Trying to educate myself - is it normal for an Asian man to have two different names?

SexyGreyFox · 17 Dec 2011 at 16:57

There's nothing sinister with this thread.
Nobody has wronged me.
Last week I had a problem tracing two Asian men and eventually found out they also used totally different names.

So my Asian or well learned friends - is this common practise for Asian men?

RomanNose · 17 Dec 2011 at 16:59

An English name and a name in their native language? If that is what you mean, then yes it is common.

Biohazard · 17 Dec 2011 at 16:59

It's not that uncommon for non asian people either.

explicit4u · 17 Dec 2011 at 17:00

RomanNose said:
An English name and a name in their native language? If that is what you mean, then yes it is common.

joxang · 17 Dec 2011 at 17:00

By Asian do you mean 'indian' or 'oriental' or both? I have a Chinese name and an adopted English name. But not sure if you mean that the men you were trying to trace used two different names in their own language

?

Zefan · 17 Dec 2011 at 17:01

As said, yes it is common.

Vonhelmet · 17 Dec 2011 at 17:01

I've come across it. I think it's something to do with Islam, but I'm not really sure. I think it's a bit like Cat Stevens changing his name when he converted to Islam.

Not certain, mind you.

King Damager · 17 Dec 2011 at 17:01

I'm not too sure what you're talking about, however I might have an idea..

I have a number of Asian friends at uni etc... who are born and their birth certificate has their Asian name on it. However, they tend to then use an 'English' name, so their real name could be Huan Yu or something, but they introduce themselves to most of the Western world as 'Nick'. I think it's because a lot of them find that the Western world, frankly can't often pronounce their names.

But yeah, if that's what you're talking about, then it isn't too uncommon

kd

Castiel · 17 Dec 2011 at 17:01

Some with have an anglicanised version of their birth name...other cultures have a new name they choose themselves in a rite of passage....others again choose a new name with conversion to Islam...

Strife212 · 17 Dec 2011 at 17:01

G-MAN2004 · 17 Dec 2011 at 17:02

A few years back at college, I was in a class full of people from various countries in Asia (Vietnam, China, etc.). All of them had chosen British sounding names to use before they came over, but still used their original names when talking to each other.

gavindo · 17 Dec 2011 at 17:03

as others have said, yes it is common i have friends from burma that use different names when in the uk.

Rroff · 17 Dec 2011 at 17:05

Noticed it with Arabs a fair bit - they will have a westernised, but still middle eastern sounding name as well as their original name. Also noticed their original name seems to be something like <first name><father's name><grandfather's name><surname> and they will often split it up differently for different uses for some reason or other.

Zefan · 17 Dec 2011 at 17:06

Vonhelmet said:
I've come across it. I think it's something to do with Islam, but I'm not really sure. I think it's a bit like Cat Stevens changing his name when he converted to Islam.

Not certain, mind you.

I'm pretty sure it's absolutely nothing to do with being Islamic. Definitely not all cases at least!

Biohazard · 17 Dec 2011 at 17:06

Castiel said:
Some with have an anglicanised version of their birth name...other cultures have a new name they choose themselves in a rite of passage....others again choose a new name with conversion to Islam...

Christians do it as well, or some Catholics I should say. I know someone who is, for example, called James John Smith on his birth certificate but goes by John James Smith and is known as that at work friends correspondence etc.

Jay794 · 17 Dec 2011 at 17:07

I was at uni with a chinese guy, his name was Yu Cheng (no idea how to pronounce it) But he got everyone to call him Ray?!?!

Why is that normal, his name should just be Yu (pronounced "you" I suppose)

Funniest thing is, the call centre I work in, the employee database has all the foreign peoples names listen, then in brackets their chosen english name

Someone is even called Kowkob LOL!!! I think her english name is rachel HAHAHAHAHA

Castiel · 17 Dec 2011 at 17:07

Biohazard said:
Christians do it as well, or some Catholics I should say. I know someone who is, for example, called James John Smith on his birth certificate but goes by John James Smith and is known as that at work.

Indeed, I know a few people who simply go by their middle name because they prefer it....my wife for example.

SexyGreyFox · 17 Dec 2011 at 17:08

I should have explained better:

I was after a Mr Razi Siddique and after using every means at my disposal I found out he was also called Mr Mohammed Khan (names totally changed).

Rroff · 17 Dec 2011 at 17:09

Yeah friend of mine goes by her middle name as her first name is the same as her mothers and she hates it.

Biohazard · 17 Dec 2011 at 17:10

Dimple said:
I should have explained better:

I was after a Mr Razi Siddique and after using every means at my disposal I found out he was also called Mr Mohammed Khan (names totally changed).

He's taken the equivilent of a religious covenent I would have thought. It's still possible to trace though, tax records essentially.