In China, newborn babies traditionally take the surnames of their fathers. But in recent years, an increasing number of people are choosing to use the mother’s maiden name.
For thousands of years, giving a child the father’s surname has been the status in many societies. But as the values of gender equality permeate societies, it is more common in China to see diverse name choices for babies. China’s marriage law also allows babies to bear the surnames of either the father or mother.
However, changing centuries-old traditions does not happen overnight. In China, where values from patriarchal systems in a traditionally male-dominated society still prevails, many parents give “compound surnames” to their babies. A compound surname includes the surnames of both the father and the mother.
In March, police in Shanghai released a report about names in the city. According to the report, of more than 90,000 newborns last year, 8.8% took their mother’s surnames, and 2.5% bore compound surnames.
But the phenomenon has also courted some controversy. Some supporters of babies taking their mothers’ surnames say that the situation highlights gender equality, while many say traditional values should not be broken.