Gendered and Gender-Neutral Naming Practices in Mandarin Chinese: Metaphoric and Non-Metaphoric Imagery Over Time in Taiwan

This study investigates gender-specific names, as well as gender-neutral names in Mandarin Chinese, and explores their naming strategies from both synchronic and diachronic perspectives. Synchronically, we examined the 100 most frequently used names for girls, boys, and gender-neutral names, using data from the full population of Taiwan ( Ministry of the Interior of Taiwan, 2018 ). We analyzed the frequency of each character in accordance with metaphoric and nonmetaphoric qualities. Diachronically, we reviewed the most frequently used gender-specific names from the recent 100 years over each 10-year period and then analyzed how they change over time. Both diachronically and synchronically, a higher diversity in boy's names is observed. Such diversity aligns with traditional perspectives that assign greater social and public expectations to men. Over time, there appears to be a decrease in gender stereotypes, as reflected in naming practices. The most commonly used gender-neutral names often feature characters with less gendered connotations, which may involve the incorporation of functional words or metaphoric usage not conventionally associated with either gender.