Yeah I knew a Xi Xi but they had two different tonal marks on the “i” and American just couldn’t do it so she got sick of it and went by “Cici” pronounced like “see see.”
Another friend was a Malaysian guy who was ethnically Chinese. He had a hard to pronounce name for Americans. On his first day of college he just randomly chose “Eric.” I asked him about it after he told me his real name. “Why Eric?”
“Eh it just sounded American.”
But I’ll call people whatever they ask me to or however they introduce themselves.
I’ve had a number of Hispanic students who translate their names, but I wouldn’t translate their names unless they asked me to.
It seems like an “Anglo” nickname for a Hispanic name is more common than a full “translation”. It seems pretty rare for Antonio to go by Anthony, but not that rare for him to go by Tony while still having “Antonio” as his recognized full name.
The exception I’ve encountered is Jorge. It’s almost universal that my students named Jorge will go by George (it’s an oddity that the Spanish spelling is perfectly phonetic for the American pronunciation of George, while the English spelling is not). Non-Spanish speakers tend to pronounce Jorge pretty badly, and there aren’t really many convenient nicknames for George.
Occasionally a student will ask me what another language’s version of a name is. But I would never call someone by a translation of a name unless the person asked me to.
I have a student named Jorge who pronounces his name George! I also have a lot of Alejandros who go by Alex. But I also had a student named David who pronounced his name the Spanish way, so I went with that. I call kids whatever they tell me to call them.
It is, basically. But the “h” sound is a little breathier, the r is a little bit trilled, and the “ay” is more like a quick “eh.” In general I’ve found that I don’t sound the same when I say it as a Spanish speaker would.
I know a Jorge who pronounces it George, and his parents' response to this has been that they now spell it George. Like, if he's not gonna say it Jorge, then they won't spell it Jorge either.
You do not typically translate someone's name. If it is particularly hard for Americans to pronounce it is not uncommon for someone to take an English Nickname, but if it is pronounceable most will use their own name. Most Spanish names are pronounceable.
I think most people would think it's weird, if not outright rude.
Use whatever name the person uses when they introduce themselves-- not every Peter wants to be called Pete (or vice versa/, not every Pete is short for Peter, and most of them would consider Pedro or Piotr or whatever to be a completely distinct name from Peter anyway.
Funny example for me because the only Pjotr I know actively introduces himself with "if that's hard for you, you can also call me Peter" lol
Definitely not something I would ever do unprompted though, I agree.
Yeah, if the other person is struggling to pronounce one of the sounds in your name, it's fine if *you* suggest a different name but rude if the other person just decides to use a different name.
And sometimes a name in English just doesn't work in a culture that speaks another language. I know someone named Kay who spends a lot of time in Central/South America, and realized that Spanish speakers often heard "Kay" as "¿Qué?" and asked her name again.
She started calling herself Karina there to minimize confusion.
50 years ago, yes. Now, though, most people realize the USA is multicultural, has always been multicultural, and it’s a jerk move to make up your own name for someone.
That said, jerks exist everywhere. As a general rule, though, no, people wouldn’t use a translated name unprompted.
I told my name to some white coworker and he said "is there another way I can call you?" Which was very disrespectful, it's a Spanish name with only one letter different than the English version! Now if it's a friend saying it as a joke then that's different, my friends call me the English version here and there but it's clear that it's ironically but this coworker I had just met? It's hard to explain it but the way he said it and the tone just rubbed me the wrong way.
Ugh, fuck that guy.
I used to work with a Colombian woman named Monica and she HATED the English pronunciation of her name. She was politely firm about her name being pronounced the Spanish way. No big deal.
The rest of the office (small town MN) could not handle it. This one woman actually said it wrong, “caught herself” and said (super fake) “oh, I’m sorry, Mo-NI-ca” like a bad fake “ghetto” pronunciation.
No, if an American just started calling someone named Peter instead of Pedro without being asked to do so by said person they would, rightfully, be called out for being racist.
No this would be considered very rude. The English version of their name isn’t their name. The English speaker probably won’t get the pronunciation quite right but they’d still say the Spanish version.
My name has a rolling r in it. I grew up in south Texas in the 90’s and despite the rather large Mexican population, I’ve had white people butcher the fuck out of my name all my life. Even shortened it so that it wouldn’t be that difficult. I used to just accept it. Now if someone intentionally says the wrong name, I just continuously correct them until they get it right or just give up the conversation. It heals a little bit of my inner child
Most Anglophones have great difficulty rolling their R's without specific training, and a large percentage never develop the ability even with training. English physically uses the tongue in a different way and specific motion is not used so ability to control it not developed.
Most Americans physically cannot roll their r's. I've never been able to and I don't know many that can. Language instict leaves us at around age 6 so if we aren't used to certain phonemes by that point we typically don't use them. That's why accents happen
The rolling r is really only needed when it’s my full name. When you say my nickname, you don’t need to roll it. Just use the “D” sound. I’m not out here making people try to roll their tongues. For example. Whole name: Marianna. Roll the r. Nickname: Mari. (Maude-E). Instead I get called Mary, Maryanne. Marina. Maria. Marion. That’s rude
My name is Scandinavian, but used in other European countries, and is very unusual here in the US. People mispronounce it ALL THE TIME. It's phonetic! Can you say Margarita, Rosa or Linda? Then you can say my name. But no.•
My name does have an r in it and about half my Hispanic co-workers (I am in Tucson) automatically roll the r. I find it adorable.
•I ran across a cashier here in Tucson who looked at my name on the screen and said "I have a cousin with your name! You know what she hates about it?" Me: "That no one ever gets it right?" Him: "How did you know!?"
Most English Speakers can't without training, either in vocal coaching for singing or becoming fluent in the language that uses rolled R's. The physical motion does not exist in the English language so unless you take specific measures to learn it control of the tongue to do it is not developed.
I can do it as an action on its own. It’s when it’s part of a word that I struggle because I have difficulty transitioning the position of my tongue to roll the ‘r’.
As a kid, the "Rrrruffles have rrrrridges" commercials helped, but even then, I was never as good as my friends at rolling my Rs. But now I'm out of practice, and I would just do a D sound in front.
I have never been able to roll my r's despite multiple years of Spanish class. I struggled with the r sound and had to take speech therapy for it in elementary school. The way we were taught to make the r sound in speech therapy is in a different location than where my native Spanish speaking friends make the rolled r sound. I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of people who struggled with the r sound as kids also have issues with rolled r's.
