一个中国人的官方英文名字就是他中文名字的汉语拼音，对老外们来说，这种名字有异国风味，一看就知道是个东方人，那感觉就像我们听到一个老外的官方中文名字叫"理查德"。
An official English name for a Chinese would be the Pinyin of his Chinese name. For foreigners, the kind of names is very exotic. They will know it immediately that it is a name of a person from the East. It is just like we hear a foreigner's name is "理查德"(Li Chade) Richard. 

        不同的是：老外的中文名字是参考老外名字的原始发音选择近似的中国字组合而成的，这种方式既保持了老外名字的异国情调，又符合中国人自己起名的原则，那就是：挑选并重新组合汉字。所以，对中国人来说，像"理查德"这种中文名字听起来很自然而且也不难记；相反，一个老外要是起了一个纯粹中式的"中国名字"我们反而会不习惯，比如：一个叫"王富贵"的老外？听着别扭。
The difference is that the Chinese name of a foreigner is normally based on Chinese characters which are similar to their English pronunciation. In this way, their names keep their foreign flavors and also fit into the naming principle of a Chinese, which is to recombine Chinese characters. Therefore, for a Chinese, names like "理查德" sounds nature and is not difficult to remember. On the contrary, if a foreigner has a pure Chinese name, we will feel strange about it. For example, if a foreigner has a name like "Wang Fugui" , it would be very strange for us to know. 

        然而，对老外们来说，中国人的拼音名字就不那么自然了。这是因为：虽说英语是拼音文字，但老外们起名字的通常原则却不是创造一个新词，而是在现成的英文名字中进行挑选。中国人的拼音名字显然不在他们的名字库中，所以，中国人的拼音名字就会比较难记。
However, for foreigners, the pinyin names of Chinese names do not sound nature. Although English is also an alphabetic language, foreigners don't tend to create a new word, but to pick a word from the existing names. Obviously the pinyin names of Chinese people do not exist in their name list. Therefore, it would be quite difficult for them to remember. 

        这就是为什么一个中国人起了一个纯粹西式的英文名，比如：Peter Wang，老外会感到很亲切而且很好记，因为这完全符合他们的起名原则。恐怕也正是这个原因，如今，在与国外交流得比较频繁的行业和部门中工作的中国人，都会给自己起一个西式的英文名，目的只有一个：方便交流。
That's why when a Chinese has a pure English given name, for example: Peter Wang, foreigners will feel very comfortable with it and they will remember it, because it follows their naming principle. Maybe that's why Chinese people, who work frequently with foreigners, will give themselves pure English names. The only purpose is to facilitate the communication. 

        当然，也有个别的老外被我们这种善解人意的举动所感动，然后，非要学着喊我们的汉语拼音名字，以示平等和尊重。我就有这样一个老外朋友，对我那是相当尊重，于是，我不得不教给他读我的中文名字。可惜，刚开始学说中国话的老外不知道为什么发音都有股很浓厚的中国北方农村的口音。一个老外操着中国乡下口音喊我的名字，听起来别提多么难受了；几次下来，我实在忍受不了了，对他开玩笑说："求你别这样尊重我了，你还是喊我的英文名字吧。"
Of course, some foreigners have been moved by our consideratebehavior and insisted on calling us our Chinese names to express equality and respect. One foreign friend of mine respects me so much that I have to teach him how to read my Chinese name. It is pity that all foreigners who begin to learn Chinese seem to have strong Chinese northern countryside accent. When a foreigner says my name with Chinese rural accent, it would be nearly unbearable for me to listen. After a few time, I cannot bear it. I had to tell him, "Please do not respect me in this way. Please call my English name." 

        由于中国人知道的英文名字非常有限，因此，在人多一点的公司经常会出现英文名重名的现象。于是，就有人想起个比较生僻的英文名字。不过，遇到这种情况，我会告诫他们：任何一种语言的名字都是有含义并能让人产生联想的，比如：名字里有"逵"字的人一般都比较粗犷等等，英文名也一样。在不了解具体含义的情况下千万不要随便起英文名，万一，一个长得跟张飞似的中国人起了一个类似林妹妹的英文名，用小品中范伟的话来说就是："可惜你这个人了"。
Since Chinese people have very limited knowledge of English names. Therefore, staff in a big company would have same English names. Therefore, some people will think of an uncommon English name. In this case, I have to tell them that a name in every language have a specific meaning and give people imagination. For example, in Chinese names, "逵" (kui) is a name associated with roughness. It is the same with English names. If you are not sure, please do not pick a name at casual. If a big Chinese guy has a very delicate English name, we can only say that it is a pity.  
 

        本文转载自张叶的个人空间，要阅读更多作者文章，请移步作者个人空间http://i.myechinese.com/index.php?s=/space/1253  。

• foreigner [´fɔrinə]   n.外国人   (初中英语单词)
• pronunciation [prə,nʌnsi´eiʃən]   n.发音(法)   (初中英语单词)
• therefore [´ðeəfɔ:]   ad.&conj.因此；所以   (初中英语单词)
• contrary [´kɔntrəri]   a.相反的 n.相反   (初中英语单词)
• obviously [´ɔbviəsli]   ad.明显地；显而易见地   (初中英语单词)
• accent [´æksənt, æk´sent]   n.重音；口音 vt.重读   (初中英语单词)
• imagination [i,mædʒi´neiʃən]   n.想象(力)   (初中英语单词)
• delicate [´delikət]   a.精美的；微妙的   (初中英语单词)
• behavior [bi´heiviə]   n.举止，行为   (高中英语单词)
• equality [i´kwɔliti]   n.同等，平等   (高中英语单词)
• limited [´limitid]   a.有限(制)的   (高中英语单词)
• specific [spi´sifik]   a.具体的；特有的   (高中英语单词)
• casual [´kæʒuəl]   a.偶然的；临时的   (高中英语单词)
• facilitate [fə´siliteit]   vt.使便利，使容易   (英语四级单词)
• countryside [´kʌntrisaid]   n.乡下，农村   (英语四级单词)
• uncommon [ʌn´kɔmən]   a.非常的，非凡的，罕见的   (英语四级单词)
• normally [´nɔ:məli]   ad.正常情况下；通常   (英语六级单词)
• considerate [kən´sidərit]   a.考虑周到的；体谅的   (英语六级单词)
• calling [´kɔ:liŋ]   n.点名；职业；欲望   (英语六级单词)
• unbearable [ʌn´beərəbəl]   a.不堪忍受的   (英语六级单词)