Here I am back in Puerto Rico where I will soon resemble Mama Cass if I don't stop eating mofongo, frituras, asopao, pan sobao, flan, and much more, and I have been given a crash course in local pop culture by friends far less deracinated than me. I will send more posts soon including updates on Ingrid Marie's performance in Vietnam at Miss Universe, born-again clean and sober merengueros, scantily clad women on late night chat shows, Afro-Puerto Rican female impersonators and much much more.....but for now, let me add some names to the roster of shall we say unusual or original monikers favored by my people.
The following list emerged during a dinner party at which the guests began to recall friends', class mates, and coworkers names. To my Boricua readers out there, please send in more names!!!!!!
Migda Lys
Yadmarie
Marangelie (alternate form: Maranjelie)
Maria Iberdinia (known fondly as Ibesita)
Charyl
Ilvin (man's name)
Ladivina
Zorileana
Criseta
Jina (yes, Gina pronounced in Spanish with the j making the g sound)
Yomarie (not, yo' Marie)
Yolimar
Yolitza (I am going to the courthouse to change my name right now!)
Lady (this, I was told, is a Cuban name, and is pronounced in English Laahdee)
Avis (Aaahveees, yes, it's from the car company)
Abdiel (man's name)
Yesenia
Yenitza
Yalis
Zainit
Yelil (man's name)
Dewit (man's name)
Ladis Nilet
Zuaniahy (a Taino name, ladies and gentlemen)
And sorry about the missing accents, use your imagination, but the freaking computer is Anglo-centric and I am too stupid to figure out how to change the keyboard to Spanish. Because I have a PhD which of course guarantees that I have no common sense for everyday tasks. Obvio.
5 comments:
A word about Lady. About 10 years ago we had a slew of female students named Leidy, mostly all Colombian. We learned that they were named as such for: "Lady" Diana. Of course. After awhile, when they learned English and the word, lady, they switched over to their middle names and became Catherine, Christinas and otherwise. Still, I think Dominican naming beats all others.
Let me add Yamilka and Jaileen
My Puerto Rican roommate freshman year of college told me about a boy named Usmail (U.S. Mail).
Thanks for reading, Mary! That name is fabulous, but I would expect nothing less from the creativity of Puerto Rican parents :-)
Thanks for reading, Mary! That name is fabulous, but I would expect nothing less from the creativity of Puerto Rican parents :-)
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