Significance

• Mexican names are important because they symbolize a tradition and history unique to the Mexican people. Like the union of a couple and bearing offspring, names connect families, both literally and symbolically.
  
  

History

• Most Mexican names are derived from the Spanish, but they can also have indigenous origins like the name Xochitl. During the colonization period, the Spaniards renamed the Mexicans with Spanish names and since then, it has been popular to name a Mexican child after Spanish royalty.
  
  

Features

• A popular aspect of Mexican names is how a name is inherited from older generations to newer generations. A name carries a legacy, or a trait, that parents want their child to have. There is a great belief that a name influences who a person becomes, thus, careful consideration is usually given in choosing a name for a newborn.
  
  

Types

• Mexican first names include words with origins in places, religion and history. A lot of Mexicans have long, traditional names because they usually incorporate their mother's maiden name or even their grandparents'. An example of a complete Mexican name is Carlos Valdez y Zamora, where Valdez is the paternal last name and Zamora is the child's mother's maiden name.
  
  

Considerations

• Many people think that all Mexican names need to be perfectly phonetic because when a Spanish-speaking person pronounces the name, he would pronounce every letter and vowel. However, this is not always true. Mexicans can also be given American names.