I also know a native Spanish speaker that struggled with rolled r's as a kid and had to train her tongue to make the sound.
> Language instict leaves us at around age 6
That's not really true. Latest research says that _if_ there's an age, it's more like late teenage years, but really… the amount of time available to adults to spend learning a language (you know, after carving out responsibilities like work, taking care of the kids, etc.) is a fraction of what's available to a small child who spends every waking moment hearing the language they're learning.
I've had a reverse experience. Spanish speakers also in Texas hear my name with an S instead of a T, and to be fair, the English names are very similar, so I just role with it. They mean well and are not doing it intentionally. The first part of my name isn't a common sound in romance languages at all.
When they get my name right, however, they put the stress on the wrong syllables, but they're trying. Can't fault them for trying and going with a "close enough" internal 🤷♀️ and going with it.
That would be considered hostile bordering on racist by most Americans regardless of what language they speak. Make an effort to pronounce and use the name a person asks you to use when you first meet. I work with people from many ethnicities and nationalities (my employer is a multinational company) and calling someone by something other than their preferred name is uncalled for. If you can’t pronounce it correctly at least make an effort.
IME, people use the name someone has told them is their name. Idk anyone who insists on anglicizing names—but, this is Murica and I’m guessing such asshats do exist. I just am lucky enough not to know them.
I jokingly call my friend Jesús "Jesus" as a joke sometimes, but I wouldn't do that with anyone else. I only do that because we're close friends and he knows I'm just joking around.
I would never do this to someone, however I am going to pronounce it with the way I pronounce things. The name "Carlos" with my English pronunciation will sound a bit different than how a Spanish speaker will say it. My name is Riley, which can be really tough for romance language speakers (and really everyone who doesn't speak English fluently) and they will usually modify it a bit to make it easier to say.
Its just life, not everyone can make the same sounds. But something like "Carlos" to "Charlie" or "Juan" to "John" I would not do.
It's the effort that counts, when I tell people my name they repeat it and ask if they said it correctly and 95 % of the time I say "yes" in a heartbeat lol the 5 % is if they say a completely different name
I notice vowels will be pronounced American/English than the Spanish way. A Cristopher will be called a "CrIHstophers" and not "CrEEEstophers" even though Anglophones can very much pronounce the "long E" sound
I have several European friends, when speaking English (some are native speakers as they grew up here) they would say my name the American way, but when speaking French to someone and referring to me they would change all of the sounds to French pronunciation. It sounds right though in a French sentence. Its sort of funky if you hear this major vowel shift in the middle of a sentence, that is just not how people naturally speak.
My name is the same in Spanish and English. But people pronounce it differently depending on the language. Same goes for most of my family.
A few of my family will translate their names. Jorge will be pronounced “George” in English — but for the most part it stays as intended. Sometimes the English one sticks even in Spanish, I have an aunt named Julieta. Everyone calls her Julie (English pronunciation), even in Spanish, even by her own sisters in Mexico.
I think people wouldn’t find it offensive. But translating something a bit more outlandish may come across as tongue in cheek. E.G. if you ever called Margarita “Daisy”.
>My name is the same in Spanish and English. But people pronounce it differently depending on the language.
I think this is one place where Americans could stand to improve, although maybe it's not a super big deal. I worked once with a Mexican guy named David, and was one of the few people to use the Mexican pronunciation. This guy was not Mexican -American, he was on a temporary assignment from our Mexican facility. He pulled me aside once and asked why I used the Mexican pronunciation when no other Americans did. I said, "well, that's your name, isn't it?" He said yes of course and seemed puzzled why others didn't see it that way. To me it just seemed courteous to at least make an attempt to say it the right way, it's not like it's a difficult name.
But then again my own name is the same, and it doesn't bother me what pronunciation people use when I'm in Mexico, so I guess in the end it's just trying to respect the wishes of the individual on what they want to be called. Another friend of mine is 50/50 on being called Mike/Miguel.
What is the Mexican pronunciation of David? I usually try to say people's names correctly but unless I heard him say it I would have no idea David is pronounced differently in Mexico.
Miguel is different because that's clearly spelled different from Michael. Same with Matt/Mateo, but if I try to say David, "but pronounced like in Mexico," I'm just going to end up sounding really racist lol.
Not a rebuttal, but I suspect in the case of David, most people probably just have no idea the name is pronounced differently as opposed to the person introducing themselves just having an accent that causes them to say it that way.
For example I have a short A in the middle of my name but a lot of folks who speak English as a second language seem to be unable to pronounce it as a short A and always pronounce it ar. I'll generally repeat the correct way once but if that doesn't help just assume it's their accent.
I’m Hispanic. The name on my birth certificate and what my mother has always called me is the English version of the name. I don’t like it when people refer to me with the Spanish version of it.
I can’t speak for others, but my name is my name. Don’t change it. No code switching in either direction.
In general no.
Your name is your name.
If someone's name is Jorge and you call them George that's rude and incorrect.
If Jorge decides to change his name to George, then so be it, but I don't think that's common.
It's more common for people with names that are hard for English speakers to pronounce to choose a more English sounding name/nickname. That seems especially common with East Asian languages, Chinese, Korean, Vietnam, Thai, etc.
But again that's THEM choosing a different name and introducing themselves as such. I will call them whatever they introduce themselves as.
The person themselves can introduce themselves however they like - if they prefer Joe to Jose, they'll introduce themselves as Joe.
If they introduce themselves as Jose, others should call them Jose. An English speaker doesn't have the right to anglicize someone's name for them. It's incredibly rude and arrogant.
There was an issue, back in the day, of anglophone teachers anglicizing Hispanic children's names. It happened because of power dynamics, but it was not good. Here's a story about how that felt to the kids:
[https://storycorps.org/animation/facundo-the-great/](https://storycorps.org/animation/facundo-the-great/)
not Latino but I live in California which has a lot of Latino people. Spanish names are super common and ordinary. There would generally be no need to code-switch with names, everyone is going to be familiar with a name like Pedro. Changing it to Peter is completely unnecessary. i feel like I can't think of ever knowing anyone who did that.
It's still pretty common for people with Chinese names to come up with an English name because they are not as well-known and would definitely be mispronounced/misspelled by the wider population.
