Why Did Ancient Chinese Parents Name Their Children 'Dog' and 'Pig'? The Dark Truth Behind This Bizarre Tradition

When a baby is born, parents spend weeks brainstorming the sweetest, most meaningful names. However, if you look back at history, ancient Chinese parents practiced something entirely baffling by modern standards: they often named their newborn children after animals and inanimate objects like 'dog', 'pig', or 'stone'. While it sounds bizarre today, this practice was rooted in deep superstition and the desperate desire to protect children from misfortune.

Why Did Parents Choose Such Strange Names?

According to historical reports by the South China Morning Post, ancient China lacked modern medical facilities. High infant mortality rates and frequent childhood illnesses caused profound grief and panic among families. To cope with this constant fear, parents relied heavily on traditional beliefs and superstitions.

The core belief was that if a child had a precious, attractive, or highly sophisticated name, malevolent spirits and demons would notice the child and bring bad luck or illness. Conversely, giving a child a lowly, crude, or unattractive name like 'dog' or 'pig' would trick evil spirits into ignoring them, ensuring the child lived a long and healthy life. Of course, these were traditional beliefs without any scientific backing.

Beyond Dogs and Pigs: Stones, Hammers, and Imperial Roots

The naming convention went beyond domestic animals. Families would also name their children after tough, resilient objects like stones, iron pillars, or hammers, hoping the children would grow up strong and resilient enough to fight off diseases and hardships.

Historical texts feature numerous such examples. Some children were named 'Gou Sheng', roughly translating to 'dog's leftovers', while 'Zhu Wa' meant 'piglet'. Interestingly, this was not limited to commoners. Several prominent historical figures and royalty also bore similar nicknames. Emperor Wu of the Western Han dynasty reportedly had the childhood nickname 'Zhi', meaning pig, while the famous writer Sima Xiangru's childhood name was 'Quan Ji', related to a dog.

How Modern Society Views This Tradition

With advancements in medicine, education, and shifting societal perspectives, this naming tradition has largely faded away in modern China. Parents today prefer modern, auspicious, and beautiful names for their newborns.

However, echoes of the past can still be found in some rural provinces. Ultimately, while these names might sound humorous or shocking to contemporary ears, they serve as a poignant reminder of the lengths to which parents in the past would go to protect their children from harm.