Question about CM's name tag

**RickNJ** · 09-04-2010, 03:36 PM

Hi Folks,

I have been curious about something since Thanksgiving week 2007. We were in DTD in one of the Christmas store and talking to a cashier. Of course she was very friendly and helpful (I guess I should of ask her). She country of origin was China and she had a American type name. Now it could of been her real name I really don't know.

So the question is does Disney use pretend names for CM's with long or hard to pronounce names?

Thanks

Rick R.

**lilo88** · 09-05-2010, 12:55 AM

Interesting, I myself will be glad to hear the answer.

**NC_WDW_Daddy** · 09-05-2010, 07:47 AM

I had not thought of that, but that is a good question. We once had a server at Chrystal Palace that had been called in when he was not scheduled to work. Instead of wearing his name tag that day, he was borrowing a spare. His real name was Steve, but was wearing a Chris nametag. We noted the discrepancy when another CM called him by his real name, so we asked why he was wearing a nametag that said Chris.

**missbounce** · 09-05-2010, 08:54 AM

I can't remember where I heard it, but I think I read once that if a CM forgets to wear/bring their badge in to work, they are required by Disney 'law' to pick one from a random box or something. So unless they are luck enough to find another badge with their name on it, they will have to pick another name and assume that role for the rest of their day on stage.

**Rico117** · 09-05-2010, 01:45 PM

all of that is true. With International Cast who are not in cultural representative roles and often have difficult names they can choose another name. This is their name in all facets of their work there. much like if someone named Alexander chose to be called Alex and so on. hope this helps.

**RickNJ** · 09-05-2010, 02:12 PM

Originally Posted by Rico117

all of that is true. With International Cast who are not in cultural representative roles and often have difficult names they can choose another name. This is their name in all facets of their work there. much like if someone named Alexander chose to be called Alex and so on. hope this helps.

Hi Rico117

Many thanks for the info. It makes a lot sense

Cheers

Rick R.

**20K** · 09-05-2010, 02:52 PM

Perhaps a little simplistic, but I have friends from various "exotic" places who have a psuedonym they go by when in English-speaking societies, and then revert to their real name when they are back home. I'm sure it'll be a pretty similar state of affairs with IP CMs?

**lilo88** · 09-05-2010, 03:32 PM

Very interteresting! I'm glad someone had an answer!

**POM Tony** · 10-29-2010, 09:24 AM

I have found that some people have two names.
Several of my friends who are Chinese have a Chinese name and an American name because of the difficulty of pronouncing Chinese names.

**Donald Duck** · 11-01-2010, 11:25 PM

Originally Posted by missbounce

I can't remember where I heard it, but I think I read once that if a CM forgets to wear/bring their badge in to work, they are required by Disney 'law' to pick one from a random box or something. So unless they are luck enough to find another badge with their name on it, they will have to pick another name and assume that role for the rest of their day on stage.

That's actually true. There are two choices (and it's really not a choice at all): You can either take a nametag from a box in the coordinator or manager's office, or you can see the managers, and get a reprimand.

EDIT:

Originally Posted by POM Tony

I have found that some people have two names.
Several of my friends who are Chinese have a Chinese name and an American name because of the difficulty of pronouncing Chinese names.

This is also correct. There was a Chinese guy over at Studios, who worked at Voyage of the Little Mermaid. This was when I was a Custodian, and deployed to Studios for the Lights Festival. Anyway, I was talking with him, and I asked him why his nametag read Sean. I never met a Chinese guy with that name, and joked around that he swiped my nametag. He laughed, and said that his real name was too long to fit the nametag, so he chose to use a different name. As I would later find out, it's not uncommon at all for ICP's to do this, as I ran across many other ICP's with American or English names.