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Couple Tries to Name Baby '@'

AP
Posted: 2007-08-16 13:30:44
Filed Under: World News
BEIJING (Aug. 16) - A Chinese couple seeking a distinctive and modern name for their child chose the commonly used Internet 'at' symbol, much to the consternation of Chinese officials.

The unidentified couple and the attempted naming were cited Thursday by a Chinese government official as an example of bizarre names creeping into the Chinese language.

The father "said 'the whole world uses it to write e-mails and translated into Chinese it means 'love him,'"' Li Yuming, the vice director of the State Language Commission, said at a news conference.

The symbol pronounced in English as 'at' sounds like the Chinese phrase "love him."

Written Chinese does not use an alphabet but is comprised of characters, sometimes making it difficult to develop new words for new or foreign things and ideas.

In their quest for a different name, Li said that the parents of baby '@' were not alone. As of last year, only 129 surnames accounted for 87 percent of all surnames in China, Li said, suggesting that the uniformity drove people to find more individual given names.

"There was even a 'Zhao-A,' a 'King Osrina' and other extremely individualistic names," Li said, according to a transcript of the news conference posted on the government's main web site, www.gov.cn.

Li did not say whether police, who are the arbiters of names because they issue identity cards, rejected baby '@' and the others. But nationwide last year there were 60 million people's names that used "unfamiliar characters," Li said.

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.
2007-08-16 09:31:40
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Recent Comments

1 - 10 of 1665
1665 comments

monsterjam327 05:15:53 PM Aug 31 2007

This is nuts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

rabcomlink 04:56:40 PM Aug 19 2007

The entire article is absolutely ridiculous. What about HO CHI Hiliary............

izsygrandpa 12:53:28 AM Aug 19 2007

I don't know why people in this country are concerned about this - after all, parents and child live in Communist China --- the government will tell them what to name their kid! But, if the government let them do whatever they wanted, then still there wouldn't be any concern, like teasing by other kids ... that only happens in our 'wonderful' country!

MrDickieWeed 03:53:36 AM Aug 18 2007

I recently returned from a company trip to China, and encountered several surprisingly "different" names there such as Ballicker, Turdburglar, Dipshit (love that one), Slamm, Art For Art's Sake, and Hammerhead....our interpreter's name was Buttugly, and he had a newborn named Gook....I don't know what all the fuss is about frankly....

ascataloflorien 12:05:38 AM Aug 18 2007

its the parents right to name their children what ever they wish just as it is the child's right once the reach adulthood to change said name

vsconne 11:47:00 PM Aug 17 2007

poor kid

happiesrainbows 09:29:10 PM Aug 17 2007

Kids with unique names risk getting taunted and mocked and harrassed at school by the other children. So don't name your kid Barney or something real dumb like for a boy Rosey or for a girl Danny.

happiesrainbows 09:29:08 PM Aug 17 2007

Kids with unique names risk getting taunted and mocked and harrassed at school by the other children. So don't name your kid Barney or something real dumb like for a boy Rosey or for a girl Danny.

RoquePeacemaker 08:53:18 PM Aug 17 2007

Have the parents consider what this child will go through when he goes to school?

mitzikitsy 07:55:11 PM Aug 17 2007

At least it's easy to spell and easy to pronounce.

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