It was to avoid mispronunciations and potential bullying in school.
I mean... yes, that does alienate you a bit with the rest of the population. But still, you can give children a name that isn't used for official legal documents. Or like put it as the "Middle Name".
Like, it can be very sentimental when... you know... the parent dies...
I know, I might sound a bit silly. "It's just a name", yes, but its one that echos in your ancestors, it goes up the bloodline, across time. Its an artifact, an heirloom. A unique bond between parent and child.
To 2nd generations... it might seem less impactful, so I don't know if y'all might understand from my PoV. But, even though I emigrated when I was very young, when I was 8, that name is still a core part of my identity.
I think having such a name, even if not part of your legal name, kinda helps with like... you know... just feeling less self-shame about your heritage... helps with self-esteem a bit.
Now that we’re talking about this, I wonder what my Asian name would be if I had one xD
Are you parents still... around?
If you have a half-decent relationship with them... you can... ask them to give you a name (maybe they already thought of one but never used it). If they are still here, it's never too late.
You can write a sort of mini-biography journal entry about it. Like: My name is [X] but the name my parents gave me is [Y]. And make the entry look cool. Add some flowery proses to it. xD It can make you feel better.