--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My parents went through the dictionary…" description: "\"My parents went through the dictionary looking for a beautiful name, nearly called me Banyan, flicked on a few pages and came to China, which is cockne..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2aa/china-mi-ville-1303_beautiful_my-parents-went-through-the-dictionary-l_726780.jpg" --- # My parents went through the dictionary looking for a… ![“My parents went through the dictionary looking for a beautiful name, nearly called me Banyan, flicked on a few pages and came to China, which is cockney rhyming slang for mate.” quote by China Mieville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2aa/china-mi-ville-1303_beautiful_my-parents-went-through-the-dictionary-l_726780.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2aa/china-mi-ville-1303_beautiful_my-parents-went-through-the-dictionary-l_726780.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2aa/china-mi-ville-1303_beautiful_my-parents-went-through-the-dictionary-l_726780.jpg) > “My parents went through the dictionary looking for a beautiful name, nearly called me Banyan, flicked on a few pages and came to China, which is cockney rhyming slang for mate.” [China Mieville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/china-mi-ville/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Parents searched for a meaningful name, ending up with “China,” a slang term for friend. **In simple terms:** Parents chose a name that sounds like a friendly nickname. Key Takeaway Embrace nicknames that feel personal. Themes identity language family creativity Mood playful reflective Type anecdotal cultural When to use this quote - birth naming - family storytelling - personal branding Key Concepts naming slang cultural reference Questions to Reflect On - How does a name shape your sense of self? - Do you prefer a nickname or your given name? A Different Perspective The nickname may not reflect personal identity later. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beautiful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beautiful/) [China](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/china/) [Cockney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cockney/) [Dictionary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dictionary/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Parents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parents/) [Rhyming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rhyming/) [Slang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slang/) ## Related quotes > [My parents were hippies, and the story is that they went through a dictionary looking for a beautiful word to name me. They nearly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/china-mi-ville/my-parents-were-hippies-and-the-story-is-that-they-went-through-a/) [China Mieville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/china-mi-ville/) > [I was able to make up lots of portementos, literally hundreds and hundreds of words... 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