first name or given name
Now that few people know what a “surname” is, we usually use the term“last name” to designate a family name; but in a host of languages thefamily name comes first. For instance, “Kawabata” was the family name of author Kawabata Yasunari. ForAsians, this situation is complicated because publishers and immigrantsoften switch names to conform to Western practice, so you'll find mostof Kawabata’s books in an American bookstore by looking under “YasunariKawabata.” It’s safer with international names to write “given name” and“family name” rather than “first name” and “last name.”Note that in a multicultural society the old-fashioned term “Christian name” (for “given name”) is both inaccurate and offensive.
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