Post by Firework on Aug 27, 2006 12:29:04 GMT -5
Feel free to submit names; I'll have to check them first before adding it.
?= Asian characters.
Only the meanings that refer to the characters shall be used. Some characters names may have meanings but they may just not suit the character or make any sense and so are not mentioned.
Aang: Aang Serian means "House of Peace" in the Arusha dialect of Maasai language, is an independent, non-profit cultural association aiming to empower young people by helping them to explore their identity at the tribal, national and global levels.
* May be derived from a mandarin word "to protect," referring to his role as the Avatar.
Afiko: Since Afiko is technically the last Airbender before Aang's revival, his name might have came from Afikoman, the name given to the last matzo eaten at the Passover Seder.
Appa: Appa is Tamil for "father" relating to Aang and Appa's relationship.
Azula: Her name may be derived from the Spanish/Portugal word azul, meaning "blue" referring to Azula's unique blue fire.
* Azula may also be from an Asian word asura, meaning "demon" a fitting term for her.
* Azula appears in Zuko's nightmare as a blue dragon. Which is pretty much an incarnation of her: a blue demon.
Fire Lord Azulon: The name Azulon likely comes from the Azure Dragon of Chinese astrology.
Ba Sing Se: It is stated in "The Drill" that Ba Sing Se means "The Impenetrable City." However, the literal meaning, pronounced in Mandarin Chinese as biao ceng cheng, translates to "outside layer city." The opposite, Na Sing Se (the name General Sun joked about meaning "Penetrable City"), nei ceng cheng, translates to "inside city."
Pao (Bao): The owner's last name is Bāo which translates as "to cover," meaning he's literally Zuko's and Iroh's cover.
Bosco: In Italian, bosco means "forest."
* His name might have come from Bosco Chocolate Syrup whose animal icon is a bear.
Bato: Bato is Filipino for "stone" or "rock."
* Since Bato is from the Water Tribes, a possible way to write his name could be Bō tāo which means "great waves."
* The top of the map sent to Bato says yuè hù yòu which translates as "Sea Moon protection and blessing ."
Bumi: Bumi is Malaysian and Indonesian for "earth."
* Bumi's name can also come from Bhumidevi, the Hindu goddess of earth.
* Being the clever trickster that he is, his name might be written as bù mí: "a book of riddles."
* Bhumi means the ten stages a Bodhisattva goes through to become a Buddha: bhumi of joy, bhumi of purity, bhumi of emission of light, bhumi of glowing, bhumi of overcoming final illusions, bhumi of sign of supreme wisdom, bhumi of progression, bhumi of immobility, bhumi of the all-pentrating wisdom, and bhumi of cloud of teaching. Referring to Bumi's ideas of life.
Cabbage Merchant; Chou: Chou means "to be anxious," rather suiting for the poor guy.
Chey: His name seems to be written as chè which means "thoroughly," probably an allusion to his devotion to the cause.
Chan: Can be translated as John. Sanskrit word for "shining".
Chong: Related homonyms with meanings that fit his personality are "foolish," "unsettled," as an indecisive hippy, "revere" as a leader, and "repetition."
Dai Lee: Dài Lǐ translates as "agent" in Chinese.
* They appear to be modeled after the government agents of Qing Dynasty China, generally known as the Dai Li in Cantonese/Chinese dà nèi which literally means "Greater-Inner," and refers to those who serve in the Greater Inner Sanctum of the Forbidden City.
Due: Duò which means "helm" or "rudder."
Earth King/ Kuei: Kuei can be written as kuí which means "chief" or kuǐ for "puppet."
Gan Jin: In Mandarin Chinese Gan Jin (gānjìng) means "clean."
Gansu: A province in Eastern China renowned as the entranceway into China used by Marco Polo. Eastern Gansu is the main site of earthquakes in China. May have to do with Zuko entering his farm and then the fight between Zuko and Gow.
Gaoling: A take off the once British word gaol, which translates to the word "jail." This term is befitting considering the way that Toph's parents locked up in their home and guarded constantly.
* Gaoling which means "tall hill" is also a name of a county in Shannxi, a Central province in China. However, in the Avatar world, it is located in the South which coincidentally goes with Toph's knowledge of Chu Gar, Southern Praying Mantis Kung Fu.
Ghashiun: The name refers to an area of Ghashiun-Gobi or Salt Desert.
Gow: May be derived from Pai Gow or “double-hand poker”, a poker game that’s loosely based on the Chinese game Pai Gow, meaning “make nine.” Referring to Gow's gambling and crooked nature despite his claims his crimes are for the people's good.
Monk Gyatso: Gyatso is the name given to each reincarnations of the Dalai Lama. The 14th and current Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, was renamed Jetsun Jamphel Ngawang Lobsang Yeshe Tenzin Gyatso, meaning “Holy Lord, Gentle Glory, Compassionate, Defender of the Faith, Ocean of Wisdom.” Most of these terms could be used to describe Monk Gyatso.
Hahn: German for "rooster" which refers to Hahn's arrogant nature.
* Hahn is also a Korean surname meaning "a sharp spur of force."
Hakoda: The word hakkoda which means "eight armor fields" and a "heavily snowed mountain range" in Japan seems more befitting as his name.
Hama: Japanese for "shore" and/or "beach", perhaps referring to her current lifestyle stuck on the land or even her longing for her old home and her resolution to remain in the FN.
Haru: Japanese for "spring" referring to his element, earth that is linked with spring.
*In Akkadian, haru means "to dig out" which may refer to Haru saving the old man caught in the landslide.
Hei Bai: Hei Bai (hēibái) literally means in Mandarin "black white."
Hide: A Japanese female name which means "excellent" and/or "superior, referring to his arrogance and superior attitude as well as how the headmaster views him so highly.
Hue: Ways to write for Hu are "to protect" and "intimidate" or "to fool" referring to his duty of attacking those who harm the swamp.
