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

Z