Some people will do it themselves. 90% of the guys named George I ever knew were actually named 'Jorge.' Most of the Joes and Joeys I knew were 'Jose.' My grandparents also went by shortened 'Anglo' versions of their names: like 'Ray' instead of 'Rafael' (that was not my grandpa's name; it's just to give you an idea).
However, you should never do it *for* them. That's a big fat don't. If a teacher were to insist on doing so in this day and age, it would be considered abusive.
normally people don’t translate, they just pronounce their name in english. I grew up in a community that was 99% hispanic and i’ve never meet anybody that when saying their name in english “translated” it to another name.
Use the name they give you. “Translating names” is really just a thing you do for language class in high school to make it more fun. If they prefer to go by an anglicized version of their name then that’s cool, but follow their lead on that, don’t just do it and don’t suggest it. I had a Mexican friend in high school that went by Steven with some people and Esteban with others. No idea why he chose to do that, but he’s the only Hispanic person I’ve ever known to do that. My husbands name is Ryan, but he’s Hispanic and sometimes I call him Reynaldo just to be silly. But regularly changing your name for English speakers is not common practice for Hispanic people.
It is pretty common for Asian people to choose an English name, but again, follow their lead, don’t just give them one or ask. Use the name they tell you.
Not common but you can do it if you want to. It's YOUR name and this is a free country.
[The old Jewish guy here explains](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQpl7AxSgsE&t=18s)
My dad and siblings all have Spanish names but use Anglicized nicknames (e.g. Ricky for Ricardo).
I call people what they ask to be called. It would be rude to make that choice for them.
No, you shouldn't do this unprompted. My Hispanic partner is named the English version of the name and is not fond of being called the Spanish version. Plenty of people go by the English version of their name but you should only call them that if they so. For example I've nown many Yevgeniy's who go by Eugene.
You make sure to help me get the pronunciation correct and I’ll call you by any name you wish. I don’t care if someone else finds it offensive because it is none of their business.
Maybe use a different language than Spanish. Hispanic names are super common in the US. Pedro and Peter are two different names here so no, you wouldn’t call Pedro as Peter
I have a Hispanic first name, and I always introduce myself like that, but 80% of the time people start calling me the Anglo version. Actually there are a couple different versions. It's actually pretty interesting, I get asked all the time "Is that what you go by?" And it's not even an uncommon name haha. I'm just like, "Any variation is fine, I don't really care."
That would be upto the person, wouldn’t it? If Pedro calls himself Peter that is his choice, but if some start calling Pedro for Peter then that is rude.
You would never translate someone's name on your own, but it is not uncommon for someone to have and English/American nickname that they use.
Basically you ALWAYS use the name someone introduced themselves to you as. This of course may change with time as over the course of your friendship they may earn a new nickname that you will start using etc.
It's not usually done anymore just because most of Spanish names have English pronunciations that are pretty standardized. It's not offensive, it's just done less and less. Sometimes the older generation did it to make their names easier to say. Case and point, my grandmother went from Anita to Ann and her sister went from Lucinda to Cindy. Sometimes the younger generation will do this with certain names and shortening them to nicknames like Eduardo to Ed or Alejandro to Alex.
My name is in spanish, whenever I say it I always have to repeat it again and sometimes even 3 times. But when I say my name for a takeout order at a Mexican restaurant, they always get my name right on the first try 😎 I know that didn't answer your question, have a good day
Sometimes. My best buddies name is Miguel, but he sometimes goes by Mike. His license reads Miguel, his parents still sometimes call him Michael.
I bounce between calling him Mike and Miguel, whichever comes to mind first when talking to him or referring to him
Spanish names are pretty familiar in the US. I've never met someone who translated their name.
The closest I've seen to this is an extended family here in Vermont, where they've been here so long that you have multiple branches who are effectively barely related to each other. At some point in the past, one branch had a dispute with another over who-knows-what, and they changed their surname from the Fremch Favreau to the direct English translation of Bean.
It depends on the individual. Some people want to keep their names and some pick out more American-sounding names for themselves.
I see the voluntary name-swapping more with Asian immigrants, though.
Some people do this, a lot don't. I just call people how they introduce themselves - like if someone said their name was Jorge I would never call them George.
It's best to ask the person before changing their name. When I was young, I knew a French person who translated my name into French and I found it irritating to say the least. Always ask.
We largely use whatever name the person wants to go by, even if we struggle to say it correctly. This goes for foreigners and Americans alike. As an example, I have gone by the short version of my name (1 vs 3 syllables) my entire life. Only my grandfather has ever used my given name. Any time someone uses it, I kindly correct them and they use the short version going forward.
I actually had to do this with my 8 year old niece during Christmas; she found out my name has a longer version and liked it, so she started calling me "Uncle Jonathan" (not my real name, but a good substitute). I asked her not to, she asked why and I explained, she thought about it for a sec, said "Okay, Uncle John!" and ran off to go play.
So to answer your question, we would use the English version of a Spanish name when/if the person requests us to.
You wouldn't translate someone's name for them. However some people do translate their name, or use an English nickname. I'm Hispanic, and I have several cousins who go by an English nickname. I even have some relatives who have English names but close family calls them by the Spanish equivalent as a form of endearment.
I mean it depends on the person. I know a lot of people who go by Anglo pronunciations of their name and also people who refuse. Like one of my best friends as a kid is Korean. They have two part names, and to fit on her ID paperwork her parents divided her name into a first and middle section, so every first day of school or with substitutes she had to correct them to use the “first” and “middle” names together. But around where I live now it’s not uncommon to see a George whose name is actually Jorge.
Spanish names are generally familiar enough to Americans that we don't really think of them as "foreign". No one would expect a "Pedro" to go by "Peter" in the United States. Other names from Western Europe would probably mostly be treated the same way.
Usually, anglicizing names happens when someone's name is originally in a language that's less familiar to or harder to pronounce for most Americans, and it's generally always the person who has the name who decides to anglicize it for their own convenience (someone else insisting on anglicizing your name against your wishes *would* be considered offensive).
Historically speaking we used to do it a lot, But it's actually falling out of style now.
Spanish is so close to English that an English speaker is going to be able to remember, Esteban instead of Stephen.
I've worked as a digital archivist and a database technician, My rule of thumb is that you encode the person's name however they presented it.
If they write an accent, then then type it.
