In the 21st century names are more important than ever because of globalization and social media and other social networking online sites like LinkedIn. As such, there are some important reasons why an English name is valuable when interacting with English-speaking people.

For one, an English name, even if it is not used for official identification, can help facilitate interpersonal and intercultural relationships. Names, for example, act as social signifiers that can express your way of life and influence your social interactions, including expectations of what kind of person you might be. A name can also leave a memorable impression on those you meet for the first time. Significantly, when a person relies on the western interpersonal communication system by adopting an English name (according to western naming conventions) it can help to speed up the process of getting to know other people. This is particularly true regarding professional interactions with international business partners or when communicating online.

At the same time, an English name can help you avoid the social awkwardness that comes with having to explain the pronunciation of your traditional birth name to English-speaking people. Teachers, for instance, in English Language Schools typically require their students to adopt an English name because they find non-western names difficult to pronounce or remember. Requiring students to adopt an English name also promotes interpersonal communication within the class itself.

Selecting an English name, is also, just like acquiring English language skills, an investment in the future. It can represent future hopes and dreams, such as working in a foreign country, or a commitment to a specific lifestyle. In this way, an English name can have a unique purpose and place in your life (Eickmann, 2020).

In some non-western countries, such as China, people are generally unenthused about sharing the same name with another person. In fact, in countries like China meeting another person with the same name can often lead to an awkward situation.

An English Naming Consultant can assist you in finding a highly unusual English name that upholds your traditional naming culture. In this way, the richness of certain traditional naming cultures can be upheld when seeking to find an English name. Furthermore, since Chinese given names are generally not shared with non-acquaintances, an English name allows a Chinese speaker to avoid being too formal or intimate when addressing English speakers.

We can also find names that sound very similar to your traditional birth name.