We've met them. We try hard to be mature, but sometimes it's impossible. And although we wonder the route by which they named themselves, whether through self-christening or by random word generator, we are none-the-less amused by them. For just as the best stories are true, so also the reasons for some Chinese aliases must also be amazingly true. Why not ask? Besides, said in the right way, 'Winky Wu' is a very nice name.
It can only be guessed when the Chinese of Hong Kong began to chose an English or English-sounding alias, but it may safe to assume it began not long after the British colony was first established. That Chinese names are all-but absent from the 19th century records of internments at the Happy Valley cemetery on Hong Kong island testifies to racist exclusion even in death of those without western names, but may also reflect the fact that Chinese burial rites elsewhere were naturally just as exclusive. There are long and complicated traditions associated with Chinese names, but the lack of evidence my reflect the fact that aliases may have been seen as incidental and dropped from official Chinese or English documentation.
Whatever the reasons, Hong Kong Chinese are inheritors of a tradition that has somehow stuck. Some are given names by their parents, others voluntarily choose, whereas others will be asked to adopt a non-Chinese name fairly early in their school career and stick with it. Thus, some names, such as Cherry and Bonnie, obviously suit sweet babies, but Winnie, Annie and Ryan may also sound similar to Chinese names. And perhaps we'd better not dwell long on a Kinky or a Fanny.
Then there are the self-selectors. It begins with school, no doubt, but ends in all sorts of bizarre adoptions that must have come from desperation, creative deviousness or mere indolence. Thus, Puzzle Yiu will work at 7/11, Bunny Ho might serve you KFC, whilst next door at the bank will be Fonda Chiu. Titan Bang may be your best bet for fixing your air conditioning and at the pub your Tsingtao may be poured by Satan Tang. This is all very well, but some even more bizarre aliases crop up from time to time. 'Precious' may not be too bad, and even 'Barbie' might fail to raise a smile, but how about 'Suddenly', 'Fruit', 'Anvil' 'Potato', and 'Vodka'? Then there are the Old Testament prophets, such as Amos and Moses, brand loyalty such as Zara, Bentley and Rolex, places like Yukon, France and York, and more abstract concepts such as 'Lucky', 'Healthy' and 'Hearty'. Other names are modified from existing names, such as Gorden (Gordon) and Lona (Lorna), and then there's all the Hymens, Willys and Tootsies...
However amusing these names seem, they are used to substitute for the more formal Chinese names that, according to Joyce Man, are only given at formal introductions. So they are not mere distractions, but serve a very useful purpose. And, should some awkward pale-faced Gwailo point out that these are not 'proper names' (whatever that may be), the reply is always that it is their name – an individual nomenclature that gives a unique identity. And surely that's the whole point. You're not going to forget a Winky Wu, Dicky Chiu or Rambo Man in a hurry.
Please feel free to add any weird name delights you've come across in the comments section.
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