How do Dominicans get their "apodos" (nicknames)

[M.A.R.]

Since someone else asked why do Sankies have nicknames I thought we would talk about the origins of the nicknames of many Dominicans.

Usually the nicknames are created when you are a child growing up.
The smaller children cannot pronounce the names of the older children and so whatever sound comes out of the younger one, that's the new nickname. Or someone else gives you a nickname.

for example, when I was a child, one of the younger children couldn't say the name "Felix" or Feli in Dominican, lol....so she would say Eyi....so for a long time that's what everyone called this boy until someone else gave him the nickname "PQD" and we still call him that today.

My uncle had like 7 boys so the first boys had nicknames
like Jose Luis came to be "Teli"
Carlos Manuel = El Pichon later Calone -he's twenty something and we still call him Calone.
Carlos Jose = was Neno
Julio Cesar = was Teta, I know unbelievable, I hope they don't call him that still.

Maybe some of you can go around and ask some of the people you know, why they got the nickanames they have.
Or do you know the story of the nicknames of people around you? Tell us.

 

[Chirimoya]

I know several, ranging from the mundane - Peyo "because his Dad used to have a Peugeot"; to the unfortunate "Miripio" which apparently originated when the poor guy was hit in the groin during a ball game, upon which he screamed "mi ripio!" - and from then on was stuck with that incomparable nickname, making practically every sentence containing his name into a very silly double-entendre: "Donde est? ..."

 

[Chip00]

I have a cunada who's name is Maria but everyone call her Hilda(go figure right?)

I have a neighbor who is called Nao which is based on a child's nickname.

Also, our second daughter has two nicknames, one "Daja" - which comes from her older sister's way of pronouncing her real name "Jada" and "la goida"(Cibaeno version).

People here call me "Chi" which is short for my name "Chip" which is a nicname too.

 

[something_of_the_night]

And then there are The Kid's nicknames, and I love them all, except I don't like my real name.

Some call me Joseito - obvious. My father calls me Pepe, and lots of my friends and family in Higuey call me Tao, with a 'T' sound. Then my sister calls me Manito Tao (little brother Tao), but she's actually playing with words: roasted peanuts.

 

[M.A.R.]

In the campo there's someone called "El Chocho" and the more daring neighbors would call him "El Toto" sometimes. :cheeky:

What about "Pingo", this is the truth!!! and when a Puerto Rican man went to the campo, because he went there looking for a young bride, he was so scandalized that they would call someone with that nickname.

 

[shadInToronto]

... Manito Tao (little brother Tao), but she's actually playing with words: roasted peanuts.

Nice thread on a very hot and humid day. M.A.R. .... que?

To The Kid ... peanuts are small, hmmmmmm ....

 

[M.A.R.]

Then my sister calls me Manito Tao (little brother Tao), but she's actually playing with words: roasted peanuts.

I think his sister meant "Nutty little brother".

Nice thread on a very hot and humid day. M.A.R. .... que?

Shad??? Que de Que? I guess you are liking the nicknames. Do you like or no like? What's your Dominican nickname?

 

[something_of_the_night]

I think his sister meant "Nutty little brother".




Shad??? Que de Que? I guess you are liking the nicknames. Do you like or no like? What's your Dominican nickname?

A play on words, people. And I thought it was self-explanatory.

Manito for hermanito. Okay, we got that one out of the way.

Then Tao for my nickname. So far, so good.

Manito Tao. Man? : peanuts

Manito Tao: as in tostado: roasted.

By the way, shad is not Dominican, but a wannabe Dom-York. It's better to be a Canadian than a Dom-York.

 

[shadInToronto]

....By the way, shad is not Dominican, but a wannabe Dom-York. It's better to be a Canadian than a Dom-York.

Nice try Kid .... Canadian I am and someday soon a retiree in the DR. Last visited NYC in Dec. '84 and was mugged ... hated it since then.

 

[Chirimoya]

lots of my friends and family in Higuey call me Tao, with a 'T' sound.

Any particular reason?

 

[shadInToronto]

.... I guess you are liking the nicknames. Do you like or no like?

Can't say unless I know what it is. M.A.R. .... que?

 

[M.A.R.]

A play on words, people. And I thought it was self-explanatory.

: Manitotao - Hermanito loco.

I got your post the first time.

 

[something_of_the_night]

:tiredk Somethin' - ok so Manito Tao - mani totao - mani tostado(roasted peanuts)
I know you've heard this before so If you say someone "esta tostao" o "ese 'ta totao" he's trying to say he's nuts. So....Manito Tao ...play on words for me.....Manitotao - Hermanito loco.

That works for me as well. And loco sounds better than loquito. Plus, there's an added sense of "hey, I'm just crazy, what do you expect?" kind of approach. In other words, I'm not responsible for my bad manners. Don't blame me, I'm crazy.

A few years ago, a good-looking young lady that I liked in Higuey said I was just a loquito viejo. After I heard about it, I started treating her with less confianza but with a certain degree of decorum. An act, if you will.

Eventually, she wanted me. Badly. Too late, baby: I thought I was just a loquito viejo.

That's how The Kid rolls.

 

[shadInToronto]

....A few years ago, a good-looking young lady that I liked in Higuey said I was just a loquito viejo.

Subjective .... need proof that she is. You know that adage, 'beauty..... '

 

[asopao]

There was a kid whose nickname was " tre culito" (tres culitos). I never got to know his real name and I don't know how he got that nickname.

There was an English teacher in in the 80's, his nickname was " dulito", as in " dr. doolittle". he got that nickname because one day that he was angry with the students being rude and noisy, he yelled " am I speaking to animals !". From there on the students call him " dulito", and it passed on till this day.