* Hue could simply refer to word which definition may mean "aspect" or "the property of colors by which they can be perceived." Referring to his perception of life, death, and time.
Iroh: In "The Desert," Iroh's name was listed on a Fire Nation wanted poster in Chinese as Ai Luo. Ai is the medicinal herb Chinese mugwort: Artemisia vulgaris, while Luo is a name of a river in the Shanxi province. The herb may refer to his little mistake in "The Cave of Two Lovers" with the "tea" plant.
* Iro is also Japanese for "color," suiting as he is a very colorful person.
* Iroh's alias Mushi may have been created because he looked half-dead with a medicinal paste smeared over his sores, was given the name Mùshī which translates as "grave corpse."
*In Japanese, mushi can mean "a ne'er-do-well" or "fool", one who irresponsibly daydreams his way through life, an understandable insult from Zuko after Iroh's foolish debacle with the "tea" plant.
* From his nickname "The Dragon of the West," may refer to Chinese mythology, the Dragon of the West is one of four Dragon Kings and is named Áo rùn or Ao Jun which translates as "haughty surplus/intercalary."
* Coincidentally, the name Áo rùn goes with Ozai's name transliteration to Áo zǎi which translates as "haughtily load/year."
*Seperately, Ai and Rou which in Japanese make up Iroh's name can mean "suffer/grieve and love" and "gentle mind." Suiting terms for Iroh's past and personality.
Jeong Jeong: His name means "bright fire."
* However, given that Jeong Jeong saw past Fire Nation propaganda, the similar looking word zhēng seems more befitting for his name since it translates as "to open the eyes."
Jet: The actor Jet Li who shared the same first name as Jet writes it jié which means "hero." Despite Jet's wrongdoings, his final moments make him a hero.
* In Turkmen means "disagreement," referring to his and Sokka's disagreement in flooding the village.
Jin: The name Jin is Chinese for "gold," probably an allusion of her being a customer.
Jin Wei: Since both clans can agree that the Gan Jin's forefather was supposed to deliver the sacred orb, his name can be written as jiè wèi which translates as "to transport under guard."
Joo Dee: The word Joo Dee is a Korean slang word for "lips," an appropriate reference to her wide smile.
* Joo Dee's name may also in some way be a reference to the Yongle Emperor, Zhu Di.
* His era name, Yǒnglè means "perpetually jubilant" or "forever happy," which coincidentally coincides with the expected behavior of a Joo Dee.
Jun: Her name sounds similar to Jung, the Cantonese pronunciation of Zōng which means "footprint" or "track" referring to her role as a bounty hunter.
Katara: Her name may be derived from the Spanish/Portugal word cataratas meaning "waterfall."
* In "City of Walls and Secrets," the name Katara used at the party was Kuā Měi which means "fascinating" or "beautiful."
* In "The Tales of Ba Sing Se," Katara's name was written as ?. Kǎ means to "check" or "block" for her fighting/bending skills. Tǎ means "pagoda," Lā means "to pull" or "play (string instruments)." The character Lā is same La as the Ocean Spirit's name from season one's finale.
* In "The Drill," Sokka mentioned that he was the idea guy, while Aang and Katara were the chop things up with Waterbending guys. Given that and that Waterbending requires a slicing motion of the arms, it is possible that Katara's name is from the word katar, which are Indian arm swords.
Kana: Kana is Inuit for "down there, downriver in front of, this one below, or in the direction of the sea," referring to her southernly emigration.
Koh: Or Kŏ is the Japanese word for "old" or "sin" referring to Koh's age.
Avatar Kuruk: Kuruk is Pawnee for "bear," referring to his headdress.
Kwan: A Korean male name which means a large building, palace, or library. May be derived from the Korean martial arts school, Moo Duk Kwan.
Avatar Kyoshi: Kyoshi is Japanese for "teacher" and is also the term used for a 10th degree black belt. This may refer to how Suki taught Sokka and how Sokka learned how to respect woman and Aang learned not to let his role as the Avatar go to his head.
* Due to her manner of dress and the appearance of word on the golden button of the right arm guard, Avatar Kyoshi's name can be translated as "capital samurai" in Japanese.
La: Is Chinese for "pull."
Lao: In Chinese is a title for an older or respected person, such as a teacher or an older relative.
Lake Laogai: Means to "re-educate through labor." Laogai is an extensive prison labor camp chain used by Communist China with estimates of the number of inmates ranging from 10 to 20 million, often holding outspoken political dissidents and prisoners of conscience such as Christians, Buddhists, Tibetans and Falun Gong practitioners. Child labor is common and widespread in the manufacture of fireworks, textiles and toys in Laogai.
Lee: Given that all Lee's farm animals resemble pigs, his name is most likely a homonym to Zuko's alias and would be written as Lì which means "pigsty."
Lily: The Chinese word for the lily flower is Bǎi Hé which literally mean "one hundred unite" referring to her peaceful and harmonic attitude and her love of flowers.
Long Feng: Is Chinese for the "man behind the man." Fitting for his role in Ba Sing Se and his shady attitude.
* Long means "dragon" and Feng means "phoenix" and the characters mean "wind". The dragon representing masculinity and the phoenix femininity- they are like yin and yang. Even in Western culture the two are signs of kingliness and power. The dragon and the phoenix often served in classical art and literature as metaphors for people of high virtue and rare talent or, in certain combinations, for matrimonial harmony or happy marriage.
* The name Lóng fèng represents Dragon Phoenix which in Chinese traditions stand for the royal throne. The position Long Feng holds is similar to a queen in chess, in which he is really in control and victory is left to a king that wields no power.
Lu Ten: Lu Ten written as ? Lù T'éng means "road to gallop over."
Macmu Ling: Ling means "sound of jade" which may refer to the Chinese view of jade as hardness, durability, and (moral) beauty- traits which fit her.
Mai: Is the Cantonese pronunciation of Mèi and means "sleeve of a robe," which is where she hides her weapons.
