Names

[Africa Vela]

The most usual names for men in Catalunya used to be Joan (John) and Josep (Joseph). It was so that we have a traditional sentence what says: In every house there are Johns, Josephs and donkeys! ("Joans, Joseps i ases, n'hi ha a totes les cases").
My family name, Vela, is common but not one of the most and you can find it in many parts of Spain and South America.
Many names in spanish refer to professions or family lines, as “son of”. I think it is the same in many languages and countries.
My family name is not exactly a profession name but has something to do with: it means watch and wake, to be wakeful, and has it origin in frontier lands between muslims and christians in the ages of the Reconquista, where was really important to be aware of enemies who could attack your place.
Last years, foreign names became more popular in Spain. Some of them because of the media and others because of inmigration but when I was young those were absolutely uncommon.
In my primary shool had a student named April and we found it absolutely exotic. Today, my daughter has classmates named Yasmine, Cynthia or Boutaina and nobody seems amazed by it!
• In your country when you meet someone for the first time what name do you use? How do you know when you can use their first name?
In Spain, when you meet someone for the first time in a formal situation you must use the title and the surname and address him or her as “usted”. In case this person asks you to use his first name, you must remember to not leave the treatment if you are not asked about. In an informal situations we should use first names without title and to treat other persons as “tu”.
• In your country do you ever use surnames without a title (e.g., Mrs or Mr)? When could you do this? Why would you do it?
Sometimes, in Spanish, surnames are used without a title. It uses to be in a special situations like at work, where the people are known by the last names but they have confidence. Despite of it, I don’t like very much this manner because many times it comes in a unique sense and is the dominating person who call others only by the surname but others have to treat him using the title. Is the case of a old fashioned boss with his employees or a teacher with his pupils.
• There are common pet names in English that show affection, such as honey, darling or pet. What words are used in your language?
Most frequently used pet name in spanish, I think, is “cariño” wich meaning is between love and affection and is used in many occasions. Other pet names are “cielo”(heaven), “vida” or “vida mia” (life or my life), “amor” (love), all used in a familiar or intimal situations.
In catalan, many pet names are specialy used for kids. Is frequent to call them as “cuca”, “bitxo” (bug, little animal), “rateta”, “ratolí” (little rat, mouse), baldufa (spin-top?) or “caganiu” (baby, literally it means “nest shitter”!).

[Africa Vela]

Searching for my name in internet is quite impossible: my first name is Africa and my family name Vela (literally, sail) and when I wrote it on goggle search, I found lots of pages referring to a sailor races in the countries of Africa!
Anyway, I became interested in people naming and continue searching. So I found an amazing thing. Probably you will be amused by these facts:
The city of Chona, in Colombia, is known as the city with more strange names in the world. Some names came after famous people: Pericles, Lenin-Stalin, John-Fitzgerald-Kennedy; or tales characters: "Blanca Nieves" (Snowwhite) , Ali Baba, "Campanilla" (Tinker bell) but other amazing names came after brand names as "Burguer king" or "Sony".
"The "choneros", inhabitants of Chona, are very proud of this amusing practice and continue giving his sons and daugters names as "Delicioso Pastel " (Delicious cake)", or "Bienleída" (Goodreaded)!
Now, you can find there,a girl named "Sunami" because she was born after the big tsunami what occurs in the Índic Ocean in december 2004 or "Dos a uno" as the score in a football match where the locals win!
It seems great, to me. Isn’t it?