My TAs insist that Pike, Elics and Filick are English boys’ names. Their reasoning behind each choice is that they know someone by that name. I don’t doubt it for a second, but my role as imported English teacher is to reduce giggle-worthy Chinglish, not spread it.

Anyway, it’s probably better that I’m not allowed to change their names. Sure, I’ll probably call the boys Bill or Joey or Matt, but I might also go with good, old-fashioned Biblical names, like Zebidiah or Nebuchanezzar. You never know.