Hipocorísticos and apodos

Mexican nicknames and where they come from

Every common Mexican name has a nickname, and most of them look nothing like the name. José is Pepe, Jesús is Chuy, Francisco is Paco, Guadalupe is Lupe, Ignacio is Nacho, Salvador is Chava. Almost all of them are child speech that stuck.

Updated September 9, 2026

Mexican nicknames and where they come from

The three rules behind Mexican nicknames

Clip to the stressed part. Spanish nicknames keep the syllable that carries the stress and drop the rest: Guada-LU-pe becomes Lupe, Ale-JAN-dro becomes Jano, Fer-NAN-da becomes Fer or Nanda, Al-BER-to becomes Beto, Gui-LLER-mo becomes Memo, Ed-UAR-do becomes Lalo. This is the most productive rule and explains half the list.

Turn s and other sounds into ch. Children replace s and other consonants with ch, and the family keeps the child's version: Jesús to Chuy and Chucho, Salvador to Chava, Rosario to Chayo, Consuelo to Chelo, Graciela to Chela, Vicente to Chente, Sergio to Checo, Soledad to Chole, Isidro to Chilo, Jesusa to Chucha, Concepción to Concha, José María to Chema.

Keep the old form. Some nicknames preserve a form of the name that Spanish itself abandoned: Pepe from Josepe, Paco and Pancho from child forms of Francisco, Nacho from the -nacio of Ignacio, Cuca from the Cuquita of Refugio, Lola from the Lolo of Dolores.

