Generation Name

Generation name, variously zibei or banci, is one of the characters in a traditional Chinese name, and is so called because each member of a generation (i.e. siblings and cousins of the same generation) share that character, unlike surnames or given names.

Where used, generation names were usually given only to males, although this does vary from lineage to lineage and has changed over time.

Read more about Generation Name:  Generation Poem, Practice, Table With Example Family, Affiliation Character

Famous quotes containing the word generation:

    The generation of mankind is like the generation of leaves. The wind scatters the leaves on the ground, but the living tree burgeons with leaves again in the spring.
    Homer (c. 9th century B.C.)