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A comment on Surnames from nicknames nobody has any more. Parent comment

Re:Surnames from nicknames nobody has any more by aitchnyu on Tuesday February 11, 2025 @01:29AM (#43009650)
Is Shiro a taboo name? Seen an ad for a big corp not printing 4 out of deference to the Japanese, since its the word for death.

Or do people associate it with white?

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Re:Surnames from nicknames nobody has any more by amiga386 on Tuesday February 11, 2025 @07:24AM (#43011988)
I'm not sure. 4 and death just sound the same, it's more a superstition to avoid saying those numbers, like Westerners thinking 13 is unlucky. It doesn't extend to all words beginning with or containing "shi"

Also, shiro (城 castle or 白 white) is not the same as the name Shirō (e.g. 四郎 "fourth son", 志郎 "determined son"?, 史郎 "historical son"?)

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