* In Gilbertese, Mai means "pale" and "grayish", as her skin is pale and grayish as well as her eyes and her aura is described as being dingy, pasty, and gray.
Makapu: Meaning "bulging eye" in Hawaiian, Makapu'u is a name given to the extreme eastern end of the Island of Oʻahu in the Hawaiian Islands.
Malu: Her name could be written as Mà Lù which means "a sacrifice at the beginning of a military campaign massacre."
* In the Malay language, Malu means "shy," referring to her tendency to avoid others.
Meng: Means dream, visionary, and/or wishful referring to her crush on Aang.
Ming: A Chinese name which means "shining, bright, clear," or "engrave". May refer to her kind hearted personality.
Miyuki: A common female Japanese name meaning : "beautiful fortune, beautiful happiness, beautiful snow, beautiful reason for history."
Moku: Is the Japanese onomatopoeia for smoke. Fitting since he is the one that spots the smoke left by the Fire Nation tanks.
* Mó Gū means "mushrooms," which is what Moku resembles with his coolie hat on.
Momo: Japanese for "peach," which is what Momo is named after.
* In "The Tales of Ba Sing Se," Momo was written as Mō Mó which means "imitate" in Chinese. It also can be seen as the phase in Chinese in which when a word is repeated twice it become a cute reference. So Mo meaning "fur" is repeated.
Mung: Mung is computer jargon for "to make repeated changes" which individually may be reversible, yet which ultimately result in an unintentional, irreversible destruction of large portions of the original item. Mung may have been created from the Lowland Scots word "munge", meaning to imperfectly transform or, later, to munch up into a mess. Most likely refers to his position as factory leader who willingly pollutes the environment and even tried to hurt the villagers for a false crime.
Oma: An Arabic girl's name meaning "leader," referring to Oma leading the two villages in creating Omashu as well as teaching Earthbending to others.
* An Indian name meaning "life giver."
On Ji: A Japanese term (onji) that roughly means syllables in poetry though the exact definition is sketchy.
Oyaji: A Japanese informal word meaning "dad."
Fire Lord Ozai: The modern way to write down the official red seal that is placed on all the wanted posters is iè huǒ guó wáng áo zǎi yìn bǎo, which translates as "Fire Lord Ozai's official seal." Ozai is written as Áo zǎi which in spoken Chinese translates as "haughtily load." However, since it is written on documents, the word comes to mean the word "year" instead, thus making the translation for Ozai's name as "haughtily year," most likely a reference to him being the catalyst for the difficult year setting of the series. Coincidentally, whatever ways Áo zǎi is translated as, it connects well with Iroh's nickname, "The Dragon of the West," due to in Chinese mythology, the dragon is called Áo rùn which translates as "haughty surplus/intercalary."
Master Pakku: The name Pakku is likely derived from the Japanese pronunciation of the early Chinese philosophical concept of Kon-paku. According to this concept, life activity is composed by two elements: "Kon" designates the soul (spiritual aspect of life) and "paku" its container (physical aspect of life). As a master Waterbender, Pakku would be following this belief since water is consider a spiritual life force that passes through a body, especially a bender. This becomes clear when Aang was revived in the Second season finale with spirit water.
Pangs and the Yum Soon Hans: These names make up a Cantonese sentence that translates as "friends are waiting."
Guru Pathik: Means "the traveler" and was a last name that Gandhi personally gave to the family of Magan Kumar.
Piandao: The dao part refers to a type of Chinese saber; this is somewhat ironic as his own weapon looks similar to a jian, a straight double-edged sword, and not a curved single-edged sword.
War Minister Qin: His name may have come from Qín, a short-lived dynasty found by China's first emperor and namesake Qin Shi Huang. Under the ruthless State of Qin, China was imperially unified, the Chinese characters were standardized, the first Great Wall was started, and the terracotta army was buried.
* A homonym for Qín is Qīn (侵 which means "to invade" referring to his constant role in invading places.
Rough Rhinos: Their names seems to be Mongolian inspired.
* Colonel Mongke: May refer to Möngke the name of a grandson of Genghis (Chingis) Khan and means "eternal."
* Kachi : Kachee is the name given to the Tibetan Muslim minority who are Mongolian descended.
* Ogedei was the name of Genghis' third and favorite son.
* Yeh-Lu comes from Yeh-lu Chu'tsai the Magician, Genghis' chief of the secretariat.
* Vachir is a style of archery and means "thunderbolt."
Ruon-Jian: A possible variant for Ryan; Jian is a variant of John and means "river" and originates from the name borne by descendants of Xu Jianbo, a senior official of the state of Jin during the Spring and Autumn period (722–481 bc).
Sangok: Since Sangok is really just a background character, a possible translation for his name could be sān gè which means "third individual" as in Extra #3.
Sela: The Ibn Ezra translates Sela as "truth" or "so it is" possibly referring to when Zuko's identity was exposed to her and Lee.
Senlin's Forest: Senlin, written in Chinese as ?, means "forest."
Si Wong Desert: The name of the desert literally translates to the "Death" in Mandarin.
Sha Mo: Means "desert" and is a name commonly used by the Chinese as a reference to the Gobi Desert.
Shoji: A Japanese name meaning "correct" and/or "shining second (son)" which may refer to his bright personality.
Fire Sage Shyu: A possible meaning for his name could be shài yù which mean "expose to sun blazes."
Sokka: Sokka could be derived from Soka Gakkai, a lay Buddhist association that embraces the philosophy and teachings of Nichiren, a 13th-century Japanese Buddhist sage and scholar. (Cool, I'm a Nichiren Buddhist.)
* Soka means "value creation."
* Sokka is also similar to the Khmer name Sokha meaning "content" or "peaceful," which would have suited the original low key version of Sokka.
* In "The Tales of Ba Sing Se", Sokka's name was written as ?; which means "inquire card." The second character, ?, is the first character in Katara's name.
Song: In Chinese can mean "to deliver" or "good news," referring to her efforts to encourage Zuko with the knowledge of her own burn scar and Aang's return.