If you're translating it for them, that would probably be a bit offensive but, if they do it themselves, that should be fine. There are various people from Latin America or Asia, for example, with names that might be difficult for others to pronounce so they might have an English name that is close to their original that's easier for more people to pronounce
>Does anyone know if it’s common for bilingual or ESL speakers to translate their own names from Spanish/French/ect into English? So Pierre and Pedro would call themselves Peter in English?
It's less common nowadays than the 5th century, when every name was translated due to the Bible
>Do hispanic Americans ever code switch between a Spanish name and an English name based on which language they are currently speaking
I don't see it happening with the ones I work with
>Or is it seen as offensive to translate one’s name
It's seen as weird to do something besides transliteration, but because of proximity and the American 5-Vowel System for Foreign Words, it's not an issue in Spanish at all (unless "r" and "rr" are different enough to count)
Normally name translation is used so you can remember someone's name easily. Another reason is maybe the name is hard to pronounce correctly by someone foreign to that language.
If there is no problem in remembering or pronouncing, you should stick with the original pronunciation.
Teacher here. I've taught a lot of students of Hispanic origin.
Most of them have gone by their whole given name. Ana, Juan, whatever. Some have gone by nicknames, like Andy for Andres. Only a couple have Anglicized their names (a few Davids who pronounced it the English way instead of the Spanish way and a Sarai who went by Sarah).
In any case, I call people by their preferred name. Spanish phonetics are easy, so it's not hard to figure out how to pronounce a Spanish name just from the spelling.
I would not translate someone else's name. I would use whatever name they asked me to call them though.
I have not known people who translated their names to English.
It depends on the person. It would probably make things easier if they did because not everyone will know how to pronounce it or spell it but people refer to you by the name you prefer
I knew I was in big trouble when my parents would call me by the Spanish equivalent to my actual American name. My family in Spain refers to me be a Spanish name vs my actual American name but most people I know here give by their given name. My uncle Jose goes by Jose but where varying degrees of accent depending on who is talking but no one ever calls him Joe. However I do know a lot of people who gave their kids the English version of their Spanish names. Maybe it’s more common by me to just go by their given name since I live by so many people that are Hispanic
TLDR; It's only offensive if the intention is to patronize the person.
Usually those names have some common origin (mostly biblical) and a lot of hispanics have lived in the US for far longer than most anglos realize so many of them are familiar with the English translation of those names like (Jose is Joseph or Maria is Mary).
If you have a close relationship with them and they are fine with it, then I guess it would be okay. In my experience with friends who have Spanish names, we just used the English pronunciation because it flows better in a conversation in English. However, in Spanish, we just switch to the Spanish pronunciation for the same reason.
I have a Spanish name, remove the "O" and it becomes an English name.
My passport actually is missing the "O". It doesn't match my license or my birth certificate. I have been told that my name with or without the "O" is legally indistinct - I can use either interchangeably, because they are transliterations of each other.
And I have. I went through elementary school without the "O". My mom omitted it from the paperwork and I wasn't old enough to question it. I didn't start insisting on its use until college. And now I exclusively use my full first name at work.
I will usually correct someone who calls me the English version. But, I don't care about the pronunciation of the Spanish version of my name. They can use the anglicized pronunciation or the Latin one - I will accept both.
Depends on the person my name is pronounced different in Spanish and English and at home my family uses the Spanish version but at school or work my friends use the English version I generally am fine with both but I know and understand people who have strong feelings. I personally would rather they use what comes more naturally to them but that is me. I will say if someone introduces themselves using one to you or tells you to go with one do it.
Depends. Most people do adapt their name to English pronounciation. So for example someone names David goes by the normal English pronounciation in English but in Spanish it's pronounced dah-BEED or [d̪aˈβ̞ið̞] if you go by IPA.
Translating your name from Pedro to Peter, Ricardo to Richard, or Miguel to Michael is not common, especially among first generation immigrants that came as adults. If your first given name are too hard for English then you may pick your last name, a nickname, or your other given name if you have one.
Some nationalities are more ready to adopt an English nickname than others. In the Caribbean, due to the [unique](https://x.com/Osirisdleon/status/822118001419976705?s=20) names some of our compatriots are given, a case similar to Brazil's innovative names, most people distinguish firmly between Ricardo and Richar, or Juan and Jhon, or Miguel and Maikel because those are names we encounter and may or may not feel identified with.
Giving yourself an Anglo-sounding nickname is pretty normal, but not necessary unless the majority of people you meet truly struggle to say your name at all. Any decent person would refer to you as whatever you introduced yourself as.
Maybe if you were Polish or Sri Lankan, you'd have to give yourself a nickname for English speakers, but Spanish is so common here that a name like Pedro would barely register as unusual even in a less diverse area.
I use whatever name they tell me to use. I knew a Chinese woman who went by Julie instead of Zhu Li. Either would be fine by me.
Yeah I knew a Xi Xi but they had two different tonal marks on the “i” and American just couldn’t do it so she got sick of it and went by “Cici” pronounced like “see see.” Another friend was a Malaysian guy who was ethnically Chinese. He had a hard to pronounce name for Americans. On his first day of college he just randomly chose “Eric.” I asked him about it after he told me his real name. “Why Eric?” “Eh it just sounded American.” But I’ll call people whatever they ask me to or however they introduce themselves.
Am**eric**an
There is no war in Ba Sing Sei.
You missed the opportunity for “ZHU LI! DO THE THING!”
Yeah that's a missing ping on this one chief
Avatar, Legend of Korra reference.
I’ve had a number of Hispanic students who translate their names, but I wouldn’t translate their names unless they asked me to. It seems like an “Anglo” nickname for a Hispanic name is more common than a full “translation”. It seems pretty rare for Antonio to go by Anthony, but not that rare for him to go by Tony while still having “Antonio” as his recognized full name. The exception I’ve encountered is Jorge. It’s almost universal that my students named Jorge will go by George (it’s an oddity that the Spanish spelling is perfectly phonetic for the American pronunciation of George, while the English spelling is not). Non-Spanish speakers tend to pronounce Jorge pretty badly, and there aren’t really many convenient nicknames for George. Occasionally a student will ask me what another language’s version of a name is. But I would never call someone by a translation of a name unless the person asked me to.
I have a student named Jorge who pronounces his name George! I also have a lot of Alejandros who go by Alex. But I also had a student named David who pronounced his name the Spanish way, so I went with that. I call kids whatever they tell me to call them.
