Inspired by the Chinese folktale Tikki Tikko Tembo which is about how the Chinese came to give all their children short names. When the 1st son falls into a well his younger brother can't get help right away due to having to recite his brother's ridiculously long name, Tikki Tikki tembo-no sa rembo-chari bari ruchi-pip peri pembo, which meant 'the most wonderful thing in the whole wide world!"
According to Wikipedia, "It has been suggested that the story probably originated from the Japanese folktale Jugemu instead of a Chinese folktale."
