tên hèm
Definition
- Noun:
- Milk name: A traditional, intimate, or childhood name given to a Vietnamese person, often used within the family or close community before the official name is used publicly. It is a name of endearment.
- Pet name: A familiar, unofficial name used affectionately for a person.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Ở nhà, mọi người vẫn gọi anh ấy bằng tên hèm. (At home, everyone still calls him by his milk name.)
- "Cu Tí" là tên hèm của con trai tôi. ("Cu Tí" is my son's pet name.)
Advanced Usage
- The tên hèm is often considered private and used in informal, familial settings, distinguishing it from the formal given name (tên chính or tên khai sinh).
Variants and Related Words
- Tên cúng cơm (n): Literally "rice-offering name," a synonym for tên hèm, emphasizing its use in family rituals and intimate contexts.
- Tên thân mật (n): An affectionate or intimate name.
- Biệt danh (n): A nickname, which can be broader than tên hèm, as it may be given later in life and by friends.
Synonyms
- Childhood name
- Pet name
- Family name (in the sense of a name used within the family, not the surname)
Related Cultural Notes
- The use of a tên hèm is rooted in traditional Vietnamese belief, where it was sometimes thought to protect a child by confusing malevolent spirits.
- It is common for a person's tên hèm to be a humble, unattractive, or mundane word (e.g., names of animals, objects) to ward off bad luck, while the official name is more elegant.