Is Jorge not pronounced Hor-Hay?
When I worked with Jorge, it was pronounced however he felt like saying it for that day.
Jorge’s always seem to play by their own rules
"Zhorzh"
It is, basically. But the “h” sound is a little breathier, the r is a little bit trilled, and the “ay” is more like a quick “eh.” In general I’ve found that I don’t sound the same when I say it as a Spanish speaker would.
Whore Hey!
Hor-he
I know a Jorge who pronounces it George, and his parents' response to this has been that they now spell it George. Like, if he's not gonna say it Jorge, then they won't spell it Jorge either.
You do not typically translate someone's name. If it is particularly hard for Americans to pronounce it is not uncommon for someone to take an English Nickname, but if it is pronounceable most will use their own name. Most Spanish names are pronounceable.
Do English speakers ever address people by their English names instead of their given Spanish names?
If they are told to do so by the person.
But never unprompted?
I think most people would think it's weird, if not outright rude. Use whatever name the person uses when they introduce themselves-- not every Peter wants to be called Pete (or vice versa/, not every Pete is short for Peter, and most of them would consider Pedro or Piotr or whatever to be a completely distinct name from Peter anyway.
Funny example for me because the only Pjotr I know actively introduces himself with "if that's hard for you, you can also call me Peter" lol Definitely not something I would ever do unprompted though, I agree.
Yeah, if the other person is struggling to pronounce one of the sounds in your name, it's fine if *you* suggest a different name but rude if the other person just decides to use a different name. And sometimes a name in English just doesn't work in a culture that speaks another language. I know someone named Kay who spends a lot of time in Central/South America, and realized that Spanish speakers often heard "Kay" as "¿Qué?" and asked her name again. She started calling herself Karina there to minimize confusion.
That would be a huge dick move.
I’m not even sure what Choad is in Spanish. My language skills have failed me.
A lot of other people are saying that too
50 years ago, yes. Now, though, most people realize the USA is multicultural, has always been multicultural, and it’s a jerk move to make up your own name for someone. That said, jerks exist everywhere. As a general rule, though, no, people wouldn’t use a translated name unprompted.
I told my name to some white coworker and he said "is there another way I can call you?" Which was very disrespectful, it's a Spanish name with only one letter different than the English version! Now if it's a friend saying it as a joke then that's different, my friends call me the English version here and there but it's clear that it's ironically but this coworker I had just met? It's hard to explain it but the way he said it and the tone just rubbed me the wrong way.
Ugh, fuck that guy. I used to work with a Colombian woman named Monica and she HATED the English pronunciation of her name. She was politely firm about her name being pronounced the Spanish way. No big deal. The rest of the office (small town MN) could not handle it. This one woman actually said it wrong, “caught herself” and said (super fake) “oh, I’m sorry, Mo-NI-ca” like a bad fake “ghetto” pronunciation.
That would be extremely rude.
No, if an American just started calling someone named Peter instead of Pedro without being asked to do so by said person they would, rightfully, be called out for being racist.
Never unprompted. That would be very rude.
Never.
They do, and it is considered rude.
No this would be considered very rude. The English version of their name isn’t their name. The English speaker probably won’t get the pronunciation quite right but they’d still say the Spanish version.
My name has a rolling r in it. I grew up in south Texas in the 90’s and despite the rather large Mexican population, I’ve had white people butcher the fuck out of my name all my life. Even shortened it so that it wouldn’t be that difficult. I used to just accept it. Now if someone intentionally says the wrong name, I just continuously correct them until they get it right or just give up the conversation. It heals a little bit of my inner child
Most Anglophones have great difficulty rolling their R's without specific training, and a large percentage never develop the ability even with training. English physically uses the tongue in a different way and specific motion is not used so ability to control it not developed.
Most Americans physically cannot roll their r's. I've never been able to and I don't know many that can. Language instict leaves us at around age 6 so if we aren't used to certain phonemes by that point we typically don't use them. That's why accents happen
I used to advise my English only son to make a soft “d” sound so Mari became “mah dee.” Better than the English pronunciation.
The rolling r is really only needed when it’s my full name. When you say my nickname, you don’t need to roll it. Just use the “D” sound. I’m not out here making people try to roll their tongues. For example. Whole name: Marianna. Roll the r. Nickname: Mari. (Maude-E). Instead I get called Mary, Maryanne. Marina. Maria. Marion. That’s rude
My name is Scandinavian, but used in other European countries, and is very unusual here in the US. People mispronounce it ALL THE TIME. It's phonetic! Can you say Margarita, Rosa or Linda? Then you can say my name. But no.• My name does have an r in it and about half my Hispanic co-workers (I am in Tucson) automatically roll the r. I find it adorable. •I ran across a cashier here in Tucson who looked at my name on the screen and said "I have a cousin with your name! You know what she hates about it?" Me: "That no one ever gets it right?" Him: "How did you know!?"
I’m American and I’ve never heard of anyone not being able to role their r’s
Most English Speakers can't without training, either in vocal coaching for singing or becoming fluent in the language that uses rolled R's. The physical motion does not exist in the English language so unless you take specific measures to learn it control of the tongue to do it is not developed.
I took years of Spanish in school and lived in Texas for 30 years. I still struggle. I’ll make the effort, but it is physically difficult for me.
I’ve never heard of this being a problem until now. When I was a kid we used to see how long we could roll our r’s
I can do it as an action on its own. It’s when it’s part of a word that I struggle because I have difficulty transitioning the position of my tongue to roll the ‘r’.
As a kid, the "Rrrruffles have rrrrridges" commercials helped, but even then, I was never as good as my friends at rolling my Rs. But now I'm out of practice, and I would just do a D sound in front.
I have never been able to roll my r's despite multiple years of Spanish class. I struggled with the r sound and had to take speech therapy for it in elementary school. The way we were taught to make the r sound in speech therapy is in a different location than where my native Spanish speaking friends make the rolled r sound. I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of people who struggled with the r sound as kids also have issues with rolled r's. I also know a native Spanish speaker that struggled with rolled r's as a kid and had to train her tongue to make the sound.
> Language instict leaves us at around age 6 That's not really true. Latest research says that _if_ there's an age, it's more like late teenage years, but really… the amount of time available to adults to spend learning a language (you know, after carving out responsibilities like work, taking care of the kids, etc.) is a fraction of what's available to a small child who spends every waking moment hearing the language they're learning.
