The way of life of the Spanish communities has had a big impact on what names the Spanish gave to their babies. Educate yourself about the different traditions that gave birth to the traditional Spanish names that we hear today.
Spain is a country that has seen a lot of colors. The Spanish language has been spoken by people of many different races and religions all of which have had an influence on the language and vice versa. Today there are many Spanish speaking communities living outside of Spain. When we talk about Spanish names we tend to assume that we are restricting ourselves to the land of Spain. Amongst the traditional Spanish names that we get to hear today, many may have actually been crowned outside the boundaries of modern day Spain.
The influence of religion
It is no secret that religion has had a huge impact on the tradition behind naming in Spain at large and other Spanish speaking countries. Christianity being the religion of the state the people were greatly encouraged to take on names from the New Testament. This was done in order to establish the roots of the religion in society for the years to come. Although the number of people claiming to be Christian today is the highest amongst any religion the number of people that actually practice Christianity is considerably low. In name however Christianity lives on especially amongst the Spanish communities as they have many of their names derived from the New Testament and its characters and preachers.
The influence of society
The social structure of a community also has an effect on the names people keep. In some places people have a much more laid back attitude which also tends to be a characteristic of the Spanish communities. This is why you will find people with names like “Chico” meaning boy as if they couldn’t bother to think harder. Other examples that show us the happy go lucky attitude of the Spanish communities are Aldonza which is actually a female name that means simply “Nice: Then you have a name like Alegria which means Cheerful or Happy. Vitas is another traditional Spanish name that gives us the true characteristics of the Spanish lifestyle as it means Full of life.
Amador as lover and Amato as the beloved are also examples of the romantic nature of the Spanish people. Galeno is a name that over joyous parents would keep for their little precious child which means “Little bright one”. Another traditional Spanish name that is based totally on physical characteristics is Rogelio meaning Beautiful.
The other side of traditional Spanish baby names
There is however another side to Spanish names. This side is the more somber and serious side of Spanish communities which shows the importance they place on good moral virtues. Alvaro is a name used for a true gentleman as it means “Just or Wise”. Similarly Devante is a name that advocates fighting against the unjust. A very common traditional Spanish name is Emilio which means “Winning one”. These kinds of traditional Spanish names tend to have a very positive meaning which can be used to boost up the morals and induce a spirit of nobility in the individual. The traditional Spanish names are a true reflection of the many colors that are present in the Spanish lifestyle.
