What's in a name?

Names matter for the Chinese. Generally speaking, a Chinese name should sound good, and carry certain auspicious connotations for it is believed a baby's name is intimately linked to his or her destiny.

Yao Xue and her husband Wang Xiao, university graduates in their late twenties, had a baby girl last October. Once the initial excitement died down, the No 1 priority for whole family, including the four grandparents, was giving the baby her name.

Preliminary discussions, drawing on the knowledge of the six adults, ended without agreement.