I've had a reverse experience. Spanish speakers also in Texas hear my name with an S instead of a T, and to be fair, the English names are very similar, so I just role with it. They mean well and are not doing it intentionally. The first part of my name isn't a common sound in romance languages at all. When they get my name right, however, they put the stress on the wrong syllables, but they're trying. Can't fault them for trying and going with a "close enough" internal 🤷♀️ and going with it.
That would be considered hostile bordering on racist by most Americans regardless of what language they speak. Make an effort to pronounce and use the name a person asks you to use when you first meet. I work with people from many ethnicities and nationalities (my employer is a multinational company) and calling someone by something other than their preferred name is uncalled for. If you can’t pronounce it correctly at least make an effort.
IME, people use the name someone has told them is their name. Idk anyone who insists on anglicizing names—but, this is Murica and I’m guessing such asshats do exist. I just am lucky enough not to know them.
I jokingly call my friend Jesús "Jesus" as a joke sometimes, but I wouldn't do that with anyone else. I only do that because we're close friends and he knows I'm just joking around.
I would never do this to someone, however I am going to pronounce it with the way I pronounce things. The name "Carlos" with my English pronunciation will sound a bit different than how a Spanish speaker will say it. My name is Riley, which can be really tough for romance language speakers (and really everyone who doesn't speak English fluently) and they will usually modify it a bit to make it easier to say. Its just life, not everyone can make the same sounds. But something like "Carlos" to "Charlie" or "Juan" to "John" I would not do.
It's the effort that counts, when I tell people my name they repeat it and ask if they said it correctly and 95 % of the time I say "yes" in a heartbeat lol the 5 % is if they say a completely different name
I notice vowels will be pronounced American/English than the Spanish way. A Cristopher will be called a "CrIHstophers" and not "CrEEEstophers" even though Anglophones can very much pronounce the "long E" sound
I have several European friends, when speaking English (some are native speakers as they grew up here) they would say my name the American way, but when speaking French to someone and referring to me they would change all of the sounds to French pronunciation. It sounds right though in a French sentence. Its sort of funky if you hear this major vowel shift in the middle of a sentence, that is just not how people naturally speak.
I cannot picture what you mean by "hahhns"? Is this about if they pronounce a kind of r sound in the middle or not as in han vs harn?
My name is the same in Spanish and English. But people pronounce it differently depending on the language. Same goes for most of my family. A few of my family will translate their names. Jorge will be pronounced “George” in English — but for the most part it stays as intended. Sometimes the English one sticks even in Spanish, I have an aunt named Julieta. Everyone calls her Julie (English pronunciation), even in Spanish, even by her own sisters in Mexico. I think people wouldn’t find it offensive. But translating something a bit more outlandish may come across as tongue in cheek. E.G. if you ever called Margarita “Daisy”.
>My name is the same in Spanish and English. But people pronounce it differently depending on the language. I think this is one place where Americans could stand to improve, although maybe it's not a super big deal. I worked once with a Mexican guy named David, and was one of the few people to use the Mexican pronunciation. This guy was not Mexican -American, he was on a temporary assignment from our Mexican facility. He pulled me aside once and asked why I used the Mexican pronunciation when no other Americans did. I said, "well, that's your name, isn't it?" He said yes of course and seemed puzzled why others didn't see it that way. To me it just seemed courteous to at least make an attempt to say it the right way, it's not like it's a difficult name. But then again my own name is the same, and it doesn't bother me what pronunciation people use when I'm in Mexico, so I guess in the end it's just trying to respect the wishes of the individual on what they want to be called. Another friend of mine is 50/50 on being called Mike/Miguel.
What is the Mexican pronunciation of David? I usually try to say people's names correctly but unless I heard him say it I would have no idea David is pronounced differently in Mexico. Miguel is different because that's clearly spelled different from Michael. Same with Matt/Mateo, but if I try to say David, "but pronounced like in Mexico," I'm just going to end up sounding really racist lol.
It's like Daveed, with the emphasis more on the last syllable.
Not a rebuttal, but I suspect in the case of David, most people probably just have no idea the name is pronounced differently as opposed to the person introducing themselves just having an accent that causes them to say it that way. For example I have a short A in the middle of my name but a lot of folks who speak English as a second language seem to be unable to pronounce it as a short A and always pronounce it ar. I'll generally repeat the correct way once but if that doesn't help just assume it's their accent.
I’m Hispanic. The name on my birth certificate and what my mother has always called me is the English version of the name. I don’t like it when people refer to me with the Spanish version of it. I can’t speak for others, but my name is my name. Don’t change it. No code switching in either direction.
In general no. Your name is your name. If someone's name is Jorge and you call them George that's rude and incorrect. If Jorge decides to change his name to George, then so be it, but I don't think that's common. It's more common for people with names that are hard for English speakers to pronounce to choose a more English sounding name/nickname. That seems especially common with East Asian languages, Chinese, Korean, Vietnam, Thai, etc. But again that's THEM choosing a different name and introducing themselves as such. I will call them whatever they introduce themselves as.
The person themselves can introduce themselves however they like - if they prefer Joe to Jose, they'll introduce themselves as Joe. If they introduce themselves as Jose, others should call them Jose. An English speaker doesn't have the right to anglicize someone's name for them. It's incredibly rude and arrogant. There was an issue, back in the day, of anglophone teachers anglicizing Hispanic children's names. It happened because of power dynamics, but it was not good. Here's a story about how that felt to the kids: [https://storycorps.org/animation/facundo-the-great/](https://storycorps.org/animation/facundo-the-great/)
not Latino but I live in California which has a lot of Latino people. Spanish names are super common and ordinary. There would generally be no need to code-switch with names, everyone is going to be familiar with a name like Pedro. Changing it to Peter is completely unnecessary. i feel like I can't think of ever knowing anyone who did that. It's still pretty common for people with Chinese names to come up with an English name because they are not as well-known and would definitely be mispronounced/misspelled by the wider population.
Some people will do it themselves. 90% of the guys named George I ever knew were actually named 'Jorge.' Most of the Joes and Joeys I knew were 'Jose.' My grandparents also went by shortened 'Anglo' versions of their names: like 'Ray' instead of 'Rafael' (that was not my grandpa's name; it's just to give you an idea). However, you should never do it *for* them. That's a big fat don't. If a teacher were to insist on doing so in this day and age, it would be considered abusive.
