[Korean Culture & Language] Korean Names

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My Korean high school friend used to get teased for his name because it was 오유석 (Oh Yoo-suk). Korean names like Oh Yoo-suk or Lee Ki-bum sound ridiculous in English, but there are certain Korean names that even Koreans find strange.

Below screenshot reads ‘김수학 선생님, 중학 3학년 국어’. 

It means ‘Kim Soo-hak, 3rd-grade Korean language teacher’. This screenshot has become popular because ‘수학(Soohak)’ means ‘math’ in Korea. What are the possibilities of a Korean language teacher having the name ‘Math’?

Another meme (below) titled ‘이름을’예아’로 하고 싶대요 근데 영어로 Yeah…’ became popular. It means ‘My husband wants to name our daughter 예아, but in English, it is ‘Yeah’…’.

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The meme reads: ‘It seems like many parents ask for baby name recommendations on here. We are expecting a second child. Our first daughter’s name is ‘Ye-Sol,’ so my husband wants to name her ‘Ye-Ah’. However, ‘Ye-ah’ sounds like ‘Yeah’ in English, which means “Yes” ☹ I know it doesn’t sound bad in Korean, but what if she grows up and lives in another country in the future? She will make international friends. Wouldn’t it be weird if her friends call her “Yeah”? Or does it even matter?’

Our names play an important role in our identities since they provide us a sense of who we are. What kind of decision would you make if you were in the same situation as her? Some people are more concerned than others about the meaning of their names. What role do you think our names play in our lives?

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