Job Discussion Forums

[igorG]

With a mainlander in China, I just had a discussion about locals from Hong Kong. We disagreed that some locals in Hong Kong have their English (first) names only. When I said the Hong Kong ID cards allowed English names, the mainlander claimed the ID cards in Hong Kong had one side in English and one in Chinese, which would have the ID card owner have to have a Chinese name. I doubted her but she followed that she had a few friends living in Hong Kong. Do you know what the current Hong Kong ID cards are like? On mainland, a local has to have a Chinese name to get an ID card.

[kowlooner]

Your mainland friend is wrong about the two sides bit. One side is personal details, and the other a generic message about immigration status. You can have English name only, Chinese name only, or both. I can't imagine any Chinese having their English name only on the ID card, though. Birth certificates and all. That help?

[igorG]

Birth certs on mainland come with an option of only English names now. Or, at least in some locations. That has actually become an issue for ID cards on mainland. There hasbeen some litigation and the ones with only English names have lost their rights to ID cards unless they'd translate their names.

I have always thought that in Hong Kong some people held only English (first) names. It's so common for them to present themselves with their English names that're followed by the Chinese family names and that either formally or informally.

[Serious_Fun]

[igorG]

Thank you for your seriously informative more than 30 words response. And, I appreciate the link too.

To everyone, I appologize I have not spent the time searching for answers to my question.

Enjoy your mooncakes and the upcoming holidays of mainlanders that will most likely be celebrated in Hong Kong as well.