Understanding the naming conventions of other cultures is important for an investigator or for anyone wishing to certainly and correctly identify people in our diverse country. The following column is an attempt to assist the reader in correctly applying the conventions of uniquely ethnic names so identification is possible. This article should not be interpreted as indicating any unusual prevalence of any specific ethnic group toward unlawful or immoral activities, since no such intention exists. In each issue of The John Cooke Fraud Report, we will explore the mysteries of the naming practices of different ethnic cultures. In this issue, we revisit Korean, Hmong, Laotian and Cambodian names.

Korean is the official language of North and South Korea. It is spoken by well over 50 million people. Korean speakers are concentrated in the Korean peninsula as well as in China, Japan and parts of the former Soviet Union.

Chinese has had a large influence on the Korean language. Over half of the vocabulary of Korean is said to have come from Chinese, and the earliest Korean language records are written in Chinese pictographic characters. A separate Korean alphabet was invented in A. D. 1443 by King Seo Jong. Originally the alphabet contained 11 vowels and 17 consonants. In 1730, the alphabet was simplified and four symbols were dropped. Today the alphabet contains 10 vowels and 14 consonants.

It is often difficult to translate directly between Korean and English sounds because some do not have a direct correlation. Sounds that are distinctive in English, for example “K” and “G,” are translated by a single Korean letter which falls some where between the two. A separate, harder “K” sound is represented by a different Korean character. Therefore, Koreans named Kang who arrive in an English-speaking country may find their name translated as either Gang or Kang. In the same way, a “B” may be translated as either a “B” or a “P. “

Other spelling irregularities can occur when a Korean name is similar to an English name or word. For example, the name Yung could be translated as Young simply because it is the recognized English spelling for that combination of sounds. In the same fashion, one of the most common Korean family names, if the sounds were properly translated into English, would be written as Bocg. However, whether because of tradition or poor translation, Koreans with the name Bocg who come to the United States most often receive an official translation of their name to Park. Other possible translations of Bocg are Pak and Paek. Other names that are often changed to fit our patterns are Su, which can become Sue, or Mo, which can become Moe.

Korean names usually consist of three one-syllable words. The first syllable is the family name. The second and third syllables are the given name. A typical Korean name might be Kim Je Young.

The majority of Korean families are named Ghim, Bocg, Jong and Rhee or Ee. When these names are translated into English, they are rarely translated exactly. Ghim becomes Kim; Bocg becomes Park, Pak or Paek; Jong becomes Chong; and Rhee becomes Yi or Lee. Other common family names are Choi or Cho, Kang or Gang, and Hong.

Korean given names consist of two one-syllable words. The names are chosen both for their meaning and for their sound combinations. Some typical given names would be Jun Mo, Uh Sook, Je Yung, Dong Ku, and Sue Min.

Possibilities for confusion exist when the two-syllable given name is forced to fit into an English mold. The two syllables are separated into the equivalent of our first and middle names and the order of the name is often changed to reflect our “first middle last” preferred order. A Korean named Kang Uh Sook might be listed as Kang Uh Sook; Uh Suk Gang or even Ooh Gang.

Other Koreans, especially young people, may Americanize their names. Jun becomes John or Jon. Hong becomes Hank or Han. Dong becomes Don.

Claims professionals who are working with Korean names need to keep these variations in mind when submitting names for indexing. As with other nationalities that do not follow Western-naming traditions, it may be advisable to index under various combinations of the claimant’s name; to substitute similar sounding letters, such as “G” for “K” or “B” for “P,” or to try different spellings of the name. If your claimant’s name is Park, try Bocg, Paek or Pak. If the name is Kim Dong Ku, try those same three syllables with varying spellings and word orders. A little flexibility and creativity could pay off.

Hmong Names

Since the end of the Vietnam War, over 100,000 Hmong have immigrated to the United States. The majority is located in Minnesota, Wisconsin and California.

In dealing with Hmong names, the claims professional may encounter several problems. First, is the order of the names. The Hmong have a clan name and either one or two given names, but traditionally, the order can vary depending on what sounds best to the individual. Many have adopted the standard American practices, however, placing the clan name last.

A second problem arises from the erratic spelling of Hmong names. The Hmong did not have a written language until the middle of the twentieth century when one was created for them by foreign missionaries. As a result, many Hmong are illiterate in either their own language or English.

