Alice Who? Why I No Longer Go by My English Name

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Names are interesting things. We’re each given one at birth. They’re personalized, yet reflect entire cultures and histories. They’re embodiments of our parents’ hopes and aspirations. But what if all this is altered, or even discarded? That’s what many Chinese students experience as they enter the Western world.

Westernising one’s name is extremely common in China. In local schools, most students are randomly assigned a Western name by their English teacher. They’re often very simple, common names to assist with learning a new language. The same occurs for Chinese classes in foreign countries. Occasionally, parents also base their child’s Chinese name off a Western name, merging the two cultures together.

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When these kids transfer to international schools or move abroad, they tend to stick with their Western names, only using their Chinese names on school applications, certificates, or other important documents. In international schools, the changing or modifying of one’s English name is rather popular. Off the top of my head, I can count at least five friends who’ve done so. Some decided their English name was too childish, some realized it had a negative connotation, and others wanted a fresh start in a new academic year or at a new school.

As a child, I lived in London for several years. Adopting a Western name hadn’t crossed my family’s mind until months after we moved. We realized that my name “Qinglan” is especially difficult for foreigners to pronounce in contrast to other Chinese names, and teachers struggled on a daily basis. Hence, my parents temporarily named me “Alice”, because England felt like a Wonderland to us.

After moving to Israel three years ago, I initially went with “Alice”, which to my surprise, confused a lot of people. They mentioned it wasn’t a name that matched my looks and asked for my “real” name. This was a situation I never encountered in China. I told them “Qinglan” and they were persistent in nailing the pronunciation. Most times, foreigners were fascinated by the meaning behind my name. One Israeli friend in particular refused to call me anything other than my Chinese name, claiming it’s my real identity and I shouldn’t try to hide it. At first, it felt strange and uncomfortable, but over time, I came to realize he was right.

Adopting a Western name comes with a list of pros. Teachers and peers can easily pronounce and spell it, the tiresome process of correcting others can be avoided, and you won’t feel offended when it’s severely mispronounced or misspelled. There have been multiple cases of mocking Asian names for resembling English curse words or the stereotypical “ching chang chong” sounds, which happened with me due to the “Qing” in my name. This can all be conveniently dodged by simply westernizing one’s name.

On the other hand, there’s a lengthy cons list too. In international schools all across the world, it tends to mainly be Chinese students who westernize their names. Other ethnicities generally stick with their birth names no matter how complex or mockable they are. At most, they might shorten or simplify it, but never remove it. In this case, why must we be the ones to change ourselves? I’ve witnessed classmates at my international school in Beijing come to this conclusion and abolish their Western names, going by their Chinese names instead. Second, Chinese students who embark on journeys through Western environments typically end up pursuing an English-speaking career and living a relatively westernized life. Unfortunately, many subconsciously abandon their culture and forget their roots. Sticking to their traditional Chinese names serves as the ultimate reminder of who they are, where they came from, and why their ethnicity is something to be proud of.

Names are indeed interesting things. On the surface, they’re just a few syllables for addressing someone, but in the eyes of countless Chinese students, they’re a major identity crisis. So choose wisely and look for a healthy balance between your heritage and the Western world.

Qinglan Du is a 16-year-old student from Beijing City International School. She’s originally from Beijing but is currently living in Jerusalem with her mother due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Aside from her passion for writing, she enjoys singing, spending time with friends and family, and experiencing new cultures.

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Photos: Unsplash, Qinglan Du

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