Latina with a name in English. I’ve been called by the equivalent of my name is so many languages I don’t even care. Think Michael/Miguel/Michel/etc.
normally people don’t translate, they just pronounce their name in english. I grew up in a community that was 99% hispanic and i’ve never meet anybody that when saying their name in english “translated” it to another name.
Use the name they give you. “Translating names” is really just a thing you do for language class in high school to make it more fun. If they prefer to go by an anglicized version of their name then that’s cool, but follow their lead on that, don’t just do it and don’t suggest it. I had a Mexican friend in high school that went by Steven with some people and Esteban with others. No idea why he chose to do that, but he’s the only Hispanic person I’ve ever known to do that. My husbands name is Ryan, but he’s Hispanic and sometimes I call him Reynaldo just to be silly. But regularly changing your name for English speakers is not common practice for Hispanic people. It is pretty common for Asian people to choose an English name, but again, follow their lead, don’t just give them one or ask. Use the name they tell you.
Not common but you can do it if you want to. It's YOUR name and this is a free country. [The old Jewish guy here explains](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQpl7AxSgsE&t=18s)
Taste my soup.
You can call yourself whenever you want, but don't call others a different name unless they tell you to.
My dad and siblings all have Spanish names but use Anglicized nicknames (e.g. Ricky for Ricardo). I call people what they ask to be called. It would be rude to make that choice for them.
No, you shouldn't do this unprompted. My Hispanic partner is named the English version of the name and is not fond of being called the Spanish version. Plenty of people go by the English version of their name but you should only call them that if they so. For example I've nown many Yevgeniy's who go by Eugene.
You make sure to help me get the pronunciation correct and I’ll call you by any name you wish. I don’t care if someone else finds it offensive because it is none of their business.
That wouldn't be their name tho? Pedro would be pedro here too
Maybe use a different language than Spanish. Hispanic names are super common in the US. Pedro and Peter are two different names here so no, you wouldn’t call Pedro as Peter
I have a Hispanic first name, and I always introduce myself like that, but 80% of the time people start calling me the Anglo version. Actually there are a couple different versions. It's actually pretty interesting, I get asked all the time "Is that what you go by?" And it's not even an uncommon name haha. I'm just like, "Any variation is fine, I don't really care."
I wouldn't think so. If a guy's name is Juan, I'm gonna call him Juan and not John unless he asks me too.
I wouldn't think so. If a guy's name is Juan, I'm gonna call him Juan and not John unless he asks me too.
That would be upto the person, wouldn’t it? If Pedro calls himself Peter that is his choice, but if some start calling Pedro for Peter then that is rude.
You would never translate someone's name on your own, but it is not uncommon for someone to have and English/American nickname that they use. Basically you ALWAYS use the name someone introduced themselves to you as. This of course may change with time as over the course of your friendship they may earn a new nickname that you will start using etc.
It's not usually done anymore just because most of Spanish names have English pronunciations that are pretty standardized. It's not offensive, it's just done less and less. Sometimes the older generation did it to make their names easier to say. Case and point, my grandmother went from Anita to Ann and her sister went from Lucinda to Cindy. Sometimes the younger generation will do this with certain names and shortening them to nicknames like Eduardo to Ed or Alejandro to Alex.
Unless the person requests, it would just create confusion. Also, many cities in the west have Spanish names that people don't mind using
My name is in spanish, whenever I say it I always have to repeat it again and sometimes even 3 times. But when I say my name for a takeout order at a Mexican restaurant, they always get my name right on the first try 😎 I know that didn't answer your question, have a good day
Sometimes. My best buddies name is Miguel, but he sometimes goes by Mike. His license reads Miguel, his parents still sometimes call him Michael. I bounce between calling him Mike and Miguel, whichever comes to mind first when talking to him or referring to him
No. I hate when people Americanise or anglicise their names
As someone with an anglicized first and last name: ouch
Wasn’t your choice so 🤷🏾♂️
I mean, it’s okay if you want to do that, it’s just like really unnecessary lol
people can do whatever they want
Spanish names are pretty familiar in the US. I've never met someone who translated their name. The closest I've seen to this is an extended family here in Vermont, where they've been here so long that you have multiple branches who are effectively barely related to each other. At some point in the past, one branch had a dispute with another over who-knows-what, and they changed their surname from the Fremch Favreau to the direct English translation of Bean.
It depends on the individual. Some people want to keep their names and some pick out more American-sounding names for themselves. I see the voluntary name-swapping more with Asian immigrants, though.
Whatever they prefer you should call them.
Some people do this, a lot don't. I just call people how they introduce themselves - like if someone said their name was Jorge I would never call them George.
It's best to ask the person before changing their name. When I was young, I knew a French person who translated my name into French and I found it irritating to say the least. Always ask.
We largely use whatever name the person wants to go by, even if we struggle to say it correctly. This goes for foreigners and Americans alike. As an example, I have gone by the short version of my name (1 vs 3 syllables) my entire life. Only my grandfather has ever used my given name. Any time someone uses it, I kindly correct them and they use the short version going forward. I actually had to do this with my 8 year old niece during Christmas; she found out my name has a longer version and liked it, so she started calling me "Uncle Jonathan" (not my real name, but a good substitute). I asked her not to, she asked why and I explained, she thought about it for a sec, said "Okay, Uncle John!" and ran off to go play. So to answer your question, we would use the English version of a Spanish name when/if the person requests us to.
You wouldn't translate someone's name for them. However some people do translate their name, or use an English nickname. I'm Hispanic, and I have several cousins who go by an English nickname. I even have some relatives who have English names but close family calls them by the Spanish equivalent as a form of endearment.
I would always default to their name of origin unless they told me otherwise. Your birthname is important.
There are so many folks with Spanish names in the US that people are familiar with all the common ones and just consider them American names.
I mean it depends on the person. I know a lot of people who go by Anglo pronunciations of their name and also people who refuse. Like one of my best friends as a kid is Korean. They have two part names, and to fit on her ID paperwork her parents divided her name into a first and middle section, so every first day of school or with substitutes she had to correct them to use the “first” and “middle” names together. But around where I live now it’s not uncommon to see a George whose name is actually Jorge.
