OK... we've seen her names represented both ways. The WTA official site has her listed as Na Li but in Chinese the correct way to address her is Li Na.
She was asked about her name in a press conference earlier this year and here's what she had to say:
"Although it should be Li Na, it really matters little if people put it backwards because my name is so short."
I wonder why we follow the Chinese tradition when referring to Yao Ming, but we don't for those same rules for Li Na. . The way that it works for him, shouldn't it be the same for Li Na. In English his name would be Ming Yao, but his chinese family name is YAO so it's listed first. And anytime anyone refers to him they always say Yao, not Ming.
One thing that confuses me though is that if people in China really do refer to each other by their 'family' name (last name in the western world) then how are people differentiated from one another in the same family? I guess I'm confused.
My personal preference is Li Na.
Li Na's first name: LI
Li Na's given name: NA
Li Na's written name: LI NA
Li Na's last name: Na
Li Na's family name: Li
She was asked about her name in a press conference earlier this year and here's what she had to say:
"Although it should be Li Na, it really matters little if people put it backwards because my name is so short."
I wonder why we follow the Chinese tradition when referring to Yao Ming, but we don't for those same rules for Li Na. . The way that it works for him, shouldn't it be the same for Li Na. In English his name would be Ming Yao, but his chinese family name is YAO so it's listed first. And anytime anyone refers to him they always say Yao, not Ming.
One thing that confuses me though is that if people in China really do refer to each other by their 'family' name (last name in the western world) then how are people differentiated from one another in the same family? I guess I'm confused.
My personal preference is Li Na.
Li Na's first name: LI
Li Na's given name: NA
Li Na's written name: LI NA
Li Na's last name: Na
Li Na's family name: Li
