A Name is Just a Dai Hao

One of Huan Hsu‘s Chinese coworkers called him “Steve” for months, wondering why Hsu, unlike most other young professionals in mainland China, had yet to pick an English name for himself. Another of Hsu’s friends, who goes by dozens of names depending on the situation, tells him “a name is just a dai hao.” In other words, a code name, no more anchored to one’s core identity than a necktie or a pair of high heels. We already know that success or failure isn’t encoded in the name your parents choose for you. But what about the name you pick for yourself? [%comments]