Funny names

I burst out laughing when I saw this today: Professor Hao Xiao Ming. Nothing against the esteemed professor, just that he professes to be Hao Xiao Ming.

If you read that it Chinese, it means "good Xiao Ming", where "Xiao Ming" is a very typical name used in my Chinese textbooks when I was still in school. Perhaps his parents wanted the babe in their arms to be a good boy and good man, hence Hao Xiao Ming.

What a name. When my dad heard about it, he remarked that in Hokkien, "Hao Xiao Ming" will sound like Ming is very hao xiao (means to exaggerate a lot and talk a lot of nonsense). What a name!

As a kid, he must have been the butt of jokes among his peers.

Which leads me to this name my colleague saw: Seah Chee Poh.

"Chee Poh! Why are you so cheapo?!"

Try placing the name western style, i.e. having the surname placed after the name. Chee Poh Seah. Now think in Singlish. ;)

Then, another friend heard of this lady from one of our neighbouring countries who called herself p---y (the informal name for a cat). I hope she didn't know what she was doing!