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November 30, 2020 by Rafael Parra Hispanic Culture 4 comments

Common Spanish Nicknames for People’s First Names

Spanish nicknames are the staple of many close relationships. Most of us have had a nickname at some point in our lives. They differentiate our relationship with someone and indicate a special bond with them. I actually have a nickname that only my family and close friends know! 

Other nicknames are blanket nicknames, meaning they are called that by everyone. Sometimes, you might know a person by their nickname and only find out their nombre de pila, or first name, after years of friendship. In this case, the intimacy of the first name is greater than that of the nickname. 

What’s wonderful about Spanish nicknames is that their closeness and intimacy depend on the individual. Getting to know people’s names and nicknames is all part of the fun of building relationships. 

Do you need a list of endearing pet names and nicknames for friends and family? View our blog post Soul-Stirring Spanish Terms of Endearment for Anyone You Love.

Origin of Spanish Nicknames

How did Spanish nicknames come to be in the first place? 

Some name-based nicknames come from common speech mistakes kids make when trying to say their own names. People find it cute and the name sticks for a long time. An example of this is the nickname Chayo, which is short for Rosario. If you imagine a little girl named Rosario trying to say her own name, the nickname Chayo starts to make sense. 

Other Spanish nicknames come from combinations of first and middle names. Some really common nickname combinations are Juanpa and Majo, which are combinations of Juan Pablo and María José respectively.

The example of Chayo also gives us more information about the origin of Spanish nicknames. If you pay attention to Latin American slang, you’ll notice that many words, and nicknames have the phoneme ‘ch.’ This is because most of our slang, especially in Mexico and Central America, comes from the native tongues of the region, such as nahuatl, kaqchikel, etc. 

Spanish Nicknames

Spanish Nicknames with History

Other nicknames are related to Latin America folklore and legends. The nickname Lola, short for Dolores, is famous in Chile because of the story of a woman who killed her husband and lied about his death; now Lola roams the Chilean mines dragging her past lover’s coffin behind her looking for their killer, without knowing it was her all along. Spooky!

There are two other famous nicknames that make no sense at first glance: Pepe and Paco. 

Pepe, a nickname for José, derives from Jesus’ putative father Joseph. In Latin, putative father is pater putativus, which is commonly abbreviated as p.p. If you read that abbreviation in Spanish out loud, you’ll find why we call José “Pepe” instead.

Paco is another Spanish nickname with a religious origin. The vast majority of Latin Americans are Christian, after all! This name comes from San Francisco de Asís, a humble saint who was also known as Pater Comunitatis, which is Latin for “Father of the Community.” Grabbing the first two letters from each word of this Latin name is where the Spanish nickname Paco comes from.

Remember what I said about the ch sound earlier? Paco and Pepe have versions of them with the classic ch sound added: Pancho and Chepe. It goes to show we’ll put a ch in just about any slang word or nickname.

Nickname Variations by Region

Do Spanish nicknames vary by region? As you may know, slang words are sometimes shared among countries, but oftentimes their meanings or pronunciations vary. A similar thing happens with nicknames. Most nicknames are the same all across the board in Latin America, at least when it comes to changing or shortening first names. However, you’ll find that each country has its own set of common Spanish nicknames associated with its local slang. I’ll give you a list of common nicknames in different Latin American countries. 

Guatemala

Pollo, colocho, canche, gordo, oso, peque, chato, pato

México

Güero, güey, chavo, chaparro, greñas, gordo, CJ (pronounced seh hoh-tah)

Argentina

Penca, boludo, boló, guaso, guasa, nera, nero, cara e poio

Spanish Nicknames

The Most Common Spanish Nicknames

Now that you know a little bit more about Spanish nicknames and our relationships with them, let’s take a deep dive into name-derived nicknames! This list of Spanish nicknames will give you some ideas for common name abbreviations. 

Also, check out our post on Loving Spanish Phrases for Your Significant Other.

Spanish Nicknames for Guys

Getting a nickname can be a rite of passage for a group of male friends in Latin American culture. Sometimes, guys will take your nickname and change it so much that it will be unrecognizable from your original name! This is a common way to express affection though wordplay. A group of friends I had in college changed my name from Rafael over and over until they called me Garfio (hook). It was strange but endearing. Remember to not take yourself too seriously and roll with the punches and you’ll be A-OK! The following list details some common male Spanish nicknames.

