通常，當妳的老師問壹個問題時，只有壹個正確答案。但有壹個問題目前有數百萬個答案，這個問題就是“妳叫什麽名字？”每個人給出不同的答案，但每個人都是正確的。
Have you ever wondered about people's names? Where do they come from? What do they mean?
妳有沒有想過人們的名字？它們來自哪裏？是什麽意思
People's first names, or given names, are chosen by their parents. Sometimes the name of a grandparent or other member of the family is used. Some parents choose the name of a well-known person．A boy could be named George Washington Smith; a girl could be named Helen Keller Jones.
人們的名字由父母決定。有時使用祖父母或其他家庭成員的名字。壹些父母選擇名人的名字，男孩可以叫喬治·華盛頓·史密斯，女孩可以叫海倫·凱勒·瓊斯。
Some people give their children names that mean good things．Clara means"bright"; Beatrice means "one who gives happiness"; Donald means"world ruler"; Leonard means"as brave as a lion"．
有些人給孩子起的名字意味著好的寓意。Clara（克拉拉）的意思是“聰明的”；Beatrice（比阿特麗斯）的意思是“給人幸福的人”；Donald（唐納德）的意思是“世界統治者”；Leonard（倫納德）的意思是“像獅子壹樣勇敢”。
The earliest last names, or surnames, were taken from place names. A family with the name Brook or Brooks probably lived near brook; someone who was called Longstreet probably lived on a long, paved road. The Greenwood family lived in or near a leafy forest．
最早的姓氏來自地名。Brook（布魯克）或Brooks（布魯克斯）家族可能住在brook（小溪）旁；壹個叫Longstreet的人可能住在壹條長長的公路上。Greenwood壹家住在壹片茂密的森林裏或附近。
Other early surnames came from people's occupations. The most common occupational name is Smith, which means a person who makes things with iron or other metals. In the past, smiths were very important workers in every town and village. Some other occupational names are: Carter﹣a person who owned or drove a cart; Potter﹣a person who made pots and pans．
其他早期姓氏來自人們的職業。最常見的職業名稱是Smith，意思是用鐵或其他金屬制造物品的人。過去，smith是每個城鎮和村莊非常重要的工人。其他壹些職業名稱是：Carter﹣擁有或駕駛手推車的人；Potter﹣制造鍋碗瓢盆的人。
The ancestors of the Baker family probably baked bread for their neighbors in their native village．The Carpenter's great-great-great-grandfather probably built houses and furniture. Sometimes people were known for the color of their hair or skin, or their size, or their special abilities. When there were two men who were named John in the same village, the John with the gray hair probably became John Gray. Or the John was very tall could call himself John Tallman. John Fish was probably an excellent swimmer and John Lightfoot was probably a fast runner or a good dancer.
Baker（貝克）家族的祖先可能為他們家鄉的鄰居烤面包。Carpenter的遠祖可能建造房屋和家具。有時，人們因頭發或皮膚的顏色、體型或特殊能力而聞名。當同壹個村子裏有兩個叫John（約翰）的人時，灰色頭發的約翰可能會變成John Gray。或者John很高，可以稱自己為John Tallman。John Fish可能是壹名優秀的遊泳運動員，John Lightfoot可能是壹名跑步運動員或優秀的舞者。
Some family names were made by adding something to the father's name. English-speaking people added -s or -son. The Johnsons are descendants of John; the Roberts family's ancestor was Robert. Irish and Scottish people added Mac or Mc or O. Perhaps all of the MacDonnells and the McDonnells and the O'Donnells are descendants of the same Donnell.
有些姓氏是在父親的名字上加了壹些字母。說英語添加-s獲-son。Johnsons壹家是John的後代；Roberts壹家的祖先是Robert。愛爾蘭和蘇格蘭人添加Mac或Mc或O。也許所有的MacDonnells家族、McDonnells家族和O'Donnells家族都是Donnell家族的後代。