The list

Name	Nicknames	Why
Alberto	Beto · Betito	Beto is taken from the ending -berto, so it also serves Roberto, Humberto, Gilberto, Norberto and Heriberto.
Alejandra	Ale · Alex · Jandra	Ale is shared with Alejandro.
Alejandro	Ale · Alex · Jandro	Ale is a modern shortening used for both Alejandro and Alejandra.
Alfonso	Poncho · Fonsi · Fon	Poncho comes from the ending -fonso with f becoming p and s becoming ch, the same shifts that give Pancho from Francisco.
Alicia	Licha · Lichita	Licha comes from the ending -licia with c becoming ch.
Anastasio	Tacho	Tacho comes from the ending -tasio with s becoming ch.
Antonio	Toño · Toñito · Tony	Toño keeps the stressed syllable of Antonio and softens the n to ñ.
Asunción	Chon · Chona · Choncho	Chon is the stressed syllable -ción with c becoming ch; also used for Concepción and Encarnación.
Aurelio	Yeyo · Lelo	Yeyo is a child form built on the stressed syllable of Aurelio.
Beatriz	Bety · Betty	Bety comes from the first syllable of Beatriz with an English-style -y ending.
Camila	Cami · Mila	Cami is a plain shortening.
Carmen	Carmelita · Mela · Carmencita · Menchu	Carmelita is the diminutive of Carmela, the older form; Mela is its clipping.
Cecilia	Chila · Ceci	Chila is the ch-form of the ending -cilia; Ceci is the modern shortening.
Concepción	Concha · Conchita · Conny	Concha comes from the first syllable of Concepción with the stressed c softened to ch. Concha also means seashell, and in some countries has a vulgar sense that Mexicans do not use.
Consuelo	Chelo · Chelito	Chelo is the ending -suelo with s becoming ch.
Cristina	Cris · Cristy · Tina	Cris is a plain shortening, shared with Cristian and Cristóbal.
Daniel	Dani · Danielito	Dani is a plain shortening, also used for Daniela.
Dionisio	Nicho	Nicho comes from the ending -nisio with s becoming ch.
Dolores	Lola · Lolita · Loli	Lola comes from the child form of Dolores: the middle syllable is kept and doubled, do-LO-res to Lola.
Eduardo	Lalo · Lalito · Edu	Lalo comes from child speech: a small child repeats the stressed syllable of Eduardo as la-lo, dropping the difficult clusters.
Emiliano	Emi · Milo · Nano	Emi is a plain shortening.
Enrique	Quique · Kike · Enriquito	Quique repeats the stressed syllable -ri-que in the doubled pattern of child speech.
Ernesto	Neto · Netito	Neto keeps the stressed syllable of Ernesto.
Esperanza	Pelancha · Lancha · Pera	Pelancha is a child form of Esperanza with the r turned to l and the ending -cha; Lancha is its clipping.
Federico	Fede · Fico	Fede is a plain shortening.
Fernanda	Fer · Fernandita	Fer is shared with Fernando; María Fernanda becomes Mafer.
Fernando	Fer · Fernan · Nando	Fer is a modern shortening used for Fernando and Fernanda.
Francisca	Paca · Panchita · Paquita · Kika	The feminine forms of Paco and Pancho.
Francisco	Paco · Pancho · Kiko · Quico · Curro · Frank	Pancho comes from Francisco through the child form Panchisco, with f replaced by p and the middle dropped. Paco is likely from the same process (Francisco to Phacisco to Paco); the claim that it abbreviates Pater Comunitatis, a title of Saint Francis, is folk etymology. Kiko is from the final -cisco.
Gabriela	Gaby · Gabi	Gaby is a plain shortening, also used for Gabriel.
Gerardo	Gera · Yayo	Gera is a plain shortening; Yayo is a child form.
Gonzalo	Chalo · Gonza	Chalo comes from the ending -zalo with z becoming ch.
Graciela	Chela · Chelita	Chela comes from the ending -ciela with the c becoming ch.
Guadalupe	Lupe · Lupita · Lupillo · Pita	Lupe keeps the stressed syllable of Guadalupe. Lupita is the diminutive used for women; Lupillo is masculine, since the name is given to boys as well.
Guillermina	Mina · Minita · Memita	Mina is the ending of Guillermina.
Guillermo	Memo · Memito	Memo repeats the stressed syllable of Guillermo (-mo) in the doubled pattern typical of Spanish child speech.
Humberto	Beto	Beto from the ending -berto.
Ignacio	Nacho · Nachito	Nacho comes from the ending -nacio with the c softened to ch, as often happens in Mexican hypocoristics.
Isabel	Chabela · Chabelita · Isa	Chabela comes from the ending -sabel with s becoming ch.
Isidro	Chilo · Chiro	Chilo comes from the ending -sidro with s becoming ch and the cluster simplified.
Jesús	Chuy · Chucho · Chus · Jesusito	Chuy and Chucho come from child speech: the s of Jesús becomes ch, a sound children produce more easily, and the name is cut to one syllable. Chucho is also the Spanish word for a dog, which Mexicans joke about.
Jesusa	Chucha · Chuchita	The feminine of Chucho.
Joaquín	Quino · Joaco	Quino keeps the stressed final syllable of Joaquín.
Jorge	Coque · Coco · Yoyo	Coque comes from a child's attempt at Jorge, with j becoming a hard c.
José	Pepe · Pepito · Chepe · Chepito	Pepe comes from the old form Josepe (compare Italian Giuseppe), shortened in child speech; the story that it abbreviates P.P., pater putativus, for Saint Joseph is folk etymology. Chepe is the same shortening with the common ch- softening.
José María	Chema · Josema	Chema fuses the ch-form of José with the first syllable of María.
Josefina	Chepina · Fina · Josefa · Pepina	Chepina is the feminine of Chepe, the ch-form of José.
Juan	Juanito · Juancho · Juanjo	Juanito is the diminutive; Juanjo is short for Juan José.
Leonardo	Leo · Leito	Leo is a plain shortening.
Leticia	Lety · Leti	Lety is a plain shortening.
Lorenzo	Lencho · Lenchito	Lencho comes from the ending -renzo with the r dropped and z becoming ch.
Lourdes	Lulú · Lula	Lulú repeats the first syllable of Lourdes.
Luis	Güicho · Lucho · Luisito	Güicho is a Mexican child form of Luis, with the l becoming a glide; Lucho is the form used in South America.
Luz	Lucha · Luchita · Lucecita	Lucha is the traditional hypocoristic of Luz, from the diminutive Lucita with c becoming ch; it also means fight.
Manuel	Manolo · Meme · Manu · Manuelito	Manolo is a Spanish diminutive that came with the name; Meme is a Mexican doubled form from the stressed syllable of Manuel.
Margarita	Mague · Magui · Maga	Mague comes from the stressed syllable of Margarita with the r dropped.
María	Mari · Maruca · Marucha · Maruja	Maruca and Maruja are older Spanish hypocoristics; Mari is the modern shortening.
María Fernanda	Mafer · Marifer	Mafer fuses the first syllables of María and Fernanda; a recent nickname for a name that became popular after 1990.
María José	Majo · Marijose	Majo fuses the first syllables of María and José.
Maximiliano	Max · Maxi	Max is a plain shortening.
Mercedes	Meche · Mechita · Merce	Meche keeps the stressed syllable of Mercedes and softens the c to ch.
Miguel	Mike · Migue · Miguelito	Migue is a plain shortening; Mike is borrowed from English.
Patricia	Paty · Pati	Paty is a plain shortening.
Rafael	Rafa · Rafita	Rafa is a plain shortening.
Ramón	Moncho · Monchi · Ramoncito	Moncho keeps the stressed final syllable of Ramón and adds the affectionate -cho.
Refugio	Cuca · Cuco · Cuquita · Cuquito	Cuca comes from the diminutive Refugito, which became Cuquita in child speech and then Cuca; the masculine Cuco is used for men named Refugio. Also used for María del Refugio.
Regina	Regi · Gina	Regi is a plain shortening.
Renata	Rena · Reni	Rena is a plain shortening.
Ricardo	Richi · Ricky · Richar	Richi and Ricky come from the first syllable with an English-style ending.
Roberto	Beto · Rober · Tito	Beto from the ending -berto; shared with Alberto and Humberto.
Rodrigo	Rodri · Roy	Rodri is a plain shortening.
Rosa	Rosita · Rosy · Chita	Rosita is the diminutive; Chita is a child form of Rosita.
Rosario	Chayo · Chayito · Charo	Chayo comes from the ending -sario with s becoming ch and the r dropped; Charo is the Spanish equivalent.
Salvador	Chava · Chavita · Chavo	Chava comes from the second syllable of Salvador, with s becoming ch in child speech.
Santiago	Santi · Chago · Diego	Santi is the modern shortening; Chago is the older Mexican form, from the ending -tiago with t becoming ch.
Sebastián	Sebas · Chebas	Sebas is a plain shortening; Chebas is its ch-form.
Sergio	Checo · Checho	Checo comes from child speech, where the s of Sergio becomes ch and the r is dropped. The racing driver Sergio Pérez is known as Checo.
Silvia	Chiva · Chivis · Silvita	Chiva is a child form in which s becomes ch; it is also the word for a goat, which makes it playful.
Socorro	Coco · Cocó · Coquis	Coco repeats the stressed syllable of Socorro.
Sofía	Sofi · Sofis	Sofi is a plain shortening.
Soledad	Chole · Sol	Chole comes from the first syllable of Soledad with s becoming ch.
Teresa	Tere · Teresita	Tere is a plain shortening to the first two syllables.
Trinidad	Trini	Trini is a plain shortening, used for men and women.
Valentina	Vale · Valen · Tina	Vale is a plain shortening, also used for Valeria.
Verónica	Vero	Vero is a plain shortening.
Vicente	Chente · Chentillo	Chente is the ending -cente with the c softened to ch. Vicente Fernández, the ranchera singer, was Chente.
Ximena	Xime · Mena	Xime is a plain shortening.
Yolanda	Yola · Yoli	Yola is a plain shortening.

