All parents have experienced the excitement and anxiety of naming their newborn child. In every culture throughout the world, there is a general belief that names have an influence on the child’s life, either for better or for worse.
Most parents choose names by the following principles:
- Meaning
- Special significance
- Family connection
- Sound
Chinese parents also consider these things when naming their baby boy or girl. But Chinese parents also have to consider the qualities of the characters which make up the name.
Stroke Count for Chinese Names
Most Chinese names are made up of three characters. The first character is the family name, and the last two characters are the given name. There are exceptions to this general rule – some family names are made up of two characters, and sometimes the given name is just one character.
Chinese characters can be classified by the number of strokes required to draw them. The character 一, for example, has one stroke, but the character 義 has 13 strokes. Both these characters, by the way, are pronounced yi.
The number of strokes determines whether a character is yin (even number of strokes) or yang (odd number of strokes). Chinese names should have a balance of yin and yang.
Elements and Chinese Names
In addition to stoke counts, each Chinese character is associated with one of the five elements: fire, earth, water, wood, and gold. The Chinese name for a baby boy or girl must have a harmonious combination of elements.
Genealogy and Chinese Names
Sometimes Chinese names incorporate a genealogical marker. In this case, all family members of the same generation will have the same middle name.
Chinese Baby Names for Boys
Chinese names for girls and boys usually have gender qualities such as beauty and gentleness for girls, and strength and glory for boys.
Here are a few examples of Chinese names for boys:
| Pinyin | Traditional Characters | Simplified Characters |
| Ān Róng | 安榮 | 安荣 |
| Ān Dū | 安督 | 安督 |
| Yǎ Dé | 雅德 | 雅德 |
| Jié Lǐ | 杰禮 | 杰礼 |
| Hàn Róng | 翰榮 | 翰荣 |
| Xiū Bó | 修博 | 修博 |
| Jiàn Yì | 健義 | 健义 |
| Zhì Míng | 志明 | 志明 |
| Jūn Yí | 君怡 | 君怡 |
| Wěi Xīn | 偉新 | 伟新 |
