What’s in a Name?

Chinese Writing

The ancient Chinese philosopher Motzu believed that a name should indicate the reality of an object. The Chinese believe that each person has a special name that contributes to his personal fortune and exerts an influence that helps to determine what happens to him during his lifetime.

They have developed a system based on the number of strokes in a name to explain the meaning of a name. The five elements represented by these strokes are wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. The elements of the name are written vertically in the traditional Chinese fashion.

Some of these meanings are listed below: