摘 要
   
英语姓名作为英语文化的载体和重要组成部分，可以从侧面反映出英语民族的语言和文化特征。透过英语姓名这个窗口，我们可以进一步加深我们对英语国家的了解。本文将尝试从英语语言发展的历史轨迹出发，在对其进行分析的基础上，概括出对英语姓名的起源和发展有不可磨灭印记的几大语源，从而总结出英语对英语姓名的影响。同时本文还将对英语国家的命名时尚演变作具体分析，以期让读者了解英语姓名命名模式变化发展过程。最后本文还将重点探讨我国大众对英语姓名的选择，通过对英语姓名在我国的发展现状和我们在选择英语姓名时存在的一些观念上的误区的分析，帮助大家更好地选择适合自己的英文名。

关键词：英语；英语姓名；命名
                                       
ABSTRACT

As an important part and the carrier of the English culture, English names embody the linguistic and cultural features of the English nation. Looking from the angle of English names, we can further deepen our understanding of them. This thesis attempts to summarize the etymologies that have undeniable impact on the origin and development of English names based on the analysis of the history of English. In addition to that, this thesis also makes a detailed analysis on the naming trends in the English speaking countries, in order to make readers learn the change of naming. Last but not least, this thesis discusses the English names chosen by Chinese, which includes the current situation of English names in China and the mistakes we have made in picking English names, hoping that people could have more suitable English names.  

Key words: English; English names; Naming
 
Chapter One Introduction
Naming is one of the most common language phenomena and a means of personal identification. English names are names used in, or originating in England. Generally a complete English name consists of three parts, including a surname, a middle name and a given name. For example, Barack Hussein Obama, Margaret Hilda Thatcher. Surname is defined as a name “shared by all the members of a family (written last in an English name)” (Hornby, 2004:1779). The surnames originated much later than the given names. They first appeared in aristocratic families in the 11th century. Middle name is “a name that comes between your given name and your surname” (Hornby, 2004:1096). Although it is uncertain how long middle names have existed in English speaking countries, it is sure that the practice existed by the late 17th century among aristocracy and the evidence could be found in the name of James Francis Edward Stuart (1688–1766).