* As Song wears a Korean hanbok, it is reasonable to assume that she is of Korean based background but if that is the case then Song is most likely her last name as is the real life case.
Fire Lord Sozin: His name most likely written as ? Zhàn means "to instigate war." He may be named after Veniamin Sozin, a well known Sicilian chess player who even has a moved named after him called "Sozin's Attack"- most likely refers to Sozin's first step of the war by attacking the Air Nomads with an unforgettable opening move.
Suki: Is Japanese for "liking," "fondness," and "love" referring to Suki's relationship with Sokka.
* Or "chance of oppurtunity" and "chink (in one's armor)" which can refer to her life as a warrior.
*Also, suki is a term in Aikido and Kendo for being vulnerable to attack or having flawed technique, something her style of fighting capitalizes on in the enemy.
* Suki is similar to the pronunciation of the Japanese word tsuki which means "moon." A suitable reference to Sokka's relationship with Princess Yue and being torn between the two girls.
General Sung: Sung's name most likely came from the Sung Dynasty, a militarily weak era that established the political, social, and cultural orders that pre1900's China was known for.
Tahn and Ying: Tahn can be written as Tan and together with Ying makes "Yingtan," which is a city in Jiangxi that means "eagle lake."
Teo: Since he can fly, a possible way to write his name would be Tiáo which means "cicada."
Tho: Possibly means "river" or "flow."
Mayor Tong: Tong is most likely an allusion to American Chinatown enclaves which were historically run by an organization called the Tongs.
Toph: Is Hebrew for "small drum" or "tambourine," relating to Toph's ability to see by using vibrations in the earth.
* Or Toph's name may be derived from her tough personality.
* In "The City of Walls and Secrets," Katara gives Toph the name of Dong which earns her hair piece a sharp tug from Toph. The reason why is because Dong means "ignorant" and "rustic."
* In "Tales of Ba Sing Se," Toph's name was written as ? Tuō Fū which mean "entrusted man."
* Tuō also means to support in one's palm referring to living her life unwillingly and constantly supported by others.
* Bei Fong- her last name- means North.
* In "The Serpent Pass," Toph's passport reads as tǔ guó tóu děng hù zhào běi fāng tuò fú which translate as "Earth Kingdom First Class Passport : Bei Fong Toph." Here, her name means "supported lotus," which matches her parents view of their daughter as a flower that has to be protected.
Tui: Is Chinese for "pull."
Ty Lee: Given that she is a close combat gymnast who is stronger than she looks.
* Ty Lee's name may be based on the Cantonese pronunciation of Tǐ Lì tai lik which means "physical strength."
* Ty Lee in Chinese is written as tài lì which translate as "extreme strength."
* As separate words, Tai and Lee can mean "great force" or "stage ceremony" referring to her strength in fighting as well as her role as a circus star.
Ummi: A Sanskrit and African name which means "My Mother." Symbolically speaking, we could see Ummi as a parallel to Katara, her fate reflecting what Aang attempted to avoid in the crystal catacombs. As Katara is a motherly girl who acts as such to Aang while he sees her as his love, Ummi can be seen as the Katara if Aang hadn't been able to save her (not that she needed saving).
Unagi: Japanese for "eel" which it appears to be.
Ursa: Is Latin for "bear," referring to her protective nature of her kids (or, at least Zuko.)
Wan Shi Tong: In Chinese for "He Who Knows Ten Thousand Things."
Wei Jin: Since no one can agree whether Zhang's forefather, Wei Jin, was there to help or steal, his name can be written as &wěi jiě which translates as "great divide."
Aunt Wu: Means "witch" in Chinese.
Xin Fu: Can be translated as either "trusted friend" or "henchman."
* Can also mean "happiness" in Chinese, ironic especially considering Toph threatening to wipe the grin off his face though there was none.
Avatar Yangchen: Mandarin for "oxygen."
* Tibetan for "The Sacred One."
Master Yu: A possible way to write his name would be ? Yù which means "to rear." That character is often placed as suffix in conjunction to the word jiào which means "to educate."
Yue: Is Mandarin for "moon" referring to her role as the Moon Spirit.
Yulduz: Is a reference to the area of Yulduz valley.
Yung: In Mandarin means "weapon" referring to his role as a soldier.
Professor Zei: Means "thief", which was what an archaeologist technically was before anthropology became a science.
Zhang: Means "dirty" in Mandarin Chinese
Admiral Zhao: In Chinese can mean "to recruit and to seek" referring to hunting down Aang, recruiting Zuko's crew as well as recruiting the pirates.
* His name is common for Asian villains and means "claw."
Zuko: In "The Desert", Zuko's name was written in Chinese as ? Zu Kou. The first character means "ancestral tomb" or "ancestors"; the second character means "to rob, pillage" or "robber". The ancestral part can refer to Zuko being proud of his heritage. The robber part can relate to his alias as the Blue Spirit as which he steals as. These two lives contradict one another and make up his name.
* In "The Tales of Ba Sing Se" his name is written as sū kè as "resurrect rule." The differentiation in writing can be attributed that the former considers him a a traitor to his people, aka "ancestor robber," while the latter seems to a possible foreshadowing of Zuko's coronation, aka "resurrect rule."
* In the Shinto religion, each child's name is added to a local shrine at their birth. Children whose names are not added before they die are the Shinto version of "restless spirits". They are called "Maizuko" referring to Zuko's restless need to earn his father's love.
*Seperately, Zu and Ko(h) can mean "obstructive bandit/enemy and/or soldier." Possibly making Zuko's name mean "soldier child."
* Zuko's alias Lee is named for the bamboo coolie hat he was wearing which, in Chinese, is called a Lì or Lee. He manages to get away with this awkward alias presumably because the nearly homophonic Li is an extremely common Chinese name.
*Li is also the trigram for fire on the Chinese bagua which Airbending is based on.
