Given Names and Nicknames in the Philippines

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(1) 凯特•麦吉文, 记者来鸿：菲律宾人起怪名不为搞笑. BBC Chinese, Apr 8, 2011.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/simp/world/2011/04/110408_fooc_filipino_names.shtml

, which is translated from
Kate McGeown, Playful Filipino names hard to get used to. BBC, Mar 27, 2011.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/9435751.stm
("The Spanish introduced the concept of surnames - in fact they issued a decree in 1849 that everyone had to have a surname. So even today, most surnames are Spanish.")

Note to the English version:
(a) The boxer Manny Paquiao: Manny is nickname of Manuel, whose Engl8ish cognate is Emmanuel.
(b) Joseph Estrada
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Estrada
(born in 1937 as Jose Marcelo Ejercito)

Quote: "In his twenties, he began a career as a drama actor. He adopted the drama name 'Joseph Estrada,' as his mother objected to his chosen career and his decision to quit schooling. He also acquired the nickname 'Erap' (a play on the Tagalog slang 'pare,' meaning buddy) from his rival Fernando Poe, Jr

Note: The Spanish noun "estrada" means "road."
(c) As for the incumbent Filipino president.

The Spanish/Italian given name Benigno is derived from Latin name Benignus “kind” (a derivative of Latin bene well).
(d) Buffy is an English pet form of Elizabeth--from baby talk.
(e) Ivan is Russian/Czech form of John.


(2) Sarah Toms, The Philippine name game. BBC, Jan 14, 2006.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/4609892.stm

Note:
(a) The report said, "Catholicism started here with the arrival of the Spanish in 1521 and the colonisation of the Philippines."

Quote: "In 1521, Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan arrived in the Philippines and claimed the islands for Spain. Colonization began when Spanish explorer Miguel López de Legazpi arrived from Mexico in 1565 and formed the first European settlements in Cebu. In 1571, after dealing with the local royal families in the wake of the Tondo Conspiracy and defeating the Chinese pirate warlord Limahong [or Lim Hong 林風], the Spanish established Manila as the capital of the Spanish East Indies."
Philippines
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippines

Prior to 1521, "there was no unifying political state encompassing the entire Philippine Archipelago" which was sprinkled with a few kingdoms.

(b) The report stated, "That brings me to the doorbell names: it is not uncommon to call your little one Bing, Bong, Bong Bong and even Ping and Ting."

Those names come from sound of doorbells.

(i) In contrast,
Bing Crosby
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bing_Crosby
(1903-1977; born Harry Lillis Crosby at Takoma, Washington)

Quote: "In 1910, six-year-old Harry Crosby was forever renamed. The Sunday edition of the Spokesman-Review published a feature called 'The Bingville Bugle.' Written by humorist Newton Newkirk, The Bingville Bugle was a parody of a hillbilly newsletter filled with gossipy tidbits, minstrel quips, creative spelling, and mock ads. A neighbor, 15-year-old Valentine Hobart, shared Crosby's enthusiasm for 'The Bugle' and noting Crosby's laugh, took a liking to him and called him 'Bingo from Bingville.' Eventually the last vowel was dropped and the nickname stuck.

(c) The report finally said Mr Hitler Manila's "sons are named Himmler and Hess after two of Hitler's closest associates."

They were Heinrich Himmlern (1900-1945) and Rudolf Hess (1894-1987).
(d) Élise is the French short form of Elizabeth.

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