As
a teacher, helping foreign students choose their names can be both challenging and rewarding. On one hand, it is important to ensure that their names sound appropriate in English and are easy to pronounce. On the other hand, it is also important to respect their cultural traditions and preferences. One of my students from China wanted to adopt an English name, but she was unsure of what to choose. We looked at a list of popular English names and found one that she liked – Lucy. However, we also talked about the meaning of her Chinese name and how she could incorporate it into her English name. In the end, she decided to go with Lucy Jing, with Jing being her Chinese name. Another student from Japan had already chosen an English name, but it was difficult for her classmates to pronounce. She loved the name Sakura, which means cherry blossom in Japanese. We decided to add an English middle name, and settled on Sakura Marie. This helped her classmates to pronounce her name correctly and also allowed her to keep her Japanese cultural identity. Helping foreign students choose their names is about finding a balance between cultural sensitivity and practicality. It is important for us to respect their identity and honoring their traditions while also helping them to integrate into a new culture. In the end, the name they choose will be one of the first things people know about them, and it is our job as educators to guide them in this important decision.