Texan politician: Asians should change their names to something easier

[Faeelin]

However, this does raise an interesting question. What's the deal with Asians who come to America changing their first names? It's not just parents changing their kids' names; I have a friend who's here on a work-visa from Korea, and he goes by the name Ryan.

[CountDeMoney]

I could be very wrong here but I think it's a mainland China thing.

In the case of the people I knew it was a Taiwanese thing.

Most of the Japanese I've known, at least the 2nd gen ones, usually had English names.  The younger ones I come across, not so much anymore.

[FunkMonk]

Oh sweet jesus 

Well, once upon a time, Asians WANTED to become more assimilated, dropping their traditional names for English.
But now, with all the PC-pride-in-your-tribe bullshit, it's not as common anymore.

Interesting. I didn't know that.

[jimmy olsen]

Well, once upon a time, Asians WANTED to become more assimilated, dropping their traditional names for English.
But now, with all the PC-pride-in-your-tribe bullshit, it's not as common anymore.

Do they seriously not do that anymore?  Pity I found it charming they would name themselves 'Sam' and 'Mary'.  But they would still keep their old last names.

They still do, almost all the Asian kids at the school I'm teaching at all have traditional English first names, it's the black students and some of the Hispanic students that have some bizzare first names.

[Valmy]

However, this does raise an interesting question. What's the deal with Asians who come to America changing their first names? It's not just parents changing their kids' names; I have a friend who's here on a work-visa from Korea, and he goes by the name Ryan.

Yeah it would be weird if I worked in Korea and told everybody to call me Yi.  Is that some sort of Asian cultural thing?  Do Chinese people take a Japanese name if they move to Japan?

[Valmy]

Most of the Japanese I've known, at least the 2nd gen ones, usually had English names.  The younger ones I come across, not so much anymore.

I blame Anime.  It made having a Japanese name cool.

[DontSayBanana]

Most of the Japanese I've known, at least the 2nd gen ones, usually had English names.  The younger ones I come across, not so much anymore.

Fair point. The nisei tended to be pretty sensitive with regard to the cultural gap.

As far as unpronounceable names, my biggest problems are with "urban" names, usually black inner-city types or the even larger group who like to pretend they're black inner-city types. People born and raised in the US, born of people born and raised in the US, with English as the primary (often only) language in the household for a few generations, and yet names like Shequanah and Shaniquah (my personal favorite is Shithéad, which always causes embarrassment for the poor kid- yet I've seen it 4 times already) make me wonder how you can politely ask for a pronunciation guide.

[jimmy olsen]

Most of the Japanese I've known, at least the 2nd gen ones, usually had English names.  The younger ones I come across, not so much anymore.

I blame Anime.  It made having a Japanese name cool.

My anecdote is ignored.

[garbon]

White people are ridiculous, news at 11.

[DontSayBanana]

People are ridiculous, news at 11.

Fixed.

[Syt]

Most of the Japanese I've known, at least the 2nd gen ones, usually had English names.  The younger ones I come across, not so much anymore.

Fair point. The nisei tended to be pretty sensitive with regard to the cultural gap.

As far as unpronounceable names, my biggest problems are with "urban" names, usually black inner-city types or the even larger group who like to pretend they're black inner-city types. People born and raised in the US, born of people born and raised in the US, with English as the primary (often only) language in the household for a few generations, and yet names like Shequanah and Shaniquah (my personal favorite is Shithéad, which always causes embarrassment for the poor kid- yet I've seen it 4 times already) make me wonder how you can politely ask for a pronunciation guide.

http://www.babynames.org.uk/african-american-baby-names.htm
Ja'Quaelah
Ta-Ja'e
Keyair
J'vonte'

[DontSayBanana]

http://www.babynames.org.uk/african-american-baby-names.htm
Ja'Quaelah
Ta-Ja'e
Keyair
J'vonte'

Even living 40 minutes from Camden, and 90 minutes from Newark, I still had to put some thought into how to pronounce those names.

BTW, you want to hear something really funny? Deaf African-Americans mispronouncing those names, because they've never heard them verbalized. The thought of faux pas like that makes me really miss my job.

[DisturbedPervert]

They still do, almost all the Asian kids at the school I'm teaching at all have traditional English first names, it's the black students and some of the Hispanic students that have some bizzare first names.

Yeah, most Asian Americans I've met have old style American names, rather than misspellings of normal names or stuff like Dakota.  Aside from a few from commie countries, whose parents picked the wrong side, and named them Boris.

[Syt]

Even living 40 minutes from Camden, and 90 minutes from Newark, I still had to put some thought into how to pronounce those names.

To me they look like something from a third rate fantasy story.

[Admiral Yi]

To me they look like something from a third rate fantasy story.

I was thinking sci fi (syfy?) alien races.