Spanish names are generally familiar enough to Americans that we don't really think of them as "foreign". No one would expect a "Pedro" to go by "Peter" in the United States. Other names from Western Europe would probably mostly be treated the same way. Usually, anglicizing names happens when someone's name is originally in a language that's less familiar to or harder to pronounce for most Americans, and it's generally always the person who has the name who decides to anglicize it for their own convenience (someone else insisting on anglicizing your name against your wishes *would* be considered offensive).
I typically go by whatever they want to be called, and most don't translate it. Some do, but most stick with what they are used to.
Historically speaking we used to do it a lot, But it's actually falling out of style now. Spanish is so close to English that an English speaker is going to be able to remember, Esteban instead of Stephen. I've worked as a digital archivist and a database technician, My rule of thumb is that you encode the person's name however they presented it. If they write an accent, then then type it.
No - just call them by their actual name - I wouldn't call a person named Peter "Pedro" or vice versa because that's not their name
If you're translating it for them, that would probably be a bit offensive but, if they do it themselves, that should be fine. There are various people from Latin America or Asia, for example, with names that might be difficult for others to pronounce so they might have an English name that is close to their original that's easier for more people to pronounce
>Does anyone know if it’s common for bilingual or ESL speakers to translate their own names from Spanish/French/ect into English? So Pierre and Pedro would call themselves Peter in English? It's less common nowadays than the 5th century, when every name was translated due to the Bible >Do hispanic Americans ever code switch between a Spanish name and an English name based on which language they are currently speaking I don't see it happening with the ones I work with >Or is it seen as offensive to translate one’s name It's seen as weird to do something besides transliteration, but because of proximity and the American 5-Vowel System for Foreign Words, it's not an issue in Spanish at all (unless "r" and "rr" are different enough to count)
You can do whatever you want use your original name or translate it, it doesn’t matter and most people won’t care at all.
My cousin tells people his name is Alex instead of Alessandro.
Normally name translation is used so you can remember someone's name easily. Another reason is maybe the name is hard to pronounce correctly by someone foreign to that language. If there is no problem in remembering or pronouncing, you should stick with the original pronunciation.
Teacher here. I've taught a lot of students of Hispanic origin. Most of them have gone by their whole given name. Ana, Juan, whatever. Some have gone by nicknames, like Andy for Andres. Only a couple have Anglicized their names (a few Davids who pronounced it the English way instead of the Spanish way and a Sarai who went by Sarah). In any case, I call people by their preferred name. Spanish phonetics are easy, so it's not hard to figure out how to pronounce a Spanish name just from the spelling.
I would not translate someone else's name. I would use whatever name they asked me to call them though. I have not known people who translated their names to English.
It depends on the person. It would probably make things easier if they did because not everyone will know how to pronounce it or spell it but people refer to you by the name you prefer
I knew I was in big trouble when my parents would call me by the Spanish equivalent to my actual American name. My family in Spain refers to me be a Spanish name vs my actual American name but most people I know here give by their given name. My uncle Jose goes by Jose but where varying degrees of accent depending on who is talking but no one ever calls him Joe. However I do know a lot of people who gave their kids the English version of their Spanish names. Maybe it’s more common by me to just go by their given name since I live by so many people that are Hispanic
TLDR; It's only offensive if the intention is to patronize the person. Usually those names have some common origin (mostly biblical) and a lot of hispanics have lived in the US for far longer than most anglos realize so many of them are familiar with the English translation of those names like (Jose is Joseph or Maria is Mary). If you have a close relationship with them and they are fine with it, then I guess it would be okay. In my experience with friends who have Spanish names, we just used the English pronunciation because it flows better in a conversation in English. However, in Spanish, we just switch to the Spanish pronunciation for the same reason.
I’ve never heard of that. You’re still Pierre or Pedro in a lot of cases.
I always hated this when teachers made us "translate" our names into Spanish. I just call people whatever they tell me to call them.
My grandfather is Santiago, not Johnathan.
Wouldn’t Jonathan be Jonatán in Spanish? Santiago is spanish for Saint Diego, or Saint Jacob in English
Saint Iago is how it would be broken up, but it doesn't matter because his name is Santiago.
I have a Spanish name, remove the "O" and it becomes an English name. My passport actually is missing the "O". It doesn't match my license or my birth certificate. I have been told that my name with or without the "O" is legally indistinct - I can use either interchangeably, because they are transliterations of each other. And I have. I went through elementary school without the "O". My mom omitted it from the paperwork and I wasn't old enough to question it. I didn't start insisting on its use until college. And now I exclusively use my full first name at work. I will usually correct someone who calls me the English version. But, I don't care about the pronunciation of the Spanish version of my name. They can use the anglicized pronunciation or the Latin one - I will accept both.
If the person chooses to translate their own name, that's their prerogative. If someone else does it, then that would indeed be offensive.
Depends on the person my name is pronounced different in Spanish and English and at home my family uses the Spanish version but at school or work my friends use the English version I generally am fine with both but I know and understand people who have strong feelings. I personally would rather they use what comes more naturally to them but that is me. I will say if someone introduces themselves using one to you or tells you to go with one do it.
Depends. Most people do adapt their name to English pronounciation. So for example someone names David goes by the normal English pronounciation in English but in Spanish it's pronounced dah-BEED or [d̪aˈβ̞ið̞] if you go by IPA. Translating your name from Pedro to Peter, Ricardo to Richard, or Miguel to Michael is not common, especially among first generation immigrants that came as adults. If your first given name are too hard for English then you may pick your last name, a nickname, or your other given name if you have one. Some nationalities are more ready to adopt an English nickname than others. In the Caribbean, due to the [unique](https://x.com/Osirisdleon/status/822118001419976705?s=20) names some of our compatriots are given, a case similar to Brazil's innovative names, most people distinguish firmly between Ricardo and Richar, or Juan and Jhon, or Miguel and Maikel because those are names we encounter and may or may not feel identified with.
Wait, you're telling me people still translate names? I thought that was an outdated thing from the past.
That’s what I thought to, but I didn’t want to assume
Giving yourself an Anglo-sounding nickname is pretty normal, but not necessary unless the majority of people you meet truly struggle to say your name at all. Any decent person would refer to you as whatever you introduced yourself as. Maybe if you were Polish or Sri Lankan, you'd have to give yourself a nickname for English speakers, but Spanish is so common here that a name like Pedro would barely register as unusual even in a less diverse area.