Why are there so many English first names in Puerto Rico?

Adolfo   Wed Aug 08, 2007 6:17 pm GMT
If Basques were not the first settlers in Spain, their names are the oldest, so they are the purest Spanish names.
Guest   Wed Aug 08, 2007 6:23 pm GMT
Are you sure? There are many strange names out there (I mean out here). How about Viriato? How old is that name and where does it come from?
Adolfo   Wed Aug 08, 2007 6:27 pm GMT
Viriato is probably a celtic-lusitan-indoeuropean name, so it can't be older than basque names because they settled in Spain before the indoeuropean waves.
Guest   Wed Aug 08, 2007 6:43 pm GMT
You say probably... I say maybe.
The Cromagnon were in the peninsula 40,000 thousands years ago. Did they have basque names too? The best evidence of old people we have today is the genetic maps and - in my opinion and until I don't hear from a better brain - it seems to be clear that the Basque were not the first to settle here. In other words the Cromagnon were not Basques. If you look at the peninsula and the access to it from other areas were would you search for the oldest blood here? In the Pyrenees or far from it?
Adolfo   Wed Aug 08, 2007 6:48 pm GMT
Anyway Viriato is a prerroman name so it can be considered quite pure Spanish but sadly people don't use this beautiful name anymore. If I had sons I would call them Viriato and Urraca for example, they are nice old Spanish names.
Babel   Wed Aug 08, 2007 7:06 pm GMT
I prefer Wenceslao, Wilfredo, Hermenegilda y Eustaquia.
Adolfo   Wed Aug 08, 2007 7:18 pm GMT
Are settlement history of Spain and Spanish language completely unrelated? I don't think so.
Guest   Wed Aug 08, 2007 9:44 pm GMT
You go to hell, Lalonde, you are a fucking idiot. Delete as much as you want if that makes you happy!!!
Guest   Wed Aug 08, 2007 10:14 pm GMT
We are done with this issue. Delete it! Why should we care? There are literally thousands of sites where we can discuss these issues without a 23 year selfrighteous boy telling us what is and what is not related to language. But I'll give you a free advice: Relax, guy, life can be beautiful!

http://www.wayn.com/wayntrips.html?wci=viewtrip&member_key=665725
Guest   Thu Aug 09, 2007 9:17 pm GMT
''Interestingly, names like Jonathan, Jennifer, Jessica are not entirely uncommon in Uruguay especially in the lower-middle class.''

Same in Brazil...
die Wahrheit   Fri Aug 10, 2007 2:27 am GMT
Actually, I love to see the sharing of names across languages. That's how they survive and that's how they evolve...

Besides, I think names bring out the best in phonetic differences.

I also knew a girl from Brazil with the name "Jennifer." I met her at university and even today I still laugh at the thought of hearing her say her name for the first time....Our instructor said in a very loud and certain voice, "Jeh-nih-fer" and she stood and and said it's "Jay-nee-fer." It was so cute ;0)

It just shows the differences in the world.
Adolfo   Fri Aug 10, 2007 1:56 pm GMT
Interestingly, names like Jonathan, Jennifer, Jessica are not entirely uncommon in Uruguay especially in the lower-middle class -------->
Here in Spain it happens too. There must be a reason behind. What do you think?
Guest   Fri Aug 10, 2007 4:34 pm GMT
I think the reason is called TV.
Adolfo   Fri Aug 10, 2007 4:38 pm GMT
High class people watch TV too.
Guest   Fri Aug 10, 2007 4:53 pm GMT
So do I, what's your point?