Chinese Baby Name Taboos: What to Avoid

Naming a baby is easy, but naming well is hard. Avoid these common mistakes:

Don't Use Rare Characters

Avoid characters that computers can't type. Your child will struggle with flights, IDs, and online accounts. Teachers won't recognize them either.

Watch for Bad Homophones

Mei Qian (sounds like "owe money"), Du Zi Teng ("stomachache") — read the name aloud in both Mandarin and dialects before committing.

Avoid Overly Trendy Names

Zhang Wei, Wang Fang were the "popular" names of their generation. "Zi Han" and "Zi Xuan" are the current generation's equivalent — by 2040, they'll be as common as Zhang Wei.

Avoid Polyphonic Characters and Element Clashes

Polyphonic characters leave people unsure how to pronounce them. Also avoid characters with elements that contradict the baby's Bazi favorable element.