Here at Transcription City, we pride ourselves in providing high quality translation services, transcription services, subtitling services and voice over services. In this post, we thought we’d hear from one of our expert translators, who provides expert German subtitling services and German translation services.
German Translation Services – It is all in the Name
Sometimes German translation work also involves working with names (especially when providing German subtitling services), mostly first names of course. It is interesting to see what the differences are. Are they all the same in the world, maybe with slight differences in spelling?
It is very obvious that people like to choose the perfect name for their child. There are the names that top the lists year after year, because they are a great and safe choice. But there are also the crazy, bold and wonderful choices that come along and which may raise an eyebrow or two at the register office.
German Translation Services and German Language Localisation
In English-speaking countries people often favour girls names that resemble flowers, such as Rose, Daisy, Poppy or Lily. But would this be the same in other countries? Far from it. In Germany people sometimes snigger when a US celebrity may names their child Daisy, after the beautiful white little flower in abundance on most lawns. Yet in German it has mostly one association – that of the Disney cartoon character Daisy Duck. And who would want to name their child after that? Or even Donald for that matter?
Another nice choice, although not related to flowers, it the rather common name of Elizabeth. When I say common, I mean widely used and known. But of course there is the much more regal association to Queen Elizabeth II. And that is quite frankly the only association that the Germans have with that name. If you chose this for your German child, people would most likely think that you are a massive royal fan!
On the other hand the name Rose does not really exist in German in this short form. It would be a longer version that is Rosemarie for example, but that is more often found in the slightly older generation.
When the Disney movie “Frozen” became very popular a few years ago, it was sort of the other way around. People in the English-speaking world found the male names such as Olaf, Sven and Kristoff unusual or even funny. They would find them difficult to pronounce or spell. Yet all three are amongst the most common first names found in adults in German-speaking countries. And they don’t think that is funny at all. Seriously.
There is also a trend in the younger German generation of using very English names, mostly even double barrelled names. This could be Jerome-Jeremy for example or Chantal-Chanelle. We will leave that for the registrar though, shall we? Or what would you chose as the most beautiful name in the world?
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