past 30 years, I’ve noticed that people from Asian countries like to adopt Western names so they can fit in with the West.  Some say that it’s easier for Westerners to remember or pronounce.  I’ve even heard that they are trying to avoid the stigma of being oriental in a Western business.  Whatever the reason, I find it offensive for many reasons.

There is no doubt that a Westerner is going to remember a Western name easier than an Asian.  It’s a familiar sound to their ear.  However, the names that are picked or given may leave you with an unfavorable remembrance.  For instance, I heard an American comedian recently talking about all the Asian women he had met that had exotic dancer’s names.  While it is true that I have never met any Asians with the names Candy or Cindy, or any of the hundreds of possible names that bring up thoughts of stages in dark clubs, I must say that some names could have been better chosen.

Furthermore, Asians shouldn’t have to worry about if their given names are memorable or easy to pronounce.  It’s not like you pronounce our names or even your new Western name well either.  There is nothing wrong with the way others say your Chinese name.  A long time ago I had a High School teacher with a speech problem.  He couldn’t say the “L” sound well.  It would sound like a “W”, and there was nothing he could do about it.  You could only accept it or snicker like a pre-adolescent boy with a runny nose.

While there also may be some truth that some Western businesses may discriminate against Asians, it is better to challenge those people or industries in public rather than to play the game that maybe they won’t notice if you call yourself Robert or Susan.  Whether or not you want to believe it, they’re going to or already have figured out that you’re Asian no matter what you call yourself.  The West is slowly coming to the realization that the East is going to be as much as or even more powerful than they are.  They will see that they shouldn’t have been snobs and bigots.

Your names are the names that your parents gave you.  They had their reasons for giving you that name, so honor those reasons.  I had an Asian language class while at college, and for one of the classes I had to choose an Asian name.  If I didn’t choose one, a name would have been given to me.  I happen to have been lucky to have a nice three syllable last name that sounds Asian if you break it up right.  So instead of getting a name that is the equivalent to “Bobby” or “Suzy”, I was called by my family name.  It took a little work, and it even turned out a little poetic.  “The Cyprus tree waves once.”

When you choose another name over yours, it’s my opinion that you don’t think that your name is valued.  I think your name is valued, and if you give others your Asian name with pride others will see the value.