Dear students, in Unit 1, we have learned people's names. Then, have you ever wondered about people's names? Where do they come from? What do they mean?

People's first names, or given names, are chosen by their parents. Sometimes the name of a grandparent or another member of the family is used. Some parents choose the name of a well-known person. A boy could be named George Washington Smith; a girl could be named Helen Keller Jones. Some people give their children names that mean good things. Clara means “bright”; Beatrice means “one who gives happiness”, Donald means “world ruler”; Leonard means “as brave as a lion”.

The earliest last names, or surnames, were taken from place names. A family with the name Brook or Brooks probably lived near brook; someone who was called Longstreet probably lived on a long, paved road. The Greenwood family lived in or near a leafy forest.

Other early surnames came from people's occupations. The most common occupational name is Smith, which means a person who makes things with iron or other metals. In the past, smiths were very important workers in every town and village. Some other occupational names are: Carter-a person who owned or drove a cart; Potter-a person who made pots and pans. The ancestors of the Baker family probably baked bread for their neighbors in their native village. The Carpenter's great-great-great-grandfather probably built houses and furniture.

Sometimes people were known for the color of their hair or skin, or their size, or their talents. When there were two men who were named John in the same village, the John with the gray hair probably became John Gray. Or the John was very tall could call himself John Tallman. John Fish was probably an excellent swimmer and John Lightfoot was probably a fast runner or a good dancer.

Some family names were made by adding something to the father's name. English-speaking people added -s or-son. The Johnsóns are descendants of John; the Roberts family's ancestor was Robert. Irish and Scottish people added Mac or Mc or O. Perhaps all of the MacDonnells and the McDonnells and the O'Donnells are descendants of the same Donnell.

Traditionally, baby boys are dressed in blue and baby girls are dressed in pink. We are taught this as children.

But as you grow up, this idea doesn’t mean much anymore. Take me, for example, I often wear pink or purple shirts. In fact, I’m wearing a pink shirt while I write this story!

While children might make fun of a boy wearing a pink shirt, I believe there really are no rules about what colors a man or woman can wear. That’s how it is in Australia and I’ve found it to be the case in China as well. There are more and more people who are quite happy to wear lots of creative things. Some men in China and Australia pay as much attention to their appearance as women.

But if you think the idea of boys wearing pink is something new, think again. It isn’t original at all. Kassia St Clair, the writer of The Secret Lives of Color, said it was very different in the 19th century. She explains that pink was a color worn by men in the military(军队). Blue, she says, was the color for girls.

Somehow, over the following 100 years, this has changed a lot. But whatever the story is today, don’t let it stop you from wearing whatever color you want!