Site Search:
 
Get TEFL Certified & Start Your Adventure Today!
Teach English Abroad and Get Paid to see the World!
Job Discussion Forums Forum Index Job Discussion Forums
"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Students and Teachers from Around the World!"
 
 FAQFAQ   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   UsergroupsUsergroups   RegisterRegister 
 ProfileProfile   Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages   Log inLog in 

How would I go down w/a Japanese name?
Goto page Previous  1, 2, 3
 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Job Discussion Forums Forum Index -> Japan
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
Zzonkmiles



Joined: 05 Apr 2003
Posts: 309

PostPosted: Wed Oct 05, 2005 3:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

[quote="Henry_Cowell"]Why don't you all just accept the fact that fox WANTS a Japanese name? So give him one. Please suggest some Japanese names that fit his character and personality.

[b]Examples[/b]
ばか者
知識がない[/quote]


Tee hee! Laughing

天然 and 矛盾 also come to mind.

Some names that work well in both Japanese and English that I can think of include:

Girls:

Naomi
Eri/Erika
Emi
Nana
Miki
Aya
Mari/Marie
Kimi (Kim)
Megumi (Meg)

Boys:

Ken/Kenichi/Kenji/Kentaro/Kensuke
???????

At the risk of taking this thread in a new direction, I'll touch upon Japanese names and how they might come across back in your home country.

If you're concerned about bringing your biracial children back to your home country, you might want to avoid these names in order to reduce teasing from other children: Junko (junk), Saiko (obviously), anything with Nobu (knob), anything with Tomo (homo), anything with Fumi or Rumi (for some reason, these phonemes together come across as clownish to a lot of people), Shinobu (video game character), names ending with -ho ("Miho," for example, will probably have a rough time in junior high and high school), or any name that is unusually difficult to pronounce (Yasutsugu or Ryosuke, for example). Any other examples?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
maya.the.bee



Joined: 23 Sep 2005
Posts: 118
Location: Stgo

PostPosted: Wed Oct 05, 2005 3:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I can definitely relate to the strange name situation. Throughout school, my teachers would go through the roster reading first names and then "uh... miss t___?" I'm not sure if it was better that they didn't try saying my name or if they tried & completely butchered it. I've even been called maaco (as in "uh oh, better get...").
As for giving your children ethnic names, I say go for it. My name is part of my story and I couldn't imagine being a Jessica.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
fox1



Joined: 22 Feb 2005
Posts: 268

PostPosted: Wed Oct 05, 2005 4:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

freddie's friend daniel wrote:
Quote:
why is it strange. It's not strange in China, in Italy, in France..


You think it isn't strange to run around Italy calling yourself "Adamo"?? Italians would think you were taking the p**s.


Lynn,
I liked your list of "international names" but would you really consider calling your kid "Mimi" in Japan? I suppose you could have Hana too. Number three could be Nodo maybe for a boy Laughing


yo freddie.

ahhhhhhh no, i don't think it's strange to introduce yourself in Italy as Christiano, if your name is Christian.

(by the way.... this is not the only kind of name-changing that works... like I say, in China it works fine).

It'd be normal to intro yourself to friends and people as Christiano
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Lynn



Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 696
Location: in between

PostPosted: Wed Oct 05, 2005 6:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Zzonkmiles wrote:
Henry_Cowell wrote:
Why don't you all just accept the fact that fox WANTS a Japanese name? So give him one. Please suggest some Japanese names that fit his character and personality.

Examples
ばか者
知識がない



Tee hee! Laughing

天然 and 矛盾 also come to mind.

Some names that work well in both Japanese and English that I can think of include:

Girls:

Naomi
Eri/Erika
Emi
Nana
Miki
Aya
Mari/Marie
Kimi (Kim)
Megumi (Meg)

Boys:

Ken/Kenichi/Kenji/Kentaro/Kensuke
???????

At the risk of taking this thread in a new direction, I'll touch upon Japanese names and how they might come across back in your home country.

If you're concerned about bringing your biracial children back to your home country, you might want to avoid these names in order to reduce teasing from other children: Junko (junk), Saiko (obviously), anything with Nobu (knob), anything with Tomo (homo), anything with Fumi or Rumi (for some reason, these phonemes together come across as clownish to a lot of people), Shinobu (video game character), names ending with -ho ("Miho," for example, will probably have a rough time in junior high and high school), or any name that is unusually difficult to pronounce (Yasutsugu or Ryosuke, for example). Any other examples?


Great examples. I also love the name Naomi. (pronounced Japanese way).

Yuki is such a cute name, but might sound like "yucky" . Yumi is also cute. but "Yummy" not so much.

I'd have to disagree with "Tomo" though. And my sister in law's nickname is Mimi-chan. (not ear) Very Happy
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
lajzar



Joined: 09 Feb 2003
Posts: 647
Location: Saitama-ken, Japan

PostPosted: Wed Oct 05, 2005 10:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

You forgot to mention... never name your daughters "Mami", unless you want your future sons-in-law to have issues.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
stretch



Joined: 28 Jun 2004
Posts: 59

PostPosted: Wed Oct 05, 2005 10:49 am    Post subject: names Reply with quote

on that topic...we named our daughter Miya. Utsukishi for Mi and the ya is the same ya in Yakyu. (Although a lot of people first read it as Mino)
Here in Canada now, everyone can see and read Miya no problem as it is definetely a westernized name spelt different.
We were at a loss for a good boys name (with the exception of Ken/Gen - already his uncle) so we put his Japanese name in the middle.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Brooks



Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Posts: 1369
Location: Sagamihara

PostPosted: Wed Oct 05, 2005 11:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Go, Yu, and Mi.

Leo is a good name for boys.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Job Discussion Forums Forum Index -> Japan All times are GMT
Goto page Previous  1, 2, 3
Page 3 of 3

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum


This page is maintained by the one and only Dave Sperling.
Contact Dave's ESL Cafe
Copyright © 2018 Dave Sperling. All Rights Reserved.

Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2002 phpBB Group

Teaching Jobs in China
Teaching Jobs in China