How children's names could be chosen.

Having seen the suffering and embarrassment the wrong sounds and meanings of names in languages other than our own can bring children and adults, I determined not to allow that to happen to my own children. (Even with such a precaution, my surname was made fun of! Well, some children are really creative.)

When it comes to the surname, nothing can be done. For my family’s middle name, my generation uses ‘Ai’ while my children’s and nephews’ generation uses‘Jin’. You see, we use a saying, each word of the saying used one after another generation after generation. This helps us to trace our ancestors as well as know whether someone is related to us.

This is how I choose my children’s names. I use a telephone directory which contains practically all possible names needed. The names I choose depends upon it popularity as well as its meaning.

I found the name ‘Seng’ so popular, easy to pronounce and remember. Furthermore, ‘Jin Seng’ is also the name of a wonderful plant that is strong, tough, valuable and so popular that it is known to almost every country in the world. When it comes to the Chinese meaning, I was told ‘Jin Seng’ can mean successful person or human wall; strong, steady and successful. What more can one ask for!

Then, using the same source for names I searched for a suitable word for my second son, Jin Ho. ‘Ho’ in Chinese means river. A river is a source of water, fish and life. A man of great resources! It is even the name of an association! Where can there be a better name?

Each time, I checked with my Malay and Indian friends to see if their names carry other meanings or connotation in their language. According to them there was none.

So far, although those creative Malay children did ‘Ong. Ong, ong’ their frog’s call, my children took it good-humouredly and in fact were popular with them as a result of it.