Transliteration of non-Chinese names

[Valdis]

Hi from Riga, Latvia (East Europe)!

My e-mail is valdis.jansons@rs.lv

Recently I started learning Chinese characters that are used for transcription of non-Chinese names, country names, city names. I do not have any learning material but still I think I am on the right way regarding the matter. Usually, in many cases it is quite clear how to write the name. As far as I can understand Valdis is WaErDiSi and it is always spelled with these characters. Thou it is clear that Jansons is YangSongSi, will it always be written in one particular way? I have discovered that "na" can be written differently in different names.

1. Are transcription rules official and approved?
2. Mainland and Taiwanese transcription - any difference?
3. Should characters when put together, have a meaning?
4. Should any character indicate whether it is a masculine/feminine name.
5. Should any of them be avoided because it means smth negative?

[Audrey]

Hello,

I like to know if you can translate for me my name in chinese.
My name is Audrey. I like tatoo it on my body.


thanks

[Valdis]

1. Are you a boy or a girl?
2. Sure, I can translate but I can not send it to you. If you got a fax I could fax it. But for now it is Ao De Li (Audrey).

[Audrey]

Yes i'm a girl.

Sorry, I don't have fax. can you scan me the sing and send to me like a picture??

my e-mail adress is Tabita_@hotmail.com


very thanks

[Ally]

Hi Valdis! I'm a Chinese girl and living in China mainland now. Also I know English. So I think maybe I can help you with your work. If you have more questions you can send me mail.
Here are the answers of your 5 questions:
1. actually there is no strict transcription rule as I know. Only some most frequently used names, like John, Mike, etc. would be transcribed in the same way. Others usually just to find a similar sound.
2. There IS difference between Mainland and Taiwan and also HongKong. Some transcriptions are so different that you may not think they mean the same thing.
3. No. They don't have any meaning. Just similar sounds. But there ARE some characters which are only fit for girls' name or boys' name. like 'na'.
4. Yes. as I said in 3. But most of the characters can be used on both sex.
5. Maybe. Or I should say: you'd better avoid them.