* Most significantly, Li means "pretty, beautiful, and/or elegant" and the character means "graceful deer" but does not pertain to physical beauty (which is not considered a virtue)
?= Asian characters.
Only the meanings that refer to the characters shall be used. Some characters names may have meanings but they may just not suit the character or make any sense and so are not mentioned.
Aang: Aang Serian means "House of Peace" in the Arusha dialect of Maasai language, is an independent, non-profit cultural association aiming to empower young people by helping them to explore their identity at the tribal, national and global levels.
* May be derived from a mandarin word "to protect," referring to his role as the Avatar.
Afiko: Since Afiko is technically the last Airbender before Aang's revival, his name might have came from Afikoman, the name given to the last matzo eaten at the Passover Seder.
Appa: Appa is Tamil for "father" relating to Aang and Appa's relationship.
Azula: Her name may be derived from the Spanish/Portugal word azul, meaning "blue" referring to Azula's unique blue fire.
* Azula may also be from an Asian word asura, meaning "demon" a fitting term for her.
* Azula appears in Zuko's nightmare as a blue dragon. Which is pretty much an incarnation of her: a blue demon.
Fire Lord Azulon: The name Azulon likely comes from the Azure Dragon of Chinese astrology.
Ba Sing Se: It is stated in "The Drill" that Ba Sing Se means "The Impenetrable City." However, the literal meaning, pronounced in Mandarin Chinese as biao ceng cheng, translates to "outside layer city." The opposite, Na Sing Se (the name General Sun joked about meaning "Penetrable City"), nei ceng cheng, translates to "inside city."
Pao (Bao): The owner's last name is Bāo which translates as "to cover," meaning he's literally Zuko's and Iroh's cover.
Bosco: In Italian, bosco means "forest."
* His name might have come from Bosco Chocolate Syrup whose animal icon is a bear.
Bato: Bato is Filipino for "stone" or "rock."
* Since Bato is from the Water Tribes, a possible way to write his name could be Bō tāo which means "great waves."
* The top of the map sent to Bato says yuè hù yòu which translates as "Sea Moon protection and blessing ."
Bumi: Bumi is Malaysian and Indonesian for "earth."
* Bumi's name can also come from Bhumidevi, the Hindu goddess of earth.
* Being the clever trickster that he is, his name might be written as bù mí: "a book of riddles."
* Bhumi means the ten stages a Bodhisattva goes through to become a Buddha: bhumi of joy, bhumi of purity, bhumi of emission of light, bhumi of glowing, bhumi of overcoming final illusions, bhumi of sign of supreme wisdom, bhumi of progression, bhumi of immobility, bhumi of the all-pentrating wisdom, and bhumi of cloud of teaching. Referring to Bumi's ideas of life.
Cabbage Merchant; Chou: Chou means "to be anxious," rather suiting for the poor guy.
Chey: His name seems to be written as chè which means "thoroughly," probably an allusion to his devotion to the cause.
Chan: Can be translated as John. Sanskrit word for "shining".
Chong: Related homonyms with meanings that fit his personality are "foolish," "unsettled," as an indecisive hippy, "revere" as a leader, and "repetition."
Dai Lee: Dài Lǐ translates as "agent" in Chinese.
* They appear to be modeled after the government agents of Qing Dynasty China, generally known as the Dai Li in Cantonese/Chinese dà nèi which literally means "Greater-Inner," and refers to those who serve in the Greater Inner Sanctum of the Forbidden City.
Due: Duò which means "helm" or "rudder."
Earth King/ Kuei: Kuei can be written as kuí which means "chief" or kuǐ for "puppet."
Gan Jin: In Mandarin Chinese Gan Jin (gānjìng) means "clean."
Gansu: A province in Eastern China renowned as the entranceway into China used by Marco Polo. Eastern Gansu is the main site of earthquakes in China. May have to do with Zuko entering his farm and then the fight between Zuko and Gow.
Gaoling: A take off the once British word gaol, which translates to the word "jail." This term is befitting considering the way that Toph's parents locked up in their home and guarded constantly.
* Gaoling which means "tall hill" is also a name of a county in Shannxi, a Central province in China. However, in the Avatar world, it is located in the South which coincidentally goes with Toph's knowledge of Chu Gar, Southern Praying Mantis Kung Fu.
Ghashiun: The name refers to an area of Ghashiun-Gobi or Salt Desert.
Gow: May be derived from Pai Gow or “double-hand poker”, a poker game that’s loosely based on the Chinese game Pai Gow, meaning “make nine.” Referring to Gow's gambling and crooked nature despite his claims his crimes are for the people's good.
Monk Gyatso: Gyatso is the name given to each reincarnations of the Dalai Lama. The 14th and current Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, was renamed Jetsun Jamphel Ngawang Lobsang Yeshe Tenzin Gyatso, meaning “Holy Lord, Gentle Glory, Compassionate, Defender of the Faith, Ocean of Wisdom.” Most of these terms could be used to describe Monk Gyatso.
Hahn: German for "rooster" which refers to Hahn's arrogant nature.
* Hahn is also a Korean surname meaning "a sharp spur of force."
Hakoda: The word hakkoda which means "eight armor fields" and a "heavily snowed mountain range" in Japan seems more befitting as his name.
Hama: Japanese for "shore" and/or "beach", perhaps referring to her current lifestyle stuck on the land or even her longing for her old home and her resolution to remain in the FN.
Haru: Japanese for "spring" referring to his element, earth that is linked with spring.
*In Akkadian, haru means "to dig out" which may refer to Haru saving the old man caught in the landslide.
Hei Bai: Hei Bai (hēibái) literally means in Mandarin "black white."
Hide: A Japanese female name which means "excellent" and/or "superior, referring to his arrogance and superior attitude as well as how the headmaster views him so highly.
Hue: Ways to write for Hu are "to protect" and "intimidate" or "to fool" referring to his duty of attacking those who harm the swamp.
* Hue could simply refer to word which definition may mean "aspect" or "the property of colors by which they can be perceived." Referring to his perception of life, death, and time.
