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Hi, For some time now I have been trying to find a definitive meaning to my name 'Amoy'. I know it is of Asian origin because there was a city called Amoy in China, but the name has since changed to Hsiamen. I also know that there is a hotel in China with the name Amoy. I have been told that it is likely the name is spelt as 'A Moy' and it may mean 'little sister' in the Cantonese language. Unfortunately I cannot find this name or any variation of it. Hopefully you can help??
Many thanks. This message was posted in 2003 by another Amoy. I am searching for the answer also. Can you help us.
Thanks, Searching
Many thanks. This message was posted in 2003 by another Amoy. I am searching for the answer also. Can you help us.
Thanks, Searching
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Are your parents from China or fluent in the Chinese language themselves? If so, you will need to ask them what your name means. There are a great many homonyms (words that sound alike but have different meanings, such as the English beat and beet) in the Chinese language. So if your name was given to you by persons who were part of Chinese language and culture, you have to ask them how the name would be written out in Chinese characters, and then get someone who knows how to read those characters to interpret the intended meaning of the name for you.
If your parents found the name on the map, then the meaning of the city Amoy would be what you are looking for. I have found some websites which say that Amoy or Amoi comes from the local dialect pronunciation of words which meant "lower gate". The city was called that because it was the "gate to the sea".
http://law.xmu.edu.cn/cols/1Backgrounder.htm
If your parents found the name on the map, then the meaning of the city Amoy would be what you are looking for. I have found some websites which say that Amoy or Amoi comes from the local dialect pronunciation of words which meant "lower gate". The city was called that because it was the "gate to the sea".
http://law.xmu.edu.cn/cols/1Backgrounder.htm
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