{"id":4073,"date":"2025-09-02T01:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-09-02T01:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tutor.engoo.com\/blog\/?p=4073"},"modified":"2025-09-02T01:00:06","modified_gmt":"2025-09-02T01:00:06","slug":"whats-in-a-name-6-questions-for-your-next-free-talk-lesson","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tutor.engoo.com\/blog\/teaching-conversation\/whats-in-a-name-6-questions-for-your-next-free-talk-lesson\/","title":{"rendered":"What's in a Name? 6 Questions for Your Next Free-Talk Lesson"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_80 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/tutor.engoo.com\/blog\/teaching-conversation\/whats-in-a-name-6-questions-for-your-next-free-talk-lesson\/#%E2%80%9CWhat_does_your_name_mean%E2%80%9D\" >&#8220;What does your name mean?&#8221;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/tutor.engoo.com\/blog\/teaching-conversation\/whats-in-a-name-6-questions-for-your-next-free-talk-lesson\/#%E2%80%9CPlease_show_me_how_to_write_your_name%E2%80%9D\" >&#8220;Please show me how to write your name!&#8221;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/tutor.engoo.com\/blog\/teaching-conversation\/whats-in-a-name-6-questions-for-your-next-free-talk-lesson\/#%E2%80%9CHow_was_your_name_chosen%E2%80%9D\" >&#8220;How was your name chosen?&#8221;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/tutor.engoo.com\/blog\/teaching-conversation\/whats-in-a-name-6-questions-for-your-next-free-talk-lesson\/#%E2%80%9CWould_you_ever_change_your_name%E2%80%9D\" >&#8220;Would you ever change your name?&#8221;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/tutor.engoo.com\/blog\/teaching-conversation\/whats-in-a-name-6-questions-for-your-next-free-talk-lesson\/#%E2%80%9CHow_did_you_choose_your_English_name%E2%80%9D\" >&#8220;How did you choose your English name?&#8221;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/tutor.engoo.com\/blog\/teaching-conversation\/whats-in-a-name-6-questions-for-your-next-free-talk-lesson\/#%E2%80%9CDo_you_have_any_nicknames%E2%80%9D\" >&#8220;Do you have any nicknames?&#8221;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/tutor.engoo.com\/blog\/teaching-conversation\/whats-in-a-name-6-questions-for-your-next-free-talk-lesson\/#%F0%9F%91%8B_Wrap-up\" >\ud83d\udc4b Wrap-up<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<p>If you ever need a conversation topic that's suitable for all levels, there's an easy one right before your eyes: your student's name. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Today we'll go over six name-related questions you can ask along with basic information on naming practices in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand \u2014 where most of our students are from.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%E2%80%9CWhat_does_your_name_mean%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>&#8220;What does your name mean?&#8221;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>You can ask students what their name means in their native tongue. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><mdspan datatext=\"el1653289522390\" class=\"mdspan-comment\">My name is \"Yuko.\" The \"ko\" doesn't mean anything, but the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/kanji\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">kanji<\/a> for \"yu\" means \"richness and abundance.\" My parents wanted me to lead a \"rich\" life in terms of both material and mind.<\/mdspan><\/p>\n<cite><a href=\"https:\/\/tutor.engoo.com\/blog\/2020\/11\/29\/japanese-materials-new\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Staff member in Japan<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>You might also want to ask them to type their name in the chatbox in the original script. This way, if they have trouble explaining it, you can google its meaning and teach them the words they need to know to explain it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%E2%80%9CPlease_show_me_how_to_write_your_name%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>&#8220;Please show me how to write your name!&#8221;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Most of our students' countries don't use the Latin script. So it can be a fun exercise for you to practice writing their name.<mdspan datatext=\"el1652797646285\" class=\"mdspan-comment\"> Just paste their name onto the whiteboard and make it nice and big. Then try to copy it<\/mdspan> using the pen tool. Here's an example using a Japanese name.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"973\" height=\"730\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2022\/05\/30111242\/mitsuhata-sakura-name-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4254\" style=\"width:730px;height:548px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2022\/05\/30111242\/mitsuhata-sakura-name-1.png 973w, https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2022\/05\/30111242\/mitsuhata-sakura-name-1-300x225.png 300w, https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2022\/05\/30111242\/mitsuhata-sakura-name-1-768x576.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 973px) 100vw, 973px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Don't be afraid to mess up! Students will find it funny and the activity will put them at ease. Just make sure you don't choose the color red to write their name. This is considered rude in Japan, Korea and Taiwan, where names written in red ink are associated with death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This activity can lead to discussions on other related topics such as stroke order (the proper order to write each stroke in a Japanese, Chinese or Korean word). You can also take this chance to ask students about their alphabet and writing systems (e.g. \"Can you tell me about the Thai alphabet? I hear it has 72 letters!\").<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%E2%80%9CHow_was_your_name_chosen%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>&#8220;How was your name chosen?&#8221;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In Japan, many parents give their children names that have a <mdspan datatext=\"el1652932428028\" class=\"mdspan-comment\"><a href=\"https:\/\/japanese-names.info\/column\/seimei-handan-fortunetelling-based-on-your-name\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">lucky number of strokes<\/a>.<\/mdspan> Similar practices exist in Korea, Taiwan and Thailand, though a lot more thought goes into picking the right name because of the belief that a person's name seals their fate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><mdspan datatext=\"el1653398136037\" class=\"mdspan-comment\">My cousin, who was born in the year of the rooster, was given a name whose characters don't have any components related to meat. The belief is that chickens eat grains, so if there's anything meat-related in the name, my cousin might have digestive issues and other problems in life.