Learn Hardcore Chinese: nǐ de míngzi hěn hǎo.

In everyday descriptive sentences, 很 often works as a neutral degree marker that links the subject to an adjective. It doesn’t have to mean “very” and can often be translated as a simple “is.” If you truly mean “very,” use stronger words like 非常, 真, 特别, or 太…了.

Why don’t we use 是 (shì) before 好?

With adjectives, Mandarin usually doesn’t use 是. Adjectives act like stative verbs, so the natural pattern is “Subject + (degree word) + Adjective,” e.g., 名字很好. Use 是 when linking two nouns or when making a contrastive/emphatic statement:

对比/强调: 你的名字是很好，就是有点长。 (“Your name is indeed good, it’s just a bit long.”)
Linking to a noun phrase: 你的名字是好名字。

Can I drop 很 and just say 你的名字好?

Usually no. A bare adjective (without a degree word) often sounds comparative or contrastive, like “Your name is (the) good (one).” You’d add a degree marker to make a neutral statement: 你的名字很好. Without it, it’s only natural in special contexts, e.g., explicit comparison: 跟他比，你的名字好。

Is 名字很好 a natural compliment, or should I say 好听?

It’s fine to say 名字很好, but it’s more idiomatic to compliment how a name sounds with 好听:

你的名字很好听。 (Your name sounds really nice.) You can also say 好记 (easy to remember) or, if talking about the written form, 好看 (looks nice).

How do I pronounce the tones in this sentence?

Pinyin with sandhi: nǐ de míngzi hén hǎo.

很 and 好 are both third tone, so due to 3→2 sandhi it’s pronounced hén hǎo.
的 and the zi in 名字 are neutral tone.
你 (nǐ) is a “half third” before neutral 的 (you don’t fully dip and rise).

Why is 子 in 名字 neutral tone? Is it the same as 字 (zì)?

In 名字 (míngzi), the second syllable is the character 子, which often becomes a neutral-tone suffix in disyllabic nouns. It’s not 字 (zì, “character”). So write 名字, and pronounce the second syllable as neutral tone: míngzi.

What exactly is 的 (de) doing here? How is it different from 地 and 得?

Here 的 is the possessive/attributive particle linking 你 and 名字: “your name.”

的 (de): attributive/possessive before nouns (e.g., 我的名字).
地 (de): adverbial marker before verbs (e.g., 慢慢地说 “speak slowly”).
得 (de): complement marker after verbs/adjectives (e.g., 说得好 “speak well”).

Can I omit 的 and say 你名字?

Not in standard Mandarin. Keep 的 with ordinary nouns: 你的名字. Dropping 的 is common mainly with close kinship terms or a few set/short expressions, e.g., 我妈, 你哥, 我家—but not with 名字.

Would using 您 make this more polite?

Yes. To be respectful, say 您的名字很好(听). Use 您 when addressing elders, customers, teachers, or in formal contexts.

How do I ask “What’s your name?” in Chinese?

Common options:

你叫什么名字？ / 你叫什么？ (What’s your name?)
你姓什么？ (What’s your surname?)
Polite: 请问，您贵姓？ (May I ask your honorable surname?)

How could I respond naturally to this compliment?

Possible replies:

谢谢。 / 谢谢夸奖。
哪里哪里。 / 过奖了。 (deflecting modestly)
谢谢，你的也很好听。
谢谢，这是我爸妈起的。 (Thanks, my parents chose it.)

How can I make a comparison like “Your name is better than his”?

Use 比:

你的名字比他的好(听)。 For a milder “relatively,” use 比较:
你的名字比较好听。

How do I negate it or soften it?

Negate adjectives with 不:

Direct (blunt): 你的名字不好听。
Softer: 你的名字不太好听。 / 不太好记。 / 有点儿拗口。

How do I say it’s really/very good instead of the neutral 很?

Use stronger degree words:

你的名字非常好(听)。
你的名字真好听。
你的名字特别好听。
你的名字太好听了。 (exclamatory)

Is spacing between words normal in Chinese writing?

No. Standard Chinese writes characters continuously without spaces. You’d normally write: 你的名字很好。