NicknameNameName in English
BetoAlberto, RobertoAlbert, Robert
ChemaJosé MaríaJoseph Mary
JuampaJuan PabloJohn Paul
JuandiJuan DiegoJohn Diego
Juanfran, JuanchoJuan FranciscoJohn Francis
JuanjoJuan JoséJohn Joseph
JuanferJuan FernandoJohn Ferdinand
Pancho, PacoFranciscoFrancis
ChofoRodolfoRudolph
Chepe, PepeJoséJoseph
MemeManuelManuel
AlejoAlejandroAlexander
ChejoSergioSergio
ChusJesúsJesus
Fonsi, PonchoAlfonsoAlphonse
AdiAdolfoAdolph
GüichoLuisLouis
JanoAlejandroAlexander
ChenteVicenteVincent
KikoFedericoFrederick
LaloEduardoEdward
LenchoLorenzoLorenzo
LuchoLuisLouis
LuismiLuis MiguelLouis Michael
MemoGuillermoWilliam
MingoDomingoDomingo
NetoErnestoEarnest
NandoFernandoFerdinand
MonchiRamónRaymond
RuloRaúlRaul
NachoIgnacioIgnatius
ToñoAntonioAnthony
QuiqueEnriqueHenry

Nicknames for Girls

Women tend to use Spanish nicknames in an intimate and personal way. I have two loud friends in university who call each other “mama” affectionately. Sometimes, I would be in class and hear someone screaming “MAMAAAAAA” in the hallway and I’d have to contain my laughter because I knew it was those two saying hi to each other. 

But these gender differences in Spanish nicknames are just tendencies described based on my experiences and observations. These behaviours don’t exist in a vacuum and they can be experienced by everyone, regardless of gender! Anyway, let’s take a look at some female Spanish nicknames.

NicknameNameName in English
MajoMaría JoséMary Joseph
LichaAlicia Alice
AnabelAna BelénAna Bethlehem
AnaisaAna IsabelAna Isabelle
MaribelMaría IsabelMary Isabelle
CaluClaudiaClaudia
ChayoRosarioRosary
ConchaConcepciónConception
LenaMagdalenaMagdalene
LetiLeticiaLeticia
LuchiLucíaLucy
MabelMaría IsabelMary Isabelle
MaferMaría FernandaMary Fernanda
MayteMaría TeresaMary Theresa
MalenaMaría ElenaMary Elena
MaricarmenMaría del CarmenMary del Carmen
MarMarianaMaryanne
TitaMartaMartha
MechesMercedesMercedes
PiliPilarPilar
PaquitaFranciscaFrancess
PepitaJosefaJosephine
TinaCristinaChristine
VickyVictoriaVictoria
ViviVivianaVivianne
Geli, GelaAngélicaAngelica
LolaDoloresDolores
FaniEstefaníaStephanie
Lupe GuadalupeGuadalupe
ChavelaIsabelaIsabelle
ChíoRocíoRocío
SandySandraSandra

Spanish Nicknames are Fun!

Spanish nicknames are a great way to connect with the culture and get closer to those around you. The best way to learn about them and use them is through conversations! Spanish nicknames are something that everyone is constantly learning, even locals! So don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and make some Spanish-speaking friends. You might even get a nickname for yourself.

Are there any nicknames I didn’t mention that you would like to share? Leave a comment and let me know!

free spanish class online trial Spanish Nicknames

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Rafael Parra
Rafael Parra
Freelance Writer at Homeschool Spanish Academy
A native Spanish speaker from Guatemala, I'm a psychology student, creative developer, and aspiring polymath who's always learning new things and improving as a person. I'm a nerd when it comes to language, education, and videogames. My goal is to practice all these disciplines in unison and make something great with my time.
Rafael Parra
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names in Spanish Spanish nicknames
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4 comments on this post

  1. S. Alvarado
    May 6, 2021

    On your webpage comparing Babbel with Rosetta Stone, you might want to double-check your grammar in the final paragraph referring to Homeschool Spanish Academy. You use the words “it’s prove”, which corrected should read “it’s proof that” or “it has been proven that”. By the way, I’m glad you posted the Spanish medical dictionaries that you recommend. I have taught medical Spanish for nursing students and other medical personnel. I would like to see your list of recommended Legal Dictionaries if you would please share this. I often translate for local attorneys. I lived and studied in Guatemala for ten years and my husband is Guatemalan. I am a retired teacher/professor.

    Reply
    • Rafael Parra
      May 7, 2021

      Thank you for your comment! We’ll make the edits to our blog. I’m glad you’ve enjoyed our blog posts!

      Reply
  2. Amy
    May 24, 2021

    Where does Chema derive from? I fail to see any connection to Jose Maria?

    Reply
    • Rafael Parra
      May 26, 2021

      Hello Amy! There’s no clear origin for the nickname Chema. It is likely that it evolved from Josema – Sema – Chema.

      Reply

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