At the start of a new teaching year, with new students, I usually go armed with a folder, with names and meanings that I have printed.
When I have students with absolutely inappropriate names (bearing in mind that the ultimate aim of my nursing students is to work and/or study overseas) I take aside the ones that this applies to, suggest to them that their names will give them no credibility, and hand them the folder with the names. Meanings do seem to be important to them.
But, if they insist that they really like their English 'name' then that is their choice. I just feel that I need to give them the knowledge, with which they can make a better choice if they want to.
A couple of years ago, one of the odd names was Titty. She was mortified when I told her what that would mean, in my country, and very quickly became Nicole.
Another year, two of the girls in a class were called Elephant and Phone, and one of the boys in the same class was called Shalala. It is very difficult, I find, as a teacher, to speak to a 20 year old young man by name, when that is his name!!
Lin
Zhaoqing, Guangdong.