So while I was in Việt Nam, I found out (and I don’t remember how) that when I came home from that hospital over thirty-odd years ago… originally my “given name” or rather “first name” was my Vietnamese Name (which is now my “middle name”).

Say what?

Without revealing my entire name… right now it looks like this:

Whileas when I was borne it was originally this:

Interesting. Mind you my mother was having this conversation about names in the car with various other relatives and the question of changing names came up and she mentioned that if you need to make a name change you just go to city hall. When asked more about it she told them that she did it for me when I was a baby. (I may not speak Vietnamese, but I definitely understand it… don’t I make a good spy? :D)

When I asked her about it, she mentioned that she did it within a year after I born to make it easier for me to live and survive in the United States. Makes sense… Now I am wondering how much would my life have changed if my name was different… and trust me, we may not place a lot of emphasis on names… but a direct change like that does change a person’s outlook on life.

Out of curiosity one day I decided to look into the meaning of my (names) and this was what I was able to discover:

So what is the meaning of my name? Well… let’s look at Kabalarians for the hell of it:

Westernized First Name:

You are not easily influenced by the opinions of others, who may accuse you of being stubborn. Once you have made a decision, you put forth great effort to accomplish your goals regardless of obstacles. Your progress is built upon your meticulous awareness of detail, your patience, and your consistent hardworking qualities.

You are a realist and could be interested in mathematics or technical sciences. If developed, you have an ability to be inventive in practical fields of endeavour. You are interested in facts and figures and do well in positions that require great attention to detail, such as accounting, computer technology, or in research. It is difficult for you to visualize or theorize unless the ideas being presented are developed in a logical step-by-step manner. It is what you can see, experience, and prove through compilation of facts, experiment, and logic that has greatest value to you. You are rather skeptical of new ideas that are more visionary, idealistic, or philosophical. This name inhibits the inspirational quality of musical or artistic expression. Your interests would lean toward the practical, technical aspects of the arts. You do not have great ambitions and your requirements in life are moderate.

Your loyalty to, and appreciation for, your family and friends are shown by what you do for them rather than what you say. This name limits your ability to be expressive, imaginative, and versatile. As a result, this limitation causes repression and frustration at times. The more deeply you feel about someone, the harder it is for you to express the little attentions and compliments that mean so much to some people. Since lavish affection embarrasses you, you do not appreciate being the target for endearing words. You are not overly conversational; in fact, at times, you consider time wasted when spent in idle chatter. You are more interested in being active and accomplishing the tasks you set for yourself. Your lack of expression can lead to misunderstandings and unhappiness with those close to you who do not understand your practical, candid, somewhat self-centred approach. Humour and spontaneity are not natural expressions of this name. You are serious and methodical.

What about with my original first name now middle name… the Vietnamese Given Name:

Your first name has made you a very kind, thoughtful, and sociable person. Because of your friendly and diplomatic qualities, you make friends easily. You shine as a hostess as you instinctively know how to make everyone feel relaxed and friendly. Unfortunately, people are apt to take advantage of you because you are too easygoing and hate to face issues. You find it very difficult to make decisions. Procrastination is your worst enemy as you are inclined to be dreamy and idealistic. Out of kindness, you make promises that are impossible to keep, although you always have the best intentions. You tend to scatter your efforts, though you are enthusiastic initially; but when it comes to handling the monotonous details, your interest wanes. This name does not offer you practicality, system, or concentration.

Because you are sensitive and impressionable, you are strongly affected by others and conditions around you. People are inclined to come to you seeking solutions to their problems and, because you have the ability to sense the feelings of others, you usually give good advice. Since your life is people-oriented, you must always hold confidences and guard your tongue, as gossiping is inclined to be a weakness of your name. If those around you are quarreling, you would want to try to be the mediator to create understanding between them. Yours is a quick mind and you can usually think of something to say when there is a need to offset or deflect an unpleasant situation, sometimes even stretching the truth a little when it is expedient. You want very much for everyone to be happy and friendly.

You, in turn, need support from others since you do not like to stand alone. Being affectionate, loving, and romantic, you tend to be governed more by your feelings than by reason. Thus your name causes you to be temperamental and very emotional at times. Your desires often override your better judgment. It is difficult for you to say “no” and mean it, as you do not like to hurt people’s feelings.

You are not inclined to be athletic, but prefer instead such activities as dancing and social events. You love music, drama, and artistic creations, fashionable clothes, and refined surroundings. If given the training, you could do well in art, music, singing, or creative design. You enjoy spending money and are generous, and since you are not very practical, you must be wary of those who would appeal to your feelings and encourage you to spend beyond your means.

And finally the Surname / Family Name:

The surname gives the members of the family a very clever, analytical and self-reliant nature, but also makes them restless and self-opinionated. They are very alert mentally and able to think things through and reach conclusions without hesitation. They do their own thinking and are always looking for facts and for the reason of things. They do not accept anything simply on another person’s word. In fact, they are not open to advice and suggestions from others, or even from one another within the family.

In family associations, they can be so individual and independent that there is seldom an agreement or merging of viewpoints. Though they desire stable and accumulative conditions, and aspire to positions of prestige and responsibility, they are unable to persevere when progress requires patience, routine, and attention to detail. They work intensely when their interest is aroused and challenged, and they have such versatility and ingenuity that they can be successful in almost any line of endeavour. However, they lose interest as soon as the novelty wears off, and they rarely follow an undertaking through to its fruition. These people will not remain long in a subservient position, as they demand complete freedom and independence for their ideas and ambitions. When their freedom of action is curbed, they suffer from nervous tension and chaotic moods of depression. Then they can be very critical and caustic in their expression and attitude toward others, and are apt to act impulsively without due thought and discretion. Personal and financial losses and bitter experiences are the result.

They have very strong principles regarding honesty, promises, and the rights of others, and they will not forget oversights in such matters. They are daring, adventuresome, and have strong likes and dislikes. Their frame of mind can swing from keen optimism to morbid pessimism. The health can be adversely affected by nervous tension which affects digestion and could lead to stomach ulcers. Their intense, serious nature robs them of humour, relaxation, and congenial association, and they are prone to worry and to exaggerate things out of proportion to their importance. Mental disturbances, feelings of uneasiness, and premonitions result.

And finally…
What happens when the first and last names combine:

Your combined names bring unstable conditions into your life. You are called upon to be of service to people in some way, and to express kindness, sympathy, and understanding. However, you are often taken advantage of, and you receive little in return for your efforts. Unless you exercise discretion, you could easily become involved in emotional entanglements. These names attract losses of whatever means the most to you, people, possessions, or the positions you work hardest to achieve. Tragedy, separation, estrangements, or divorce could occur. These names create a sensitive and high-strung nature, and attune you to thoughts and feelings that you are not able to understand or control properly. This sensitivity and tension could affect your nervous system, and cause nervous disorders.

As well as my original first (middle) and last names:

The combined names show that you desire a very high standard of living and a position of influence in business, or in a professional field. Whatever your personal circumstances, you attract good opportunities in finance and business, and experience a full measure of success for your efforts. While this name allows you success in business fields, it creates too cold and materialistic an outlook, and you tend to overlook the more humanitarian aspects of life and also the more inspirational values.

Intersting, no? Next time I’ll look into my penname aka pseudonym and see what Kabalarians say about that.