Mexican nicknames FAQ

Why is José called Pepe?

From Josepe, the older form of the name (compare Italian Giuseppe), clipped in child speech to Pepe. The often-repeated story that Pepe abbreviates P.P., pater putativus (putative father) for Saint Joseph, is folk etymology.

Why is Jesús called Chuy?

Child speech again. The s of Jesús becomes ch, a sound children make earlier, and the name is cut to one syllable: Chu, Chuy, Chucho. Chucho also means dog in Mexican Spanish, which families joke about.

Why is Francisco called Paco or Pancho?

Pancho comes from the child form Francisco to Panchisco, then clipped. Paco is a further reduction. Kiko and Curro are the same name in other regions. Pancho Villa, born Doroteo Arango, took the name Francisco Villa and was Pancho to the country.

What is the difference between a nickname and a diminutive?

A diminutive adds -ito or -ita: Juanito, Lupita, Rosita. A hipocorístico replaces the name: Pepe, Chuy, Lupe. Mexican Spanish uses both constantly, and often stacks them: Lupita is Guadalupe to Lupe to Lupita; Chuyito is Jesús to Chuy to Chuyito.

Are Mexican nicknames used by adults?

Yes, at every age and level. Politicians, footballers, and singers are known by them: Chente (Vicente Fernández), Checo (Sergio Pérez), Chicharito (Javier Hernández), El Chapo. Using the nickname signals familiarity; using the full name signals formality or anger.