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Tszming Wong Posted 14 years ago
Vocabulary
an embarrasing English nickname problem
Hi everyone =] I am from Hong Kong and my name is Tszming Wong (pronounced as Tsiming). In Hong Kong, it is a common practice for people to pick their English nicknames and introduce themselves with their English nicknames to their HK and foreign friends.
When I enter a university for my undergraduate degree, I chose Wilson to be my English name. My undergraduate classmates all know me by Wilson.
However, the problem comes. When I went to the US for internship and the UK for exchange studies a few years ago, I found out that Wilson is always a surname in the US, the UK and the English world, and I felt that my foreign friends felt a little strange to call me Wilson, especially if my foreign friend's surname is Wilson.
Now I am working full time in the HK government and my colleagues know my by Wilson and I know me colleagues by their English names according to HK tradition. I am going to start my part-time master degree and to meet new local and foreign friends, and I don't want my English name to embarrass me. However, all my facebooks, email address, my colleagues in workplace and my social networks know me by Wilson. Do u have any suggestions for my dilemma?
When I enter a university for my undergraduate degree, I chose Wilson to be my English name. My undergraduate classmates all know me by Wilson.
However, the problem comes. When I went to the US for internship and the UK for exchange studies a few years ago, I found out that Wilson is always a surname in the US, the UK and the English world, and I felt that my foreign friends felt a little strange to call me Wilson, especially if my foreign friend's surname is Wilson.
Now I am working full time in the HK government and my colleagues know my by Wilson and I know me colleagues by their English names according to HK tradition. I am going to start my part-time master degree and to meet new local and foreign friends, and I don't want my English name to embarrass me. However, all my facebooks, email address, my colleagues in workplace and my social networks know me by Wilson. Do u have any suggestions for my dilemma?
Top answer
Many first names are also last names. I think you are making too much of it, though I agree that it is unfortunate that among such first names "Wilson" is more usually than most a last name. However, a recent mayor of Philadelphia was named Wilson Goode, and there is a famous singer Wilson Pickett.
- Many first names are also last names.
- I think you are making too much of it, though I agree that it is unfortunate that among such first names "Wilson" is more usually than most a last name.
- However, a recent mayor of Philadelphia was named Wilson Goode, and there is a famous singer Wilson Pickett.
- People will naturally think at first that you are going by your last name, and you will just have to correct them.
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2 Answers
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Many first names are also last names. I think you are making too much of it, though I agree that it is unfortunate that among such first names "Wilson" is more usually than most a last name. However, a recent mayor of Philadelphia was named Wilson Goode, and there is a famous singer Wilson Pickett. People will naturally think at first that you are going by your last name, and you will just have to
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I agree. A lot of "last" names are used as given names. Davis, Carter, Jackson ( a very common name for boys in the US), Parker, Blake, Cooper (famous football brothers Petyon and Eli Manning have a brother named Cooper) ... the list goes on and on. There is nothing embarrassing about your chosen name.
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