Today's Chinese, mostly only one name.But in the past, people's names is not so simple.Under normal circumstances, in addition to the first and last names, and words, number, etc.The "word" is the ancient people grew up trend, connected to the "name" and a known name.We often say that so-and-so today call what name, according to the standards of the elders, including "name", "name", "word", three parts, the three independent and interdependent, each have each performance and function.

1, the name of the elders spoke of the "name", the ancients is always associated with "words".About name and the word and its effects, the qing people Wang Yingkui had a summary, said "in traditional, ancient people name to table".Mean, the name is used to distinguish between each other, words are said or the pursuit of individual moral character, the two different nature.Not only that, the ancients "name" and the purpose of the "word" is also different.Including general stages called "name", said the nickname as a child, a big name.Have such as "word," name "should be taboo, when match, also can only be called" word "and not" name ".In addition, in the "name" of the elders, and kind is a nickname.The so-called nickname, as the name implies, is used in the children's name, also known as birth, pet name, young or small.The habit of a small name origin early in our country.In ancient times, people are born shortly after the name, its purpose only can distinguish with others, and did not pay attention to the name.As the son of the duke of birds, the son of Confucius of the carp, in the spring and autumn when wei childe of maggots lice, han dynasty sima xiangru son, can be seen from the name, the ancients a small place with great randomness.Since childhood name only commonly in use within the family, so, not only the ancients not value, and modern people are still very casually.Such as "little", "dog", "flower", "small by" something that seems not to jedaiah the names of the hall, can be seen all over the country.In fact, before the formal name up a nickname, ancient and modern have this habit.In ancient times, to the Kings and princes, plebeian inhabitants, everyone has a nickname.Such as cao cao nicknamed ", in the song dynasty emperor wu of song emperor wudi nickname send, north wei too billiton colophon boiled nickname raccoon dog cut away, emperor wudi north novel emperor yu-wen tai nicknamed the black otters, consummating Zhao Shen nickname lamb, zhu yuanzhang nickname heavy eight, solitary way according to the all these all are the emperor.

As for some celebrities, dignitaries, sage also has a nickname.As a great thinker Confucius nickname hills, calligrapher Wang Xianzhi nickname officer, tao yuanming, dog nicknamed creek, the poet xie lingyun nicknamed for guest, prime minister wang anshi nickname cans.So not only men, women, is no exception.Emperor queen nickname ejiao, princess Tang Shouchang nickname worm niang, a petite female painter in Ming dynasty horse month name yuan, their name is also optional.As for the life time is not far from us, a small name is much more common.Among them such as CAI yuanpei nickname APei, yen hsi-shan nickname XiZi, zhou enlai nickname big warbler, peng dehuai nickname really stunned, gai mian nicknamed for sports, guo moruo nickname Wen Bao, etc., is a typical example.Guo moruo, in particular, in his book "childhood", written by the also said that the source of the nickname, said: "my mother said I conception, dreamed of a small leopard suddenly bite the jaws of her left hand, then woke up.So, my birth is called Wen Bao."Since childhood name because of dream, this is name the source of a vivid example.Although the nickname to the person's role and influence than formal name and the word, but because everybody has remained, therefore, is also a name of phenomenon that nots allow to ignore.Especially in the sui and tang dynasties, people pay more and more attention to, to culture with the society also appeared some special study on childhood name, and have a group of study of childhood name.Lu Guimeng, such as in the tang dynasty had been the nickname of the qin and han dynasties to sui and tang dynasties 800 gather together, into the small list of three volumes.Song dynasty, Chen on this basis into the fine print record.In the Ming dynasty, Shen Hongzheng again for the "fine print" "collection" volume 1.In addition, the song dynasty few specializes in valet Zhang Bang female the nickname of the spleen, to write the book shi son small list gleanings.Since then, many people step and follow in the footsteps of his, the footman female the nickname of the spleen, or to supplement his book of that is just known Song Chaowang file of filling shi son small list, the renewal fill shi son small list of WenYu, qing li yuan fu shi son childhood name etc.