What Saosin Means: Careful, Small Heart
People ask us about our name all the time. It's short, it's a little strange, and it carries more meaning than most band names. Here is where it comes from.
What does Saosin mean?
Saosin comes from the Chinese xiǎo xīn (小心). In everyday Chinese it means careful, a word you'd use to tell someone to watch out. Taken character by character, it reads as small heart.
Why did we choose it?
The idea behind the name is simple: nothing is eternal, so it's a mistake to become too attached to anything. It isn't a sad thought. It's a reminder to hold things lightly and to make the most of them while they're here.
Where did the name come from?
The name had been used once before we started. It was the title of a track by a high school band called Audience of One, and it was suggested again when Saosin formed in Orange County in 2003. It stuck, and it has been ours ever since.
Where does the name show up in our merch?
- The wordmark: SAOSIN in tall serif capitals, plain and easy to spot.
- The beetle designs: a beetle, insect wings and splashes of ink above the SAOSIN name, in pale blue and slate.
- Release designs: names from our records, starting with Translating the Name.
How to wear a name that means "careful"?
Keep it simple: a wordmark tee on its own says enough. Layer it: a long sleeve under an open flannel works for shows and colder days. Go big: a hoodie with the beetle design gives the art the most room.
Every design is on tees, long sleeves, crewnecks and hoodies, with kids' and youth sizes too.