Iroh: In "The Desert," Iroh's name was listed on a Fire Nation wanted poster in Chinese as Ai Luo. Ai is the medicinal herb Chinese mugwort: Artemisia vulgaris, while Luo is a name of a river in the Shanxi province. The herb may refer to his little mistake in "The Cave of Two Lovers" with the "tea" plant.
* Iro is also Japanese for "color," suiting as he is a very colorful person.
* Iroh's alias Mushi may have been created because he looked half-dead with a medicinal paste smeared over his sores, was given the name Mùshī which translates as "grave corpse."
*In Japanese, mushi can mean "a ne'er-do-well" or "fool", one who irresponsibly daydreams his way through life, an understandable insult from Zuko after Iroh's foolish debacle with the "tea" plant.
* From his nickname "The Dragon of the West," may refer to Chinese mythology, the Dragon of the West is one of four Dragon Kings and is named Áo rùn or Ao Jun which translates as "haughty surplus/intercalary."
* Coincidentally, the name Áo rùn goes with Ozai's name transliteration to Áo zǎi which translates as "haughtily load/year."
*Seperately, Ai and Rou which in Japanese make up Iroh's name can mean "suffer/grieve and love" and "gentle mind." Suiting terms for Iroh's past and personality.
Jeong Jeong: His name means "bright fire."
* However, given that Jeong Jeong saw past Fire Nation propaganda, the similar looking word zhēng seems more befitting for his name since it translates as "to open the eyes."
Jet: The actor Jet Li who shared the same first name as Jet writes it jié which means "hero." Despite Jet's wrongdoings, his final moments make him a hero.
* In Turkmen means "disagreement," referring to his and Sokka's disagreement in flooding the village.
Jin: The name Jin is Chinese for "gold," probably an allusion of her being a customer.
Jin Wei: Since both clans can agree that the Gan Jin's forefather was supposed to deliver the sacred orb, his name can be written as jiè wèi which translates as "to transport under guard."
Joo Dee: The word Joo Dee is a Korean slang word for "lips," an appropriate reference to her wide smile.
* Joo Dee's name may also in some way be a reference to the Yongle Emperor, Zhu Di.
* His era name, Yǒnglè means "perpetually jubilant" or "forever happy," which coincidentally coincides with the expected behavior of a Joo Dee.
Jun: Her name sounds similar to Jung, the Cantonese pronunciation of Zōng which means "footprint" or "track" referring to her role as a bounty hunter.
Katara: Her name may be derived from the Spanish/Portugal word cataratas meaning "waterfall."
* In "City of Walls and Secrets," the name Katara used at the party was Kuā Měi which means "fascinating" or "beautiful."
* In "The Tales of Ba Sing Se," Katara's name was written as ?. Kǎ means to "check" or "block" for her fighting/bending skills. Tǎ means "pagoda," Lā means "to pull" or "play (string instruments)." The character Lā is same La as the Ocean Spirit's name from season one's finale.
* In "The Drill," Sokka mentioned that he was the idea guy, while Aang and Katara were the chop things up with Waterbending guys. Given that and that Waterbending requires a slicing motion of the arms, it is possible that Katara's name is from the word katar, which are Indian arm swords.
Kana: Kana is Inuit for "down there, downriver in front of, this one below, or in the direction of the sea," referring to her southernly emigration.
Koh: Or Kŏ is the Japanese word for "old" or "sin" referring to Koh's age.
Avatar Kuruk: Kuruk is Pawnee for "bear," referring to his headdress.
Kwan: A Korean male name which means a large building, palace, or library. May be derived from the Korean martial arts school, Moo Duk Kwan.
Avatar Kyoshi: Kyoshi is Japanese for "teacher" and is also the term used for a 10th degree black belt. This may refer to how Suki taught Sokka and how Sokka learned how to respect woman and Aang learned not to let his role as the Avatar go to his head.
* Due to her manner of dress and the appearance of word on the golden button of the right arm guard, Avatar Kyoshi's name can be translated as "capital samurai" in Japanese.
La: Is Chinese for "pull."
Lao: In Chinese is a title for an older or respected person, such as a teacher or an older relative.
Lake Laogai: Means to "re-educate through labor." Laogai is an extensive prison labor camp chain used by Communist China with estimates of the number of inmates ranging from 10 to 20 million, often holding outspoken political dissidents and prisoners of conscience such as Christians, Buddhists, Tibetans and Falun Gong practitioners. Child labor is common and widespread in the manufacture of fireworks, textiles and toys in Laogai.
Lee: Given that all Lee's farm animals resemble pigs, his name is most likely a homonym to Zuko's alias and would be written as Lì which means "pigsty."
Lily: The Chinese word for the lily flower is Bǎi Hé which literally mean "one hundred unite" referring to her peaceful and harmonic attitude and her love of flowers.
Long Feng: Is Chinese for the "man behind the man." Fitting for his role in Ba Sing Se and his shady attitude.
* Long means "dragon" and Feng means "phoenix" and the characters mean "wind". The dragon representing masculinity and the phoenix femininity- they are like yin and yang. Even in Western culture the two are signs of kingliness and power. The dragon and the phoenix often served in classical art and literature as metaphors for people of high virtue and rare talent or, in certain combinations, for matrimonial harmony or happy marriage.
* The name Lóng fèng represents Dragon Phoenix which in Chinese traditions stand for the royal throne. The position Long Feng holds is similar to a queen in chess, in which he is really in control and victory is left to a king that wields no power.
Lu Ten: Lu Ten written as ? Lù T'éng means "road to gallop over."
Macmu Ling: Ling means "sound of jade" which may refer to the Chinese view of jade as hardness, durability, and (moral) beauty- traits which fit her.
Mai: Is the Cantonese pronunciation of Mèi and means "sleeve of a robe," which is where she hides her weapons.
* In Gilbertese, Mai means "pale" and "grayish", as her skin is pale and grayish as well as her eyes and her aura is described as being dingy, pasty, and gray.
