{
  "id": 14596240,
  "title": "Ancient Chinese families gave babies humble nicknames – ‘Dog’, ‘Pig’ – to ward off bad luck",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/15/ancient-chinese-families-gave-babies-humble-nicknames-dog-pig-to-ward",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-15T02:56:08.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "South China Morning Post",
    "slug": "south-china-morning-post",
    "url": "https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3370937/ancient-chinese-families-gave-babies-humble-nicknames-dog-pig-ward-bad-luck"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Ancient Chinese families bestowed their newborns with humble nicknames, such as \"Dog\" or \"Pig,\" to protect them from bad luck, according to historical accounts. This practice, rooted in antiquity, stemmed from the belief that the more unpretentious a name sounded, the better – it could bolster a child's health and resilience. Parents of all social strata, from commoners to emperors, adopted animal-related names to imbue their offspring with qualities akin to the vitality of animals, like strength and vitality. Ouyang Xiu, a distinguished scholar of the Northern Song dynasty, noted in his writings that families desiring a smooth childhood often chose modest names. Examples included \"gou sheng\" (leftovers eaten by dogs), \"gou dan\" (dog and egg), \"gou shi\" (dog excrement), and \"zhu wa\" (piglet). Some families opted for names symbolizing durability, like stones, iron hammers, or locks, hoping their children would endure illness and adversity. Others favored rustic names to evade the notice of evil spirits. Notable figures bearing these nicknames include Emperor Wu of the Western Han dynasty, who went by \"zhi,\" meaning \"pig,\" and Sima Xiangru, nicknamed \"quan zi,\" meaning \"dog's child.\" The tradition waned with the advent of modern medicine, which reduced the perceived need for such protective names. However, the practice persists in some rural areas, as exemplified by a woman named Zhang from Shaanxi province, who had the nickname \"gou dan\" (dog and egg) and recounted her mother's fondness for calling her by this name. The trend resurfaced in popular media, such as the 2024 TV series \"Gou Sheng Running Quickly,\" which chronicled the life of an orphan named \"gou sheng,\" reigniting discussions about this cultural tradition.",
  "summary": "Like people elsewhere in the world, Chinese people often have nicknames in addition to their official names. Some of these may surprise people from other cultures because they sound humble or even unflattering. Chinese parents have traditionally given their children humble, sometimes vulgar, nicknames – occasionally using animal names such as “Dog” or “Pig.” The practice dates back to ancient…",
  "key_points": [
    "Ancient Chinese families named babies Dog or Pig for luck protection.",
    "Belief: humble names boost health and resilience.",
    "Examples: gou sheng (dog leftovers), zhu wa (piglet)."
  ],
  "editors_take": "Using unpretentious animal nicknames served as a spiritual shield for children across all social classes, reflecting a cultural strategy to ensure survival by evading the attention of evil spirits.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}