She does not bear their name. She received a name from the Hepu Childrens Welfare Institute where she spent the first two months of her life before transferring to Mothers Love Orphanage in Nanning. Chinese names are traditionally three syllables consisting of a one syllable family name first followed by a two syllable personal name:

• Guo, the family name which is given to all in that orphanage and which means “nation” or “country”;
• Xiao, meaning “little” which is given by that orphanage to most of their children;
• Qiu, meaning “autumn”, the season in which she was born, on the other side of the world.

We believe that her Chinese name is perfect for her even though two of the names are shared with so many other little girls from that orphanage. Our girl is certainly little but we hope one day she will lead a nation! Autumn in poetic terms signifies a little sadness for the summer just passed, a little sadness for the family she has lost. The Chinese characters in shadow behind this Naming Document say Xiao Qiu.

For nearly a year she was in foster care with Wen Cui Qun and Wu Zhi Liang and their daughter Yu Ting. Their name is not included in her name as we did not know them until after we returned to Australia but we are indebted to them for the loving nature of the small girl they raised in their home.

Now she bears the family names of her Forever Baba and Forever Mama, Frayne and Wills. We have added Lin as her first name - in Chinese it means “forest” or “wood” and it blends well in meaning with “autumn”. Like Guo it is a common family name. So our girl has two family names at the beginning of her name and two at the end which we hope makes it a strong name. We chose “forest” from her father’s name, Geoffrey Forrest Frayne. Forrest is a middle name that has been handed down since the 1800s in the Frayne family. Using the Chinese form for forest/forrest signifies our intention as her parents to maintain as best we can her links with her birth country whilst providing a name that is a little easier for her fellow Australians to recognise.

So Lin Guo Xiao Qiu Frayne Wills has many family connections, most of which are represented in her name. She has many names so that in the future she can choose whichever of these names she prefers and whichever order. Meanwhile she has chosen to call herself Xiao.