1 - The culture of names
The culture of names
One of the first things we come to know when we meet someone new is that person's name. Names might seem simple, but culture plays an important part when we think about names.
Names can be confusing!
In most Western countries, people use the name your parents give you as the first name and they use your surname (family name) as the last name.
Some people in Western cultures have a middle name too.
In your culture, do you say your family name first or last? Do you know which cultures use the family name first?
Pre-reading Questions
- How did you get your name? Do you know its meaning?
- Have you had any nicknames? Did you like them? Why or why not?
- Do you have a favourite “Western” name? What does it mean?