Names, nicknames...

• Give a brief history of your own given and family names: where they come from and what they mean, if anything, in your language. Mention any unusual circumstances surrounding your family's choice of your given name(s).
• Describe how masculine and feminine names are differentiated in your country.
• Explain how names are changed in your country, either by choice, or upon marriage.
• If you changed your name in any way after you came to the U.S., explain why.
• Recall some of the English names you have seen or heard. Ask your partner to tell you whether these names are common or unusual.
• Describe the nicknaming customs followed in your country. Mention some of the more common nicknames in your country. Talk about your own nickname(s).
• Describe some of the "pet" names reserved for family members in your country.