Translating names between languages.

Translating names from English to Spanish is eating shit.

I was but only a small child when I first pondered this, annoyed and perplexed by my elementary school Spanish teachers’ practice of translating students’ names.

Instead of calling every student by their true and legal name, my teachers would often translate them to a Spanish equivalent. Michael became “Miguel.” Danielle was called “Daniela.” Peter was rechristened “Pedro.” They never explained it, either — they simply referred to the children by a different name, if there was one, and left them to put two and two together.

Of course, my teachers didn’t invent these translations. Around the world, it’s accepted that many common, non-Hispanic first names have Spanish-language equivalents. People use them. My subsequent Spanish teachers did, too. Other languages do the same thing. Even the Pope’s name is translated, appearing slightly differently in dozens of languages.

Now, some people might be genuinely welcoming of the translation, freely using their new names when speaking the second language. Others may not, preferring to only use their legal, Christian name in all situations. Still others may hold no opinion. Regardless, here’s the thing: those “translated” names aren’t those individuals’ names. They may be similarly-spelled and closely-pronounced, but that shouldn’t be enough to conclude that those names ARE their names, albeit in another language.

“Elizabeth” could be translated to “Isabel,” “Elisávet,” “Elizabetta,” or even “Liisa,” in other languages. Forget the historical origin of the word from which the name is derived — is someone who was born identifying with the name “Isabel” supposed to simply accept that their name is “also” Elizabeth?

If my name is Michael, that is so because those particular letters and sounds come together to make the name. Not other letters and sounds that may be close. Whether or not there is historical precedence (other people also named Michael being referred to by a translated version of it, whether or not they consented) is irrelevant. Similarly, whether or not the Spanish dictionary documents “Miguel” as the official translation of “Michael” is irrelevant.

“Miguel” may be Michael’s equivalent, but who’s to say that MY name is actually “Michael,” as per the name you’re thinking of? Who’s to say that my name isn’t just a homograph, spelled and pronounced the same (like “bat,” flying, and “bat,” baseball)? My “Michael” could just be a coincidence of spelling and sounds, not a continuation of the cultural namesake, as the rest of the world sees it.

If my parents named me Michael, it could be for a variety of reasons. They may have just liked THOSE particular letters in THAT order. They may WANT the “c,” “h,” and “a,” as part of the identity of the name, intentionally. They may have wanted to identify me with the long i sound in PARTICULAR. Maybe they liked the strong “cull” ending, on purpose. Altering or removing any of these elements may, in fact, undermine the purpose and meaning of the name bestowed upon me.

This isn’t a knock against Spanish, or its speakers, or the speakers of any language at all. Actually, the reverse is just as undesirable: I wouldn’t want someone named Pablo, Maria, or Juan being apathetically renamed “Paul,” “Mary,” or “John,” either. That would seem just as disrespectful.

Of course, If someone is giving their best (or even, not best) attempt to pronounce someone’s name, and the translated version is what happens to come out, I don’t think they’d be offended. I certainly wouldn’t be. But at the same time, I don’t think the commonly-used translations should automatically be accepted as THE official, documented, be-all end-all equivalents of their names.

Think about how strongly someone named Kