Nicknames in Spanish

[Marianopolita]

So many, most have names that are unrelated to their birth names i.e someone would be called Charly when his birth name is Jose Luis. Others describe a physical characteristic such as canita (someone who has grey hair since young), el elevado (tall skinny guy), momore (young moreno), cabolo (not sure of the origin), etc.... Not sure I know someone's real name.

Most of the nicknames for myself describe an ample body part.

The nick names often have no logic. I totally agree and some are short forms of a person’s real name.


Examples:

1) Pepe = José

2) Beto = Alberto

3) Juanca= Juan Carlos



Then there is the usage of diminutives which is a part of Spanish por excelencia.

Diminutives such as -ito/ -ita and -ico/ -ica convey cariño.


mamita, bebecita , mi amorcito/ amorcita etc.



Then there are some that are very regionalized terms of endearment like Mimi. You have been to Cuba.You may have heard that one.



-MP.

 

[malko]

Your nickname can change real fast and permanently.....

Ask el twerto, el bolo, la mocha, or even el ciego, el mudo or la loca......no idea of the spelling though.....

 

[Marianopolita]

I have a male Dominican friend with the nickname Chavi. I have no clue what it means.
His real name is Santiago.

It could be just within the family. I usually ask when I hear a nick name that is not obvious.


Your screen name is also a nick name. Dulce is a term of endearment.



-MP.

 

[Marianopolita]

Your nickname can change real fast and permanently.....

Ask el twerto, el bolo, la mocha, or even el ciego, el mudo or la loca......no idea of the spelling though.....

So true.


BTW- it’s tuerto


-MP.

 

[AlterEgo]

I’ve never seen a country with so many nicknames. We were married about 10 years when one of my husband’s brothers saw an envelope addressed to us..... Mr & Mrs Leonardo *****. He wanted to know “Quien es Leonardo? “.

They only knew him as Nany.

The 5 brothers:
Leonardo....Nany
Cesar......Charito
Jose......Cheo (this one common)
Jorge.....Boito
Luis.....Louie (normal, but they call his son, Luisito, Guicho)

Years ago, when I did the family tree, it was mind boggling. No one used their real names. Some cousins: Aleman (he looked German), Chivito, Toro, Titico, ChiChi, Chelo..........all nicknames. His grandfather “Maley” was Manuel, and “Pierucho” was Pedro Antonio.

It’s even worse in the campo.

 

[Fulano2]

Who has various nick names by the way?
I was thinking... my wife calls me Cuki, different BIL’s mister and amarello, a SIL Julian. The guy who milks my FIL’s cows calls me el general. You get used to this madhouse untill a topic as this one shows up.

 

[NanSanPedro]

Just today I had one guy I didn't know call me jefe. No clue as to why.

 

[dulce]

It could be just within the family. I usually ask when I hear a nick name that is not obvious.


Your screen name is also a nick name. Dulce is a term of endearment.



-MP.

I have asked and nobody could give me an answer.
I picked the name dulce for me because I am a sweetie. So they tell me. lol

 

[malko]

In the family we have,
a quiqui,
A chichi ( usually for small children, until a real nickname is found lol ),
A rabo,
A dorrito,
A oberita,
A jecko,
A monito,
A tata,
A tatan,
A bodosco,
A caco,
A tchatchi,
And probably more......
Not one of them has anything to do with their given names..... not even slightly.

 

[Buzzard]

I often refer to my wife as 'mamacita'.
Heard it on a Juan Luis Guerra album (Bachata Rosa)

 

[Marianopolita]

Just today I had one guy I didn't know call me jefe. No clue as to why.

I think it’s friendly especially if you don’t know him.

It’s similar in English nowadays. I always listen to the interaction between a customer (male) and the cashier (male) at the gas station. When the customer goes inside the store to pay the customer in many scenarios says: What’s up boss? Just to begin the interaction. Then the clerk would respond: Pump #7? ....and so forth.


-MP.

 

[Marianopolita]

I often refer to my wife as 'mamacita'.
Heard it on a Juan Luis Guerra album (Bachata Rosa)

With your wife I think mamacita is okay although that word and its usage can have a range of connotations depending on how it’s used and the relationship between the two people.


Compare:

Mamita

Mamacita

Mamasota


Some women do not want be called any of the three....they would be totally offended.


BTW- Bachata Rosa by JLG is a nice album


-MP.

 

[House]

Fair enough.

What other nicknames have you heard in the Spanish-speaking world that you would like to add?

My favorite is "come yuca" lol!

El es como mi cuñado.

He's had the name since he was a child and he's famous in his barrio. Anytime he walks the streets people call him out by name "Come yuca!!!!! Comeeeee YUUCAAA" It's beautiful

He's in his 50's by now.

 

[alexw]

This is a great thread. Thanks!

 

[Marianopolita]

My favorite is "come yuca" lol!

El es como mi cuñado.

He's had the name since he was a child and he's famous in his barrio. Anytime he walks the streets people call him out by name "Come yuca!!!!! Comeeeee YUUCAAA" It's beautiful

He's in his 50's by now.

Isn’t it interesting how a nickname sticks with a person for life?


So did he eat a lot of yuca?



-MP.

 

[House]

Isn’t it interesting how a nickname sticks with a person for life?


So did he eat a lot of yuca?



-MP.

TONS! lol

It's his favorite food. He begged for it as a child. It's an amazingly silly name for such a respected man and that makes it even better

 

[Buzzard]

With your wife I think mamacita is okay although that word and its usage can have a range of connotations depending on how it’s used and the relationship between the two people.
Some women do not want be called any of the three....they would be totally offended.
-MP.

Would you please explain why this is the case. Dominicans we know are amused when they first hear me call her that.
(They tend to refer to her as 'Jefa'!)
What connotations are there;I don't want to embarrass my wife or our friends.
Thanks

 

[frank recktenwald]

Grandfather= Dimas, son= Dimita, grandson = Dimitin
So also Paco, Paquito and Paquitin

 

[Marianopolita]

Would you please explain why this is the case. Dominicans we know are amused when they first hear me call her that.
(They tend to refer to her as 'Jefa'!)
What connotations are there;I don't want to embarrass my wife or our friends.
Thanks

How is your Spanish? I ask because that is key with that word and its variations. As well, if your wife has not said anything meaning if she is okay with it then what I am saying is just an FYI.

I will leave out mamasota completely but mamacita and mamita can vary again depending on the context and situation how it’s used.


Here is a link on the topic a few years ago and as well, Google it. You will see many discussions on the web about the usage and all its variations.


https://dr1.com/forums/showthread.php/159152-The-usage-of-mami-and-mamita?highlight=

(Please note when a thread is inactive for a while the Spanish accent mark becomes a question mark like this ? But you can still figure what the word is).


Here are a few links I just pulled up in Google. There are many more:

https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/mamacita

https://www.quora.com/What-does-mamacita-mean-Is-it-considered-a-compliment
Good forum discussion

https://forum.wordreference.com/threads/mamacita.8018/



-MP.

 

[Chirimoya]

Maybe just because it's funny to hear a foreigner using a very local expression.