Baby named after King of Glory game

A couple in Xi’an, Shaanxi province, set the internet abuzz by naming their newborn daughter after one of the hottest mobile computer games in China.

Images of the child’s household registration document, or hukou, were widely shared online on Monday after netizens noticed her name was Wang Zherongyao, the name — in Chinese — of the smash hit King of Glory.

According to the mother, who talked to Chinese Business View, the name was chosen by the child’s father, an IT worker from Hebei province, shortly after their daughter was born on Aug 1.

“Everything at home is up to my husband, and I’m fine with it,” she said.

King of Glory is a multiplayer online battle arena designed by internet giant Tencent. It leads the country’s booming online game industry with some 80 million daily active users.

Officers at the local police station said the name did not violate any regulations on baby names, which require that names range from two to four Chinese characters.

However, the parents’ decision to choose a peculiar name has sparked a debate.

“The way the parents named their daughter is irresponsible, which is a common problem among young parents,” said Zhang Shengfeng, 27, who is single and works for a new-energy company in Beijing. “But it’s totally understandable for new parents.”

Wang Shangrong, a 29-year-old mother, supported the couple. “Both my grandparents’ and my parents’ names show distinct features of their times, and they grew up just fine. I don’t see a problem naming the child after a popular product of our time.”

Unusual names have been reported in the past — for example Bai Xuegongzhu (which translates as Snow White in English), Shi Shiwangjue (Epic Baron), Ju Xing (Superstar) and Qin Niang (Mother), among others.

Wang Keju contributed to this story.

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