When starting a search about our ancestors, it could happen that we do not know exactly the first names of those relatives that are a few generations in the past. This is due to the use of hypocoristics, something very common in the family environment. The hypocoristic differs from the nickname, which the Dictionary of the Royal Academy defines as “a name that is usually given to a person, taking their bodily defects or some other circumstance”. It is also different from the nickname, which is a “qualifying name with which a person is specially distinguished”.
The hypocoristics are those affectionate names derived from the given name. They are characterized by having suffered a certain distortion in relation to the original name from which they derive, both in their pronunciation and in their writing. Genealogical records, especially those kept by families or based on obituaries, often make use of these hypocoristics.
It is very easy to guess that an aunt who was called “Paty” had “Patricia” as a first name. However, there are nicknames that are more difficult to guess and sometimes it is so common in the family that it becomes a given name for future generations.
The following list is a start in the wonderful world of names and their most common hypocoristics. It could help locate that elusive ancestor who continues to elude his place in the family tree.
Beto : Alberto, Adalberto, Humberto, Roberto, Rigoberto.
Tasting : Catherine.
Concho, Shell : Conception.
Chayo : Rosario.
Chema : Jose Maria.
Chente : Vincent.
Mutt : Jesus.
Dago : Dagobert.
Goyo : Gregorio, José Gregorio.
Juancho : Juan Jose.
Lalo : Eduardo.
Lola : Dolores.
Lupe : Guadeloupe.
Maite : Maria Teresa.
Meche : Mercedes.
Moncho : Ramon.
Nacho : Ignacio, Jose Ignacio.
Duck, Patty, Patty : Patricia.
Pancho, Paco : Francisco
Pepe : Jose
Poncho : Alfonso
Raphael : Raphael
Toño, Toña : Antonio, Antonia.
References
- Dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy . Available at https://www.rae.es/ .
- Estrada, J. (2014). The formation of hypocoristics in Spanish . Available at: https://dialnet.unirioja.es/descarga/articulo/5559447.pdf
- Val, J. (s/f). Nicknames, nicknames and cognoments . Available at: http://www.cervantesvirtual.com/obra-visor/apodos-motes-y-cognomentos-2/html/
