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Nick Names


ned small

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9 hours ago, ned small said:

Pancho=Francisco. Poncho=Alphonso. And there you have it.

I know that there are other nick names but just wanted to clarify these two because the thread in question is closed where people seemed to be confused as to who is who re:Pancho and Poncho. The guy at Superlake was Francisco not Alphonso.

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6 hours ago, Travis said:

OK. Let's play this the other way around/fun way.

Who gets the nickname "Chino"?

 

People with curly hair.

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As far as I know, every name in Mexico has a standard nickname.  More for the list:
Guillermo=Memo
Francisco=Pancho or Paco
Ignacio=Nacho
Cuauhtémoc=Temo
Alondra=Alo  (Alondra means lark--beautiful name from a telenovela)
Rosario=Chayo
Graciela=Chela
Soledad=Chole
Antonia=Toña
Cristina=Cristy
Antonio=Toño
Gabriel=Gabo
Manuel=Meño
Alberto, Norberto, Roberto=all usually Beto
etc
etc

Consider nicknames in your home country--not nicknames like "Shorty" or "Curly", but the standard nicknames that you immediately would call someone if you know his/her actual name.  For example, most men in the USA named Robert are Bob or Bobby.  Most men named Thomas are Tom or Tommy.  Most men named William are Bill.  You can think of many more examples without thinking too hard.  It's the same in Mexico; standardized nicknames for most first names.

IMHO, Mexico's nicknames like these are based on baby talk.  Before a toddler can say Tío Guillermo, he can say Tío Memo.  Before that toddler can say Tía Rosario, she can say Tía Chayo.  Again IMHO, the pronunciation of these sorts of nicknames approximates what the child hears and what he or she can pronounce.

Nicknames based on a Mexican person's physical attributes are different: you all know "El Chapo"--the short guy.  Short people are also affectionately called "Chaparrito"--little short guy or woman.  Pecosito or Pecosita is Freckles.  Mercedes Sosa, one of the most famous and dearly loved singers in Argentina (QEPD), was always known as La Negra, as was a Mexican singer, Toña La Negra.  The list goes on, depending on the person's physical attributes.  Same in the USA: Shorty (for a short person), Stretch (for a tall person), etc.

Then there are special nicknames given by the family, with no standard explanation.  

 

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What an interesting string of information all started because I didn't know how to spell Poncho's/Pancho's name. Thank you all for rather than teasing me, which is well deserved on my lazy part, you have posted fantastic information.

I want to especially thank Ned Small for starting this.  And no, I will not joke around and call you Nedro, today.

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On ‎12‎/‎3‎/‎2017 at 8:10 AM, addtocart said:

What strikes me is -- these nicknames aren't just some schoolyard thing from one kid to another.  They seem to be a national thing.  Eduardo = Lalo?  Where does that come from?

The nick names can be quite serious business. Not to tinker with.

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