Some Hmong women continue to use their clan name after marriage but many will adopt their husband’s name in keeping with American tradition.

The following is a list of common Hmong clan names and their pronunciations. Please note that spelling of Hmong names can vary.

Bee (bee) Khang (kahng) Yang (yahng)

Chang (chahng) Moua (mooah) Xiong (sheeong)

Cheng (cheng) Neng (neng)

Chue (cheu) Pao (pow)

Dang (dahng) Sao (sow)

Fang (fahng) Sy, See (see)

Ge (zhay) Thao, Tor (taw)

Ger, Yeu (dzur) Thong (tawng)

Hang (hahng) Tov (too)

Lee, Ly, Le Vang (vahng)

Lor, Lo (law) Vue (voo)

The following list includes the most common Hmong given names. As with the clan names, spelling is not standardized. In addition, children may be given American names, with only their clan name reflecting their Hmong heritage.

Blia (bleeah) Kia (keeah) May (my)

Chia (cheeah) Koua, Kua (kooah) Neng (neng)

Doua, Dua (dooah) Lang (lahng) Nu (noo)

Gen (tsan)Lia (leeah) Yii (yee)

Hua (hooah) Mo (maw) You (jew)

Again, claims professionals must pay attention to possible variations in word order and spelling when indexing Hmong names. Steps to try include submitting the name with the order reversed or submitting with different spellings of the same name. For females, try both the wife’s and the husband’s clan names.

Cambodian Names

Cambodian, or Khmer, is spoken by over 5 million people. It is the official language of Kampuchea.

Cambodian names usually consist of two parts. The first name is the family name. The next is the individual’s given name. As with other nonwestern names, spelling can vary and some of the younger members of the community are given American names.

Common Cambodian family names and their pronunciation are listed below.

Chak (chawk) Sem (sem) Touch (tooch)

Chop (chop) Sok (sawk) Vuthy (vootee)

San (sahn) Som (sawm)

Common Cambodian given names are listed below.

Balin (bahlin) Leng (leng) Phuong (poong)

Chea (cheeah) Loveng (loong) Saroeung (sahroong)

Cheata (cheeaytah) Ly (lee) Serey (sayray)

Chheng (cheng) Narong (nahrong) Son (sawn)

Dara (dahrah) Naroeung (nahroong)

Cambodian names present challenges to claims professionals that are similar to those from other nationalities. When working with Cambodian claimants, it may be helpful to check various combinations of the names.

Laotian Names

The Laotian language (or Lao) is the official language of Laos. It is spoken by over 10 million people living in Laos and Thailand.

Laotian names consist of a given name followed by a family name. The given name may be made up of a common prefix and multiple suffixes.

Common Laotian family names are listed below with their pronunciations.

Bouphasiri (boopasiri)

Kaignavongsa (kyngnavongsah)

Kahmphoukeo (kahmpoo keo)

Konekhamsompnou (konkahmsompoo)

Koulavongsa (koolavongsah)

Nasirichampang (nasirichampang)

Pnommavongsay (pommavonsy)

Pharasovco (prasoovow)

Raitanabouavorn (ratanabuavorn)

Soukbandith (sookbahndit)

Common Laotian given names are listed below.

Bounmy (boonmee)

Bounsouan (boonsuan)

Bounteum (boonteum)

Bounthieng (boontieng)

Fasananh (fasanahn)

Khamphouang (kahmpwung)

Khamsavevi (kahmsavevi)

Oubonlamphanh (oobonlahmpahn)

Thongchanh (tongchahn)

Thongphoun (tongpoon)

Indexing Laotian claimants calls for both precision and a little creativity. Names such as those listed here are longer and more complex than most claims professionals usually handle. It would not be unusual to find that such names had been misspelled, either in the claims file or in previous Index entries. It is also possible that either one or both of the names might be shortened.

The John Cooke Fraud Report would like to thank three Korean individuals who assisted in the preparation of this article, JunMo Gang, Dr. Samuel Park, and Michelle Paek.

If you are a new subscriber, you may be interested in obtaining back issues of The John Cooke Insurance Fraud Report. In previous issues we have covered the naming traditions of a variety of other cultures: Vietnamese, Arabic, Hispanic, Gypsy, Russian, Iranian.