Naming Guidelines
(1) Three Key Points to Note When Choosing Characters
The shape, sound, and meaning of characters are the three essential components of written language. Therefore, when selecting characters, all aspects must be taken into consideration.
Especially the meaning is crucial, as it conveys the essence of a person, event, or object. Next is the sound because homophones often lead to unexpected jokes and interpretations. For example, “Shihan” sounds like “shihan” (尸寒); “Huiting” sounds like “huìtíng” (会停); “Wuyong” equals “wúyòng” (无用); “Xianyu” equals “xiányú” (鹹魚); …
(2) Naming Should Be Relevant Like Essay Writing
Upon seeing this title, you might find it amusing—what does naming have to do with essay writing? In fact, you may only know part of it and not the whole picture. Allow me to explain slowly so you can understand. For example, when naming a fishing boat, one must understand its purpose: to hope for a bountiful catch upon return; hence naming it “Man Shun An” (滿順安) is relevant. When naming a yacht, one must know that its purpose is for enjoyable travel; thus naming it “Xiaoyao” (逍遙) fits the theme.
When naming an academic tutoring center, one should recognize that its function is to help students excel academically and achieve high scores; therefore naming it “Jie Sheng” (捷升) aligns with this purpose. Similarly, when naming a skills training center, one should be aware that its aim is to enhance skills and achieve top-notch performance; hence calling it “Ji Jia” (技佳) is appropriate. Lastly, when naming a nursing home for the elderly, one should understand that its role is to provide proper care for seniors; thus calling it “Jia Xin” (家馨) fits well.
(3) Techniques for Finding Themes Without Titles
When naming a newborn baby, I would first ask the parents what their hopes are for this child because a child represents an extension of their parents’ aspirations. For friends looking to change their names, I would inquire about the reason for the name change and their expectations for themselves; this makes it easier to find a theme. If I encounter clients who say “anything will do,” I might consider using shortcomings in their birth chart as inspiration for their name—serving as a lifelong motto or reminder can also be a good approach. Additionally, a dream or nostalgia can serve as reference points; for instance, if someone dreams of flying qilin (a mythical creature), they could be named “Xiang Qi” (翔麒); if they feel nostalgic about Taiwan, they could be named “Nian Tai” (念臺).
Excerpt from Naming Arena