Paco, Curro, Chus, Charo, Merche and Chimo are all part of the fascinating world of Spanish first names. If you can correctly identify at least 80 per cent of them, you can safely say you know Spain remarkably well
Spain in Press Editorial Team
Anyone learning Spanish will eventually come across something that can be utterly baffling: Spanish nicknames.
It is one thing to discover that Francisco becomes Paco or José turns into Pepe. But how on earth does Jesús become Chus, or Dolores become Lola?
In Spain, first names often develop a life of their own. Many of these affectionate forms bear little resemblance to the original name. They have been passed down through generations and, for many foreigners, they can feel like a secret code.
How many can you identify?
Can you work out which names these nicknames belong to?
Sito, Chus, Merche, Charo, Chimo, Paco, Pepe, Lola, Curro, Kiko, Quique, Lolo, Chema, Toño, Nacho, Tino, Nando, Luchi, Concha, Cuca, Lita, Puri, Pili, Mamen, Loles, Nines, Santi, Fina, Tere and Reme.
No cheating. Even many Spaniards would struggle to identify every single one.
If you score at least 80 per cent, you can proudly claim that you know Spanish culture rather well.
Why are they so different?
Some of these nicknames date back centuries, while others simply evolved through everyday family life.
There are some particularly curious examples. Paco comes from Francisco, Pepe is the traditional nickname for José, Lola is derived from Dolores, while Chimo or Ximo is a traditional Valencian form of Joaquín.
Regional differences also play an important role. In Seville, for example, men named Francisco are very often known as Curro. Depending on where they are from and their family traditions, a Francisco might be called Paco, Fran, Kiko or Curro. It is hardly surprising that visitors often find Spanish nicknames confusing.
For many foreigners, learning these nicknames is almost as important as learning the names themselves.
The answers
Here are the correct matches:
Sito – Luis, Luisito or Lisardo (depending on the region)
Chus – Jesús
Merche – Mercedes
Charo – Rosario
Chimo – Joaquín
Paco – Francisco
Pepe – José
Lola – Dolores
Curro – Francisco, especially in Seville
Kiko – Francisco, Federico or Enrique, depending on the family
Quique – Enrique
Lolo – Manuel
Chema – José María
Toño – Antonio
Nacho – Ignacio
Tino – Agustín, Faustino, Constantino or Celestino
Nando – Fernando
Luchi – Lucía or Luz
Concha – Concepción
Cuca – Concepción, although it may vary
Lita – Adelita, Carmelita or other names, depending on the family
Puri – Purificación
Pili – Pilar
Mamen – María del Carmen
Loles – Dolores
Nines – Encarnación
Santi – Santiago
Fina – Josefina or Serafina
Tere – Teresa
Reme – Remedios
A language full of surprises
Spanish nicknames are an essential part of the country’s culture and everyday life. Some have centuries of history behind them, while others simply emerged because they were easier to pronounce within the family.
So, how many did you get right?
And one final question: which other Spanish nicknames have puzzled you the most? Chances are there is an interesting story behind them.
