Some Thai students are being asked to consider changing their nicknames for "smoother cultural integration" in New Zealand.
The Smart NZ Education Centre said six out of 10 students who applied through the agency had been advised to rethink their nicknames, according to a New Zealand Herald report on September 9.
"Some nicknames may contain unfavourable pronunciation like 'poo', 'pee', 'chit', which resemble 'shit' or 'porn'," Chonnanit Na Songkhla, an agent at the centre, told the newspaper.
"There are nicknames that you know will result with the student getting harassed if nothing is done."
The report also cited nicknames such as Mydear, Peach, Perfume and English.
Most Thais are given nicknames at birth, a tradition rooted in the belief that a second name will confuse evil spirits intent on snatching a newborn. Nicknames also come in handy because of the large variety of unique first names, many of which have Pali or Sanskrit roots, are long and hard to pronounce and spell. It's not unusual to know someone closely for years without ever knowing his or her real name.
Baby boomers today usually have one-syllable nicknames of catchy, easy-to-remember words, or of the names of fruits or animals, but they tend to give their Generation Y children multi-syllable nicknames of more international leaning, such as Atom, Laser or Nano.
Foreign cartoon and game characters, such as Gundam and Shinjung, are also popular. The names of food or dishes are also not unheard of, such as Pancake, Pad Thai or Woonsen (vermicelli noodles) as people seek uniqueness.
Benz is popular among status-conscious parents, as are the likes of Fame, Auto, Sun and Win. Football enthusiasts have even been known to name their children Brazil and Denmark.
Thailand is New Zealand's sixth largest source of international students. The country positions itself as a safer study destination compared to countries such as the United States or the UK, Mrs Chonnanit said.