Makapu: Meaning "bulging eye" in Hawaiian, Makapu'u is a name given to the extreme eastern end of the Island of Oʻahu in the Hawaiian Islands.
Malu: Her name could be written as Mà Lù which means "a sacrifice at the beginning of a military campaign massacre."
* In the Malay language, Malu means "shy," referring to her tendency to avoid others.
Meng: Means dream, visionary, and/or wishful referring to her crush on Aang.
Ming: A Chinese name which means "shining, bright, clear," or "engrave". May refer to her kind hearted personality.
Miyuki: A common female Japanese name meaning : "beautiful fortune, beautiful happiness, beautiful snow, beautiful reason for history."
Moku: Is the Japanese onomatopoeia for smoke. Fitting since he is the one that spots the smoke left by the Fire Nation tanks.
* Mó Gū means "mushrooms," which is what Moku resembles with his coolie hat on.
Momo: Japanese for "peach," which is what Momo is named after.
* In "The Tales of Ba Sing Se," Momo was written as Mō Mó which means "imitate" in Chinese. It also can be seen as the phase in Chinese in which when a word is repeated twice it become a cute reference. So Mo meaning "fur" is repeated.
Mung: Mung is computer jargon for "to make repeated changes" which individually may be reversible, yet which ultimately result in an unintentional, irreversible destruction of large portions of the original item. Mung may have been created from the Lowland Scots word "munge", meaning to imperfectly transform or, later, to munch up into a mess. Most likely refers to his position as factory leader who willingly pollutes the environment and even tried to hurt the villagers for a false crime.
Oma: An Arabic girl's name meaning "leader," referring to Oma leading the two villages in creating Omashu as well as teaching Earthbending to others.
* An Indian name meaning "life giver."
On Ji: A Japanese term (onji) that roughly means syllables in poetry though the exact definition is sketchy.
Oyaji: A Japanese informal word meaning "dad."
Fire Lord Ozai: The modern way to write down the official red seal that is placed on all the wanted posters is iè huǒ guó wáng áo zǎi yìn bǎo, which translates as "Fire Lord Ozai's official seal." Ozai is written as Áo zǎi which in spoken Chinese translates as "haughtily load." However, since it is written on documents, the word comes to mean the word "year" instead, thus making the translation for Ozai's name as "haughtily year," most likely a reference to him being the catalyst for the difficult year setting of the series. Coincidentally, whatever ways Áo zǎi is translated as, it connects well with Iroh's nickname, "The Dragon of the West," due to in Chinese mythology, the dragon is called Áo rùn which translates as "haughty surplus/intercalary."
Master Pakku: The name Pakku is likely derived from the Japanese pronunciation of the early Chinese philosophical concept of Kon-paku. According to this concept, life activity is composed by two elements: "Kon" designates the soul (spiritual aspect of life) and "paku" its container (physical aspect of life). As a master Waterbender, Pakku would be following this belief since water is consider a spiritual life force that passes through a body, especially a bender. This becomes clear when Aang was revived in the Second season finale with spirit water.
Pangs and the Yum Soon Hans: These names make up a Cantonese sentence that translates as "friends are waiting."
Guru Pathik: Means "the traveler" and was a last name that Gandhi personally gave to the family of Magan Kumar.
Piandao: The dao part refers to a type of Chinese saber; this is somewhat ironic as his own weapon looks similar to a jian, a straight double-edged sword, and not a curved single-edged sword.
War Minister Qin: His name may have come from Qín, a short-lived dynasty found by China's first emperor and namesake Qin Shi Huang. Under the ruthless State of Qin, China was imperially unified, the Chinese characters were standardized, the first Great Wall was started, and the terracotta army was buried.
* A homonym for Qín is Qīn (侵 which means "to invade" referring to his constant role in invading places.
Rough Rhinos: Their names seems to be Mongolian inspired.
* Colonel Mongke: May refer to Möngke the name of a grandson of Genghis (Chingis) Khan and means "eternal."
* Kachi : Kachee is the name given to the Tibetan Muslim minority who are Mongolian descended.
* Ogedei was the name of Genghis' third and favorite son.
* Yeh-Lu comes from Yeh-lu Chu'tsai the Magician, Genghis' chief of the secretariat.
* Vachir is a style of archery and means "thunderbolt."
Ruon-Jian: A possible variant for Ryan; Jian is a variant of John and means "river" and originates from the name borne by descendants of Xu Jianbo, a senior official of the state of Jin during the Spring and Autumn period (722–481 bc).
Sangok: Since Sangok is really just a background character, a possible translation for his name could be sān gè which means "third individual" as in Extra #3.
Sela: The Ibn Ezra translates Sela as "truth" or "so it is" possibly referring to when Zuko's identity was exposed to her and Lee.
Senlin's Forest: Senlin, written in Chinese as ?, means "forest."
Si Wong Desert: The name of the desert literally translates to the "Death" in Mandarin.
Sha Mo: Means "desert" and is a name commonly used by the Chinese as a reference to the Gobi Desert.
Shoji: A Japanese name meaning "correct" and/or "shining second (son)" which may refer to his bright personality.
Fire Sage Shyu: A possible meaning for his name could be shài yù which mean "expose to sun blazes."
Sokka: Sokka could be derived from Soka Gakkai, a lay Buddhist association that embraces the philosophy and teachings of Nichiren, a 13th-century Japanese Buddhist sage and scholar. (Cool, I'm a Nichiren Buddhist.)
* Soka means "value creation."
* Sokka is also similar to the Khmer name Sokha meaning "content" or "peaceful," which would have suited the original low key version of Sokka.
* In "The Tales of Ba Sing Se", Sokka's name was written as ?; which means "inquire card." The second character, ?, is the first character in Katara's name.
Song: In Chinese can mean "to deliver" or "good news," referring to her efforts to encourage Zuko with the knowledge of her own burn scar and Aang's return.
