Post by NZBC on Mar 24, 2009 20:39:49 GMT 12
www.vpl.ca/ccg/Traditions.html
* Chinese names traditionally consist of three parts: the Clan Name, and two given names. The Clan Name (surname) appears first. Thus Yip Sang, a prominent Chinese-Canadian pioneer, would have been "Mr. Yip", since Yip was his surname.
Given Names
* One of the two given names was a "generation name". The generation name was usually, though not always, shared by all male or all female siblings of the same generation. The other was a personal name. For example, in the Wong family, two brothers share the given name, You. Each also has a unique given name, i.e.
Wong You Wah
Wong You Rong
Their two sisters also share a common given name, Yu, which differs from the common name shared by their brothers, i.e.
Wong Yu Ku
Wong Yu Huan
*While people of British and European ancestry typically have one or two given names, a Chinese man traditionally had several different given names throughout life. These might include a milk (baby) name, school name, marriage name, and perhaps others.
*Chinese women had fewer names, and essentially lost their given names at marriage, after which their names were commonly written as their maiden surnames, followed by Shih, Shee, or See, for example, Wong Shee, meaning "a married woman who came from the Wong clan."
*Given Names were often not well-known and used even within a person's immediate circle and community. Kinship names were often used instead, for example: Grandmother, Third Uncle, Second Sister, etc.
* Chinese names traditionally consist of three parts: the Clan Name, and two given names. The Clan Name (surname) appears first. Thus Yip Sang, a prominent Chinese-Canadian pioneer, would have been "Mr. Yip", since Yip was his surname.
Given Names
* One of the two given names was a "generation name". The generation name was usually, though not always, shared by all male or all female siblings of the same generation. The other was a personal name. For example, in the Wong family, two brothers share the given name, You. Each also has a unique given name, i.e.
Wong You Wah
Wong You Rong
Their two sisters also share a common given name, Yu, which differs from the common name shared by their brothers, i.e.
Wong Yu Ku
Wong Yu Huan
*While people of British and European ancestry typically have one or two given names, a Chinese man traditionally had several different given names throughout life. These might include a milk (baby) name, school name, marriage name, and perhaps others.
*Chinese women had fewer names, and essentially lost their given names at marriage, after which their names were commonly written as their maiden surnames, followed by Shih, Shee, or See, for example, Wong Shee, meaning "a married woman who came from the Wong clan."
*Given Names were often not well-known and used even within a person's immediate circle and community. Kinship names were often used instead, for example: Grandmother, Third Uncle, Second Sister, etc.