Get in the game with right English name

"According to Chinese culture, we also tend to try and make things easier for others at our own expense," she said.

English-speaking people usually adhere to a pool of names that may have their origins in the Christian Bible or popular Western mythology, whereas, technically speaking, any Chinese character can be used in a Chinese name.

There are over 80,000 Chinese characters, some 6,500 of which are commonly used in daily speech.

Chinese parents often infuse their own tastes and expectations in their children's names through a careful selection and configuration of the characters.

Such rules do not apply when choosing an English name, however. Rather than choosing something humdrum, Chinese are just as likely to pick something that has a specific meaning for them－such as their favorite foreign sports star or fruit.

Jernigan said most of her clients want a name that is unique and easy to pronounce. They pay far more attention to the meaning than their Western counterparts, who may not even be aware their own name is Bible-derived or has another meaning.

Some of her clients ask for an English name that is similar in meaning or sound to their Chinese name.

Others insist on incorporating one or more of the five elements of wood, fire, water, metal and earth－called wuxing in Chinese－to bring good luck.

People also pick up words from pop culture without realizing that Tiger (Woods), Madonna and Cinderella are not considered normal or common in the West.

Some of her clients reject names for the opposite reason.

"There's a Serena in the TV show 'Gossip Girl', so many girls think the name is too commonly used, but actually it's not," said Jernigan.

The desire to stand out from the crowd makes some opt for French, Arabic or even Japanese names.

"You can easily bump into a Chinese person called Eva or Michelle in Shanghai," said Lu Hong, who works for a fashion buyer. She said she chose the Japanese name Yui because it is simple, feminine and easy to pronounce.

"Young Chinese have a strong sense of self-awareness. They also hope their English names will be cool, like their names online," Fang Yongde, an associate professor of intercultural communication at Shanghai International Studies University, said.

"Choosing an English name is a language game for some," Zhao said.

She found that Chinese under 30 are fond of Internet slang and are more likely to integrate English words into daily dialogue with their compatriots.