Buddhism has exerted an immeasurable influence in Chinese ideas and attitudes towards life. It can be found in people’s latent psychology as well as in people’s names. Names are not only symbols to distinguish one from another, but also reflect people’s perceptions and beliefs. In the Northern and Southern Dynasties, many people from the upper class turn to Buddhism for favorite names. Moreover, in Tang and Song Dynasties, with the generalization and indigenization of Buddhism, this trend spreads to the masses. This phenomenon deserves attention for the concern of cultural linguistics and it is believed that the research on the relationship between Buddhism and names should be founded on the bases of authentic proofs instead of strained analogies.