* As Song wears a Korean hanbok, it is reasonable to assume that she is of Korean based background but if that is the case then Song is most likely her last name as is the real life case.
Fire Lord Sozin: His name most likely written as ? Zhàn means "to instigate war." He may be named after Veniamin Sozin, a well known Sicilian chess player who even has a moved named after him called "Sozin's Attack"- most likely refers to Sozin's first step of the war by attacking the Air Nomads with an unforgettable opening move.
Suki: Is Japanese for "liking," "fondness," and "love" referring to Suki's relationship with Sokka.
* Or "chance of oppurtunity" and "chink (in one's armor)" which can refer to her life as a warrior.
*Also, suki is a term in Aikido and Kendo for being vulnerable to attack or having flawed technique, something her style of fighting capitalizes on in the enemy.
* Suki is similar to the pronunciation of the Japanese word tsuki which means "moon." A suitable reference to Sokka's relationship with Princess Yue and being torn between the two girls.
General Sung: Sung's name most likely came from the Sung Dynasty, a militarily weak era that established the political, social, and cultural orders that pre1900's China was known for.
Tahn and Ying: Tahn can be written as Tan and together with Ying makes "Yingtan," which is a city in Jiangxi that means "eagle lake."
Teo: Since he can fly, a possible way to write his name would be Tiáo which means "cicada."
Tho: Possibly means "river" or "flow."
Mayor Tong: Tong is most likely an allusion to American Chinatown enclaves which were historically run by an organization called the Tongs.
Toph: Is Hebrew for "small drum" or "tambourine," relating to Toph's ability to see by using vibrations in the earth.
* Or Toph's name may be derived from her tough personality.
* In "The City of Walls and Secrets," Katara gives Toph the name of Dong which earns her hair piece a sharp tug from Toph. The reason why is because Dong means "ignorant" and "rustic."
* In "Tales of Ba Sing Se," Toph's name was written as ? Tuō Fū which mean "entrusted man."
* Tuō also means to support in one's palm referring to living her life unwillingly and constantly supported by others.
* Bei Fong- her last name- means North.
* In "The Serpent Pass," Toph's passport reads as tǔ guó tóu děng hù zhào běi fāng tuò fú which translate as "Earth Kingdom First Class Passport : Bei Fong Toph." Here, her name means "supported lotus," which matches her parents view of their daughter as a flower that has to be protected.
Tui: Is Chinese for "pull."
Ty Lee: Given that she is a close combat gymnast who is stronger than she looks.
* Ty Lee's name may be based on the Cantonese pronunciation of Tǐ Lì tai lik which means "physical strength."
* Ty Lee in Chinese is written as tài lì which translate as "extreme strength."
* As separate words, Tai and Lee can mean "great force" or "stage ceremony" referring to her strength in fighting as well as her role as a circus star.
Ummi: A Sanskrit and African name which means "My Mother." Symbolically speaking, we could see Ummi as a parallel to Katara, her fate reflecting what Aang attempted to avoid in the crystal catacombs. As Katara is a motherly girl who acts as such to Aang while he sees her as his love, Ummi can be seen as the Katara if Aang hadn't been able to save her (not that she needed saving).
Unagi: Japanese for "eel" which it appears to be.
Ursa: Is Latin for "bear," referring to her protective nature of her kids (or, at least Zuko.)
Wan Shi Tong: In Chinese for "He Who Knows Ten Thousand Things."
Wei Jin: Since no one can agree whether Zhang's forefather, Wei Jin, was there to help or steal, his name can be written as &wěi jiě which translates as "great divide."
Aunt Wu: Means "witch" in Chinese.
Xin Fu: Can be translated as either "trusted friend" or "henchman."
* Can also mean "happiness" in Chinese, ironic especially considering Toph threatening to wipe the grin off his face though there was none.
Avatar Yangchen: Mandarin for "oxygen."
* Tibetan for "The Sacred One."
Master Yu: A possible way to write his name would be ? Yù which means "to rear." That character is often placed as suffix in conjunction to the word jiào which means "to educate."
Yue: Is Mandarin for "moon" referring to her role as the Moon Spirit.
Yulduz: Is a reference to the area of Yulduz valley.
Yung: In Mandarin means "weapon" referring to his role as a soldier.
Professor Zei: Means "thief", which was what an archaeologist technically was before anthropology became a science.
Zhang: Means "dirty" in Mandarin Chinese
Admiral Zhao: In Chinese can mean "to recruit and to seek" referring to hunting down Aang, recruiting Zuko's crew as well as recruiting the pirates.
* His name is common for Asian villains and means "claw."
Zuko: In "The Desert", Zuko's name was written in Chinese as ? Zu Kou. The first character means "ancestral tomb" or "ancestors"; the second character means "to rob, pillage" or "robber". The ancestral part can refer to Zuko being proud of his heritage. The robber part can relate to his alias as the Blue Spirit as which he steals as. These two lives contradict one another and make up his name.
* In "The Tales of Ba Sing Se" his name is written as sū kè as "resurrect rule." The differentiation in writing can be attributed that the former considers him a a traitor to his people, aka "ancestor robber," while the latter seems to a possible foreshadowing of Zuko's coronation, aka "resurrect rule."
* In the Shinto religion, each child's name is added to a local shrine at their birth. Children whose names are not added before they die are the Shinto version of "restless spirits". They are called "Maizuko" referring to Zuko's restless need to earn his father's love.
*Seperately, Zu and Ko(h) can mean "obstructive bandit/enemy and/or soldier." Possibly making Zuko's name mean "soldier child."
* Zuko's alias Lee is named for the bamboo coolie hat he was wearing which, in Chinese, is called a Lì or Lee. He manages to get away with this awkward alias presumably because the nearly homophonic Li is an extremely common Chinese name.
*Li is also the trigram for fire on the Chinese bagua which Airbending is based on.
* Most significantly, Li means "pretty, beautiful, and/or elegant" and the character means "graceful deer" but does not pertain to physical beauty (which is not considered a virtue)