Naming my Babies – A Meme
Once we found out the baby’s gender, immediately Hubby told me he’s going to name her Jia Xin. In Chinese, ‘Xin’ means a role model or someone who is loved by all. If you were to translate both the name to English, it means…. INCREASE SALARY! Next, come to her name to be spelled out. Her middle name took after one of my niece, Kharlene. And I adore my classmate (who is also my best friend back then) named ‘Syn’. To make it a bit special, I combine them and it became Kharsyn.
When my Gynae told us it’s a boy, you can see us beaming in pride, smiling from ear to ear. Again, I leave the decision to Hubby as I’m not good with Mandarin kind of things. He wanted his boy to be a macho man and not the sissy type so he makes sure the name must be like Arnold Schwarzenegger. I don’t quite like how it sounded in Mandarin – Jia Zhen. “Zhen” is a POLITICIAN or government (zhen fu). And there I fancifully thought of ‘Carl’ as in Carlsberg (*hic) and again I adore the name Eugene. That is how I get Carlgene.
I went thru lots of stress during my 3rd pregnancy. A very uneventful pregnancy. Let’s not touch on that. And I want her to be a ‘kwai ler’ (HAPPY) child. At that time, the name Charlotte (pronounced as Shar-lert) was frequently mentioned in the papers and internet. That is how I get Kharlette (pronounced as Car-lert). At home, we called her ler-ler as in happy-happy. She is indeed a babbly happy child.
The busybody Eastcoastlife tagged me on this. My turn now to be busybody. I shall tag…
I have no idea who to tag as most of you has been tagged! Glad to say, the tag ends here.
To complete the answer to my quiz here – this is ME! I know I looks like a boy 🙁 but when 58% of you guess that is was my Hubby, that makes me wanna cry! Want to know what is the meaning of my name? My last name is “Zhang”. It’s a boy name 😐 . I can’t blame my parents as they are longing for a baby boy and hence, decided to gave me a boy’s name in hope their next child will be a boy just to dissapoint them again and again. During my childhood days, I have some chinese educated friends sarcastically telling me my name is meant for boys. Now I can tell them my name is on par with Zhang Ziyi. *ngek, ngek, ngek
So, does any of my children resemble me when I was a baby, jek?
The first correct answer was given by Lilian. Yes, you are right! Well done, Sweetie 😉 . Thanks for playing the guessing game folks. xoxo
eastcoastlife said,
May 22, 2007 @ 9:33 am
hahahaha…. thanks for satisfying my curiousity.
Hey, that was a grand effort – naming your bundles of joy! I regret not putting in more effort thinking of a good name for my son. 🙁
You REALLY looked like a boy in the last photo. Luckily you look womanly now. hehehe….
The Queen says: Does Jaymes have a chinese name? I’m sure he does and there’s always something meaningful behind it. Have you read the story of ‘Ugly Duckling’? That’s me 😉
yenjai.net said,
May 22, 2007 @ 9:39 am
All your kids, start their name with C or K. (pronounced the same)
Looks like you like it that way ^-^
The Queen says:Â You like or not, jek? ^-^
Giddy Tiger said,
May 22, 2007 @ 11:15 am
That was a good post- I enjoyed reading it, and in the process I learnt a little more about you! But so sad I got none of it right 🙁
eve said,
May 22, 2007 @ 11:55 am
wah lau…so keng one..cham…kena tagged tim…I better go n think of the meaning now..
jonzz said,
May 22, 2007 @ 12:03 pm
LOL, good comeback on the ‘Zhang Ziyi’ thingy.
Julie said,
May 22, 2007 @ 1:33 pm
Sis, if only you are a boy…then i can have a girl’s name.
*Queen fallen off chair and started rolling on floor laughing out loud!*Â
LB said,
May 22, 2007 @ 1:55 pm
I think you looked cute when you were a baby!
*picks up undies from seashore and recycles it*
Bernard said,
May 22, 2007 @ 3:56 pm
Weiii… thanks for answering one of the questions at the back of my mind whenever I see the kids’ names on the sidebar. Hehe.
Uncle kaypo.
first family portrait said,
May 22, 2007 @ 5:10 pm
I was once a teacher in a Chinese School here in our place but I really find it hard to learn Chinese and Mandarin. Even after getting a Chinese-English dictionary and installing a translator in my electronic diary, I still don’t have the patience for learning it.
Anyway, do you have any idea what Da Tung means? In our place it means money but I found in some internet page that it means melody. I think you’re the most reliable person to ask this. This is a name that I want to suggest to my close friend who married a Chinese guy.
The Queen says: (å¤§åŒ pinyin:da tong), meaning “equality for all, whether rich or poor, regardless of race, creed, and religion”. Depending also how you write them in Chinese. In Mandarin, we have 4 monotone. It all relies on how you read them in pinyin. The first that Da Tung (with high monotone) came to my mind is ‘big hole’ or with a low monotone means ‘big bucket’. lol. See…. learning mandarin is not easy. lol.
Lil said,
May 22, 2007 @ 7:43 pm
yay! i got it right!!! 😀
wuching said,
May 22, 2007 @ 7:47 pm
oh..should’ve known, that pic of urs looks older than the older ones…duh! me so stewpig!
wuching said,
May 22, 2007 @ 7:48 pm
i mean the other ones, not the older ones…there i go again!
jazzmint said,
May 22, 2007 @ 9:06 pm
i like their names..all very spcial 😉
king's wife said,
May 22, 2007 @ 9:34 pm
Unique names.
Your son looks like your baby pic.
sila said,
May 23, 2007 @ 12:17 am
yayy i guessed right! i wasn’t even copying lil! (promise!)
Angeleyes said,
May 23, 2007 @ 1:06 am
Very unique wor the way you named your kiddos.
Agreed with the rest that your boy look more like you! 😛
Simple American said,
May 23, 2007 @ 2:14 am
None of your babies have your evil little grin. muahahahahaha
Though all the babies are cute, even you. Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay back then.
Allan said,
May 23, 2007 @ 2:21 pm
Can see that u like kharlene name very much,so that your 3 kiddo name so all start with khar or carl(pronouce almost the same) anyway well done!
The Queen says: Did I say I like her name? I just think that they are cousins and they should at least have something in common (as in names). Â
cp1 said,
May 23, 2007 @ 2:55 pm
weee this tag is really FUN!!! interesting name process you have there:)
Eden said,
May 23, 2007 @ 5:00 pm
Ah.. Now only I know the meaning of your kid’s names.
Yeah I can feel you are not doing so well on your 3rd pregnancy some more.. Ummh Ummh it is not what you have expected.
Hey I do love my name although it is a boy’s name bec I look so sweet and gentle and ‘Shi Wen’. But at the end, everyone like me because I am so sporting and nice. Can play and can laugh. So I am not the shi wen type.
Conculsion, balance up 😀 😀
may said,
May 24, 2007 @ 9:55 pm
very unique names for your kids! I would never have been so creative and come up with names like those. and love how you framed those photos like old stamps!