EN
The paper presents the history and rules of usage of a surname and 15 categories of given names and appellations occurring in the Chinese anthroponomy. A typical Chinese (Han nationality) personal name consists of a surname followed by a standard given name. This pattern of naming started in the very beginning of the Chinese civilization, although there were also other patterns of personal names, performing the function of identifying people according to their gender, status in family and society, and social or professional functions. The more important the status of a person, the more varied categories of names the person was bestowed on.