This project explores the complexity of Chinese names and the challenges of using Pinyin romanization, focusing on how it impacts the distinction between surnames and given names. While Pinyin simplifies Chinese characters for global audiences, it can create ambiguity when different characters share the same pronunciation. Our aim is to clarify name identification, especially in official contexts, and deepen understanding of Chinese culture, language, and naming conventions.
We use Hanyu Pinyin, the standard romanization for Mandarin since 1958, recognized internationally in 1982 and by Taiwan in 2009. However, many prominent Chinese figures—especially those known internationally before Pinyin’s adoption—retain names in older systems like Wade-Giles. For example, Chen-Ning Yang (杨振宁) follows Wade-Giles conventions, which differ from the Pinyin form Yang Zhenning.
What's more, we are conducting further research on identifying Chinese names. Feel free to reach out to follow our progress or collaborate by contacting Liuhuaying at yang@csh.ac.at.
This project focuses on analyzing commonly used Chinese characters in names. Here are the main methods and considerations:
Character Selection: Starting with 8,105 General Standard Chinese Characters from HanziDB, we identified their Pinyin pronunciations from Hanzi Quanxi, excluding neutral tones and characters that only have a neutral tone, as they generally use one of four standard tones in names.
Name Usage Analysis: Using data from the Chinese Name Database 1930-2008, we analyzed characters used in given names and surnames, selecting those with a Name-Character Uniqueness (NU) greater than 6, resulting in 2,936 characters.
Exclusion of Complex Names: We excluded compound surnames (fixed combinations of characters) and given names longer than three characters. For given names, we only display three characters when they cannot be broken down into one or two characters. Additionally, cases where individuals adopt both their maiden and married surnames are not considered, focusing solely on the most common naming conventions.
Handling Multiple Pronunciations: For characters with multiple pronunciations, we prioritize the pronunciation typically used in given names or surnames. However, we retain other pronunciations as there are no strict rules preventing alternate pronunciations from being used in names.
Audio pronunciations are sourced from Chinese Pronunciation Wiki (©2015-2022 AllSet Learning).