Latino Nicknames
In Latin America, nicknames are a serious business. Nearly every first name, it seems, has its diminutives. Alasdair has set out, in this dictionary project, to list them by the real name, followed by its derivatives.
It is a general (but not hard) rule that names with one or two syllables do not have diminutives.
(M) and (F) denotes the name’s gender.
A
Alejandro (M) – Ale, Alex
Alberto (M) – Beto
Alfonso (M) – Poncho
Alicia (F) – Licha
Anastasio (M) – Tacho
Astrid (F) – Taty, Tati
B
Benito (M) – Beno, Nito
C
Carlos (M) – Charly
Carmen (F) – Carmelita
Cecilia (F) – Ceci
Concepción (F) – Concha
Consuelo (F) – Chelo
Cuauhtemoc (M) – Cuau, Temo, Temoc
D
E
Enrique (M) – Kike
Ernesto (M) – Neto
F
Fernando (M) – Nando, Fer
Francisco (M) – Paco, Pancho
G
Gabriela (F) – Gaby
Gilberto (M) – Gil, Beto
Graciela (F) – Chela
Guadalupe (F) – Lupe
Guillermo (M) – Memo
H
Hortensia (F) – Tencha
Humberto (M) – Beto
I
Ignacio (M) – Nacho
Isabel (F) – Chabela
Isai (M) – Chayi
J
Jesus (M) – Chucho, Chuy
Joaquin (M) – Coaco
Jorge (M) – Koke, Koki, George
Jose (M) – Pepe, Che
Jose Maria (M) – Chema
K
L
Leopoldo (M) – Polo
Lorenzo (M) – Lencho
Lucia (F) – Lucha
Luis (M) – Lucho, Guicho, Wicho
M
Manuel (M) – Manu, Manolo
Maria (F) – Mary
Maria Eugenia (F) – Maru
Maria del Rosario (F) – Charo
Mercedes (F) – Meche
Miguel (M) – Migue
N
Nicolas (M) – Nico
Noemi (F) – Mimi
O
P
Pablo (M) – Pavo
Patricia (F) – Paty, Pato
Patricio (M) – Pato
Paulina (F) – Pau
Q
R
Roberto (M) – Beto
Rocío (F) – Chio
Rosalba (F) – chava
Rosario (F) – Charo, Chayo
Rosendo (M) – Chendo
S
Salvador (M) – Chava
Sergio (M) – Checo
Socorro (M/F) – Soco
Sofía (F) – Chofi, Choso
T
Teresa (F) – Tere
U
Umberto (M) – Beto
V
Vanessa (F) – Vany, Vane
Vicente (M) – Chente
W
X
Y
Yolanda (F) – Yoli
Yoleisa (F) – Yoli