<\/mdspan><\/p>\n<cite>Staff member in Taiwan<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Because naming can be so complicated, some parents consult experts for help. This is usually done after the baby is born since it's believed that names must be compatible with<mdspan datatext=\"el1652886200146\" class=\"mdspan-comment\"> the child's date and time of birth<\/mdspan>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You may also hear some Taiwanese and South Korean students explain that they share a part of their given name with their siblings and\/or cousins. For example, two brothers in a Korean family might be named \"Ji-won\" and \"Ji-sun,\" so the first half of their name is the same: \"Ji.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%E2%80%9CWould_you_ever_change_your_name%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>&#8220;Would you ever change your name?&#8221;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>You might be surprised by the number of students who answer \"Yes\" to this question! Many people in <mdspan datatext=\"el1652889303440\" class=\"mdspan-comment\">South Korea<\/mdspan>, Taiwan and Thailand change their names if they think it will bring them success in love, career or life in general.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you bring this topic up with a Taiwanese student, they may also mention an incident in 2021 where over 100 people changed their names to<mdspan datatext=\"el1653360932694\" class=\"mdspan-comment\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/app\/daily-news\/article\/people-in-taiwan-change-names-to-salmon-for-free-sushi\/x8m7XItlEeusDgfBzib6Qw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\"salmon\"<\/a> for some free salmon sushi.<\/mdspan><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Name-changing isn't common in Japan, so with Japanese students, you could ask, \"If you had a <em>kirakira <\/em>name, would you change it?\" Kirakira names are extremely uncommon names like \"Pikachu\" or <mdspan datatext=\"el1652798248475\" class=\"mdspan-comment\">\"<a href=\"https:\/\/mainichi.jp\/english\/articles\/20190411\/p2a\/00m\/0na\/012000c\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">your highness, the Prince<\/a><\/mdspan>.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%E2%80%9CHow_did_you_choose_your_English_name%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>&#8220;How did you choose your English name?&#8221;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Some of our students, especially those from Taiwan and South Korea, will introduce themselves with an English name. There may be a story behind this too, so try asking about it! <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You may also want to ask if they use their English name outside of class. For example, some students will tell you they use it at work. In Taiwan, English names are very common in workplaces, and more and more Korean companies have adopted \"English nickname policies\" as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you're curious about the answers you might get to these questions, here's a video that interviews Taiwanese people on the street about their English names.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"video-responsive\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"The Taiwanese Talk about Their English Names | Easy Taiwanese Mandarin 13\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/VpELBj01GWo?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%E2%80%9CDo_you_have_any_nicknames%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>&#8220;Do you have any nicknames?&#8221;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Nicknames are common in our students' countries, so you can ask about them too. In Japan, nicknames are often shortened versions of a person's name (or surname), sometimes with the <a href=\"https:\/\/tutor.engoo.com\/blog\/2022\/01\/23\/how-to-respectfully-address-students-from-japan-south-korea-taiwan-and-thailand\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\"-chan\" suffix<\/a>. For example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A man whose surname is \"Hayashi\" might be called \"Yashi\" by his friends.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A woman named \"Manami\" might be called \"Mana-chan\" by her friends and family.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Because a lot of words in Korean and Chinese sound similar, many of our students from Korea and Taiwan have had funny (well, <em>punny<\/em>) nicknames at some point in their lives. <mdspan datatext=\"el1653398579712\" class=\"mdspan-comment\">For example, a Korean person whose name is \"Jeong-hwa\" might have been given the nickname \"Jeon-hwa\" (telephone) in school.<\/mdspan><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As for Thai students' nicknames, you may already know them since that's probably what they use with you. Most Thai people go by their nicknames in everyday life, so you can be friends or coworkers with someone for a long time and <mdspan datatext=\"el1652929902267\" class=\"mdspan-comment\">not know their real name<\/mdspan>. Ask about it! <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%F0%9F%91%8B_Wrap-up\"><\/span>\ud83d\udc4b Wrap-up<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>We hope you try out this conversation topic with your students! Remember that you can share <mdspan datatext=\"el1652689252037\" class=\"mdspan-comment\">the story behind your name<\/mdspan> with your students as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To read more about naming practices, check out these resources:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/culturalatlas.sbs.com.au\/japanese-culture\/japanese-culture-naming#japanese-culture-naming\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Naming in Japanese Culture<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/culturalatlas.sbs.com.au\/south-korean-culture\/south-korean-culture-naming\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Naming in South Korean Culture<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/culturalatlas.sbs.com.au\/taiwanese-culture\/taiwanese-culture-naming\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Naming in Taiwanese Culture<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/culturalatlas.sbs.com.au\/thai-culture\/thai-culture-naming#thai-culture-naming\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Naming in Thai Culture<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Happy tutoring!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you ever need a conversation topic that's suitable for all levels, there's an easy one right before your eyes: your student's name. Today we'll go over six name-related questions you can ask along with...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":137,"featured_media":6893,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"ep_exclude_from_search":false,"unified_meta_tagline_field":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[51,9],"tags":[86],"class_list":["post-4073","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-teaching-conversation","category-curiosity","tag-free-talk-topics"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>What&#039;s in a Name? 6 Questions for Your Next Free-Talk Lesson | Engoo Tutor&#039;s Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The simple topic of a student&#039;s name can be a starting point for free conversation. 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