It's All in a Name

Understanding the naming conventions of other cultures is important for an investigator or for anyone wishing to certainly and correctly identify people in our diverse country. The following column is an attempt to assist the reader in correctly applying the conventions of uniquely ethnic names so identification is possible. This article should not be interpreted as indicating any unusual prevalence of any specific ethnic group toward unlawful or immoral activities, since no such intention exists. In each issue of The John Cooke Financial Fraud Report, we will explore the mysteries of the naming practices of many ethnic cultures. In this issue, we look at the naming traditions of various Hispanic cultures.

HISPANIC NAMES

One of the fastest growing segments of the United States population - especially in the southwest - is the Hispanic segment. As these individuals become an ever larger part of our everyday experience, it becomes more important to understand the naming traditions of various Hispanic cultures.

Although there are differences in the underlying cultures, for most countries in Latin America the primary language is Spanish; the major exception to this rule is Brazil, where the official language is Portuguese. Just as there are differences in the traditional foods and dress of these countries, there are also some subtle differences when it comes to naming traditions.

With a few exceptions, the alphabet used for Hispanic languages is the same as that used for English. Some letters that are pronounced differently by English speakers are the same to Spanish speakers. For example, the letters s and z, although different in English, are used pretty much interchangeably in Spanish. Other differences include the pronunciation of the letter j as an h sound, the rolled r sound and the n~ which is pronounced as ny.

A few other changes occur in Brazil. Although Spanish and Portuguese are related languages, there are some differences in pronunciation. The Portuguese d is pronounced somewhat softer, sounding a little like dj, while the j is pronounced like the second g in our English word "garage." A big difference is seen in the letter r, with its pronunciation depending on its position in the word. At the beginning of a word, or following a consonant, r sounds like our letter h. Following a vowel, r is pronounced like our r. If the r is doubled to rr it is pronounced as ch as in the German word "Bach." Also, in Portuguese, diacritical marks (or accent marks) are very important to pronunciation. For example, there are subtle differences in pronunciation of the vowels e, e', and e^.

Gender is often reflected in Hispanic names. Although there are exceptions to the rule (e.g., in some Hispanic countries, Maria is a common name for both males and females), in general, Hispanic names ending with an o sound are masculine while those ending with an a are feminine.

Some Hispanic names reflect a strong religious influence, such as Maria, Guadalupe or Jesus. In Honduras, tradition calls for naming the child after a saint, corresponding to the day of birth. However, it is not unusual to choose another name if the family prefers. Children in some countries, such as El Salvador and Cuba, also receive a baptismal name, either as a middle name or in addition to the names given at birth.

Those Hispanic children who are given more American-sounding names may often use nonstandard spellings. This can be a creative adaptation by the parents or it can be due to a lack of formal education. The name may be a combination of the parents' favorite names or it may be the name of the parents' favorite movie star.

Names in the Spanish language provide a lot of information. A Hispanic person's full name often gives an indication of his relationship to the community at large. These traditions vary, however, depending on the country of birth.

In most Hispanic countries, the child's first name is usually chosen by the parents. Depending on the cultural traditions, the name may be the name of a saint or simply a name the parents like. Some cultures, such as Mexico tend to give more traditional names, such as Marta or Jose. Others, such as Uruguay, tend to give more modern names. In many Hispanic countries, the first name of Maria is given to both boys and girls; in this case, the middle name will be chosen to reflect the child's gender as in Maria del Carmen or Maria Jose.

Other common girl's names may be Cristina, Isabel, Esperanza, Leticia, Maritza, Erica, Carmen, Teresa. Other boy's names may include Pedro, Juan, Carlos, Pablo, Ramon, Roberto, Eduardo. First names in Brazil, are a little different: Vera, Lucia, Paula, So^nia for girls and Antonio, Marcelo, Luiz, Joao~, Rafael (pronounced "hafael") for boys.

The child's second name is also chosen by the family. In Cuba, El Salvador and Panama, the second name is usually a baptismal name and may be chosen to honor a grandparent. For boys or girls, it may be the grandfather's name with the addition of a diminutive ending.

The child's third and fourth names are the last names of the mother and father. The order of these names depends on the culture. In Cuba, Mexico, Panama and Uruguay, the father's name is placed in the third position and the mother's name in the fourth position. In Brazil and Honduras, the mother's name is third and the father's name is fourth. In El Salvador, the order depends on the marital status of the parents. If the parents are married, the order is father-mother; if they are unmarried, the order is reversed. If the parents marry shortly after the birth, the record can be amended.

In still other cultures, the child of a single mother may be given his or her mother's family name twice. Since there are many families with the same name, it appears from the birth certificate that two people with the same family name were married. Such a child might be named Maria Teresa Hernandez Hernandez. If the father -- say Jose Dominguez -- later recognizes his paternity, the child's name may be changed to Maria Teresa Dominguez Hernandez.

Like the names of other cultures, Hispanic family names have a variety of origins. Common Cuban family names include Lopez, Fernandez and Hernandez. These names reflect an ancestor's name. The common ending syllable of ez is loosely translated to mean "son of." Lopez is the "son of Lope"; Hernandez, the "son of Hernando." Other Hispanic family names may be derived from the town of the ancestors: Valencia, Cordoba, Llanes. Names common throughout Latin America include Sanchez, Medina, Ramos, Rodriguez, Herrera, Gonzalez, Perez, Gutierrez.

In some Latin American cultures, there is also a foreign influence on the naming traditions. For example, many foreigners went to Panama to work on the canal. As these workers assimilated into the Panamanian culture, many non-Hispanic names became more common. Children may have very Hispanic sounding first and middle names, followed by an American family name, (e.g., Maria Elida Brown Ramos.)

Other countries in Latin America have experienced large foreign immigrations. In the southern part of Brazil, there is a large Germanic population. In the center of the country is a large Italian population. The northeastern section is populated by predominantly Spanish and African immigrants. Scattered throughout the country are many people who immigrated from Japan. Each of these cultures maintains traditions and language from its original country.

In most Hispanic cultures, when a girl marries, she will drop her mother's family name and add the word de followed by her new husband's name. One notable exception to these traditions occurs in Spain, the only modern European culture in which a woman does not take her new husband's name when she marries. Children, however, receive both names - with the father's family name in the third position.

Problems have arisen when people who use these Hispanic naming traditions have needed to fit into English-language situations: for example, when applying for a driver's license. Until recently, there was no established policy for determining which names would be used. If a Hispanic woman by the name of Maria Teresa Dominguez Hernandez de Gutierrez wrote down her whole name, it was then up to the clerk to determine which of her names to fit into the standard form. Depending on what name the clerk chose, Maria could receive a driver's license under the last name of either Hernandez or Gutierrez.

As Maria becomes more Americanized, she may come to realize that she is expected to go by the name of Mrs. Jose Gutierrez or even Maria Gutierrez. In most cases, it is the mother's name that is dropped first. If she chooses to adopt the American style of name, she may or may not attempt to get a new driver's license with the new name. If she wishes to retain some tradition, she may choose to call herself Maria Dominguez-Hernandez or Maria Dominguez-Gutierrez.

Businesses that serve large numbers of Hispanic people have sometimes contributed to the confusion by not requiring proper identification. By accepting whatever name was offered without obtaining proof of identity, they have made tracking such names extremely difficult.

But after several decades of confusion, the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) in California now requires birth certificates for all driver's licenses. Also, the DMV is now tracking all name changes. In theory, these differences in DMV policy should make name searches and indexing more feasible.

Until this system is has taken full effect, we suggest that those faced with investigating people with Hispanic names go the extra mile and check each possible combination of the individual's various names. A woman by the name of Maria Teresa Dominguez Hernandez de Gutierrez may have records under several different names, including Maria Dominguez Gutierrez, Maria Hernandez Gutierrez, Maria Teresa Dominguez, etc. Other possibilities for investigation include substituting s for z or using nonstandard spellings. Finally, if the investigator knows that the subject lives with a sibling who uses a different name, he can also check under the sibling's last name.

If you are a new subscriber, you may be interested in obtaining back issues of The John Cooke Financial Fraud Report. In previous issues we have covered the naming traditions of the Gypsy and Nigerian cultures.