‘Mary Joseph,’ ‘Little Town’ and ‘Holy Conception’: The unusual names I hear in Mexico

My 11-year-old just got a cat. It’s a long story, but it can be whittled down to this: she rescued a cat from her dad’s roof, they already have too many animals and we only have one. She wore me down, then I wore my cat-hating partner down — I am not proud of my behavior — and voila: We’ve got a cat now.

The cat’s name? “Firulais.” Oof. I was a little heartbroken, as I’ve been waiting years to name a cat Miau-ricio Garcés. But first, it’s a girl, and second, it’s my kid’s cat, so she gets naming rights.

But I truly can’t resist a ridiculous name for an animal, so I tacked on to it with the help of my editor. Our new cat has now been christened “Firulais de la Santísima Concepción.”

‘Pain and Solitude, please raise your hands’ 

If you’ve been in Mexico for long, you’ve probably heard quite a few… different names out there. Among all the Juans, Marías and Fernandos, there are some real gems to be heard. Even “normal” names can seem pretty odd once you really think about them: “Dolores” (Pain) and “Soledad” (Solitude/Loneliness), for example. Why would parents give these names to their children?

Well, there are reasons; we’ll get into them below.

Naming one’s child is important, of course; this is how one’s child will be known for the rest of their life, unless they go to the trouble of changing their name. By the way, I would not recommend doing this in Mexico. 

So you want a name that’s strong but not pushy? Pretty, but not weak? Perhaps you wish for certain characteristics in your child and give them a name in that hope.

My daughter, for example, is named Lisa. Now, this is not a Mexican name, I know. But my sister’s name is Lisa, and I wanted a family name. I’ve also never met a woman named Lisa who wasn’t totally cool and original. And while it’s not common around here, it’s recognizable as a name, mostly thanks to “The Simpsons,” which is almost as popular here as it is in the U.S.

What’s in a name?

I lucked out in the name department, also with a family name. And while there were always at least two to three Sarahs in every classroom — we suffered along with the many Jessicas and Jennifers — my name here in Mexico is original. It strikes most people as vaguely Jewish, I’ve found. I’m just glad I finally don’t have to share it with at least three people in my immediate vicinity!

But let’s get back to the Mexican names. Most Mexicans aren’t quite as adventurous as their Latin American brethren. Colombia and Venezuela, for example, tend to get a little out there — my days teaching English online taught me that. “Leidy Carolina,” anyone? And yes, “Lady” is spelled like that so people will say it the “English” way.

But even in less-adventurous Mexico, there are some real original names out there that I’ve divided into categories. Enjoy, and be sure to add your own fun discoveries in the comments!

Religious names: a longstanding Mexican tradition

Especially for the older generations, these are the most common. You might know, for example, that it was once common in Mexico to name your child after the Catholic saint’s day he or she was born on. Was it March 20? Perhaps you like the name Ambrosio/a, or maybe Guillermo? How about Hipólito? The good thing is that there are lots of choices. Boys’ names frequently honor popular popes. I had a lot of Juan Pablos in my classes back when I taught high school.

For girls, well, there are fewer saintly choices. But if there aren’t any that the parents like, then other good choices include shortened names of the Virgin Mary. This is how we get names like “Soledad” (Our Lady of Sorrows) and “Dolores” (Our Lady of Pain).

Names can also be regional and religious. In Querétaro, where I used to live, I met several people named “Pueblito.” I later discovered that they were named after the Virgin’s image in the nearby town of El Pueblito.

You can also add on to names. The suffixes “del Niño Jesus” and “de la Santísima Concepción” add some extra spiritual or religious oomph. Luckily for people who don’t particularly love their names, there are plenty of diminutives to choose from.

Indigenous names and names from nature 

These are some of my favorites, the Mexican equivalents of hippie parents who name their kids “Rainbow” or something.

Some are more or less common: I’ve always said if I had triplet girls, for example, that I’d name them Sol (Sun), Luna (Moon), and Estrella (Star). Others are a little less common; I’ve met both a Brisa (Breeze) and a Caracol (Snail)! I’m not sure why Río isn’t in style, but it should be.

A few names in the Indigenous language Nahuatl have maintained their popularity as modern names. Xóchitl is a semi-popular one for girls — a candidate in the last presidential election comes to mind — and I’ve heard Saxchil too. I’ve heard Iluicatl and Tonatiuh as names for boys.

Feel like sticking it to the Spaniards? Refusing to use one of their colonist names for your kid is not the worst way to do it!

Trendy Mexican names 

Just like in other countries, stylish names in Mexico come and go — not unlike all the Sarahs in my class. When I taught high school — i.e., kids born in the early ‘90s — my classrooms were full of Andreas, María Fernandas and Sofías. I also had lots of Alejandros and Davids, and plenty of Rodrigos.

These days, if you go into an elementary school, you could throw a rock and be likely to hit a Santiago, Valeria or Mateo. They’re good names — like Sarah. But I bet they’ll wish later that they didn’t have to share them with so many people!

So what else have you got? Let us know some of your most fun and surprising name discoveries in the comments below.