阿孝

The 阿 prefix forms warm, familiar nicknames in southern Chinese and Taiwanese usage (Cantonese also: A-Ming, A-Ling). 阿孝 is most famously the diminutive of Taiwanese filmmaker Hou Hsiao-Hsien (侯孝贤, Hóu Xiàoxián), who is universally referred to in the Taiwan film community as 阿孝 — a pet name that even reached his 1985 autobiographical film 《童年往事》 (A Time to Live, A Time to Die), which was originally titled 'A-Hsiao's Past' (阿孝的故事) in the script.

Strictly informal. The 孝 character itself means 'filial piety' — a parent giving a child this name was making a strong moral wish. The nickname 阿孝 keeps that warmth without the formality.