| It is not uncommon for a Chinese couple to seek | | | | Let say that the element that is most lacking in |
| the services of an astrologer to find a suitable | | | | the chart is water. In this case the astrologer will |
| Chinese baby name for their new born child. It is | | | | find a name that is associated with water. |
| believe that a suitable Chinese baby name can | | | | Obvious names would include water or ocean. |
| improve the luck of the child and give the child a | | | | Less obvious is winter which is also associated |
| more auspicious life path. | | | | with water. For someone lacking in the wood |
| The methodologies for selecting a suitable Chinese | | | | element, suitable names include wood, forest, |
| baby vary between the different schools of | | | | spring (a season of wood) or a name of a plant. |
| thoughts but most of them are based on the | | | | Another technique is to find a Chinese name that |
| principles of Yin and Yang as well as the Five | | | | comes with the required element. Most Chinese |
| Elements. | | | | characters are composed of basic characters. For |
| Chinese characters are made up of strokes. The | | | | example the character for the word 'stove' a |
| odd number strokes are Yang while the even | | | | made up of the character fire and earth. |
| number strokes are Yin. For example a character | | | | Therefore if you lack fire or earth you can call |
| composed on two strokes is Yin while another | | | | yourself stove! Not the best of example but I |
| character composed on 3 or 5 stokes are Yang. | | | | hope you understand the principle! |
| The total number of strokes used in the name | | | | These are by no means the only methods. Let |
| matters. Depending on the school, a certain range | | | | me give you an example. In the old days, where |
| of strokes are auspicious while certain other | | | | infant mortality rate is quite high, parent resort to |
| ranges are not. | | | | giving their child very lowly names like Cow or Pig |
| In most schools the date of time of the baby's | | | | hoping the evil spirits will miss them hence allowing |
| birth is also required to compute the Ba Zi or | | | | them to live to a ripe old age! |
| Eight Characters. From the eight characters, the | | | | Now you now why someone not so good looking |
| astrologer can determine the useful element. This | | | | is called 'Spring Beauty' while an obvious beauty is |
| is usually but not necessary the element is that | | | | called a 'Pig'! |
| most lacking in the chart. | | | | |