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There are many fashion models in Hong Kong. While a majority of them
are Chinese, the better known ones are mostly Eurasians. This is not
surprising since Asians’ definition of beauty is, as Alvin blogged
earlier, very Caucasian-centric.
These Eurasian models have something in common aside from their partial
Caucasian features. They have an English last name that the Hong Kong
media and populace cannot pronounce. In order to make it easy for
everyone, the media took the liberty of shortening their last names to
just the first initial. This is why you have models with names like Maggie Q., Lisa S., Ana R. and Cara G in Hong Kong. 

In addition to having a difficult time pronouncing English last
names, many Chinese also disregard the meaning of an English word or
the association of an English name when picking an English name for
themselves. During my last trip to Shanghai, the hotel reception who
checked me in had an English name of ‘Cleopatra’. The porter who
delivered my bags to my room wore a name tag that was labeled ‘Silence’
(maybe that was what he commanded from me since I could not stop
chatting him up because he was hot). The feisty receptionist at our
Beijing office goes by the name ‘Gucci’. Once I went on a blind date
with a guy from Hong Kong whose name was ‘Porsche’. I asked him if he
could live up to his name and give me a smooth and thrilling ride. He
stopped calling me after the first date.

‘Zero’, ‘Level’, ‘Seven’…. almost every noun is used as an English
name by the Chinese in Asia. So where do they get these peculiar
names?  Do they just flip open an English magazine or worst, an
English dictionary and just pick a name that they like the sound of, or
a name that carries the most materialistic value? There are also those
who like to name themselves after the meaning of their family names.
For example, a girl with the family name of Xia (meaning “summer”)
would have an English name of ‘Summer’. My folks should have honored
our family name by naming me ‘Forest’. ‘Forest Lim’ sounds better than
‘Andrew Lim’, don’t you think?

But hey, people have the right to pick whatever name they want so I
should not be making fun of their names. My advice for those who have
the last name with the initial ‘S’ and the first name of ‘Phat’ is to
stay away from the modeling industry in Hong Kong. Your name, bestowed
by the local media, will be the biggest taboo of the skinny-centric
fashion industry as well as Asian society. Luckily, not many of them
will realize the true meaning of it.


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This is a sad thing and it happens in all countries but not only half white people are preferred but biracial people are in general. It’s the trend today but to be half white is at the top and considered better. As for these english names, I wish they would stop-I mean if you have one, more power to you but unless you’re name something stupid like Batman or horrible like Murder, people should cherish their name. Even if one changes it, it should reflect you, not because it’s the trend or the thing to do.


Any notice that Asians lack leaders or people with vision in general?


elenastevenson - 06/02/08 1:57 pm

I myself am white and I find this disturbing, too. Yes, my sons are “hapa” (half Asian), and they are beautiful, but not “more” beautiful than someone who’s of purely Asian descent. I have met unattractive half-Asian people as well. Every race has its beauties and its average Joes and Janes. I don’t see white as “more attractive.”

It would seem that you are in the minority. Your baby looks beautiful to me ^^


I myself am white and I find this disturbing, too. Yes, my sons are “hapa” (half Asian), and they are beautiful, but not “more” beautiful than someone who’s of purely Asian descent. I have met unattractive half-Asian people as well. Every race has its beauties and its average Joes and Janes. I don’t see white as “more attractive.”


Lack of role models, lack of leadership…


yeah my friends pick up an american name because some of their teachers can’t pronounce their names


You know a lot of Asians in my school have “English” names in addition to their Asian names. It’s still amazing to me that they have to change their names so that they feel they’re fitting in.


some of the names are okay though, like mercedes


its funny to hear some of the names they come up with


lol nice pick up line


a lot of people like “happa” babies


really? that’s a little....stupid haha pregnancy via poster


Alvin, I have even met expecting Asian moms who would buy posters of white babies so that they could stare at them everyday and give birth to babies as cute as those on the posters.


one of my friends is named after a street his parents lived on xD


Very interesting.  I for one have a problem with how half White people are so often propped up as the standard of beauty in East Asia.  Have you ever met people who can’t wait to make a half White baby because ‘they’re soooo beautiful?’ I have.


“Once I went on a blind date with a guy from Hong Kong whose name was ‘Porsche’. I asked him if he could live up to his name and give me a smooth and thrilling ride. He stopped calling me after the first date. “

ROFL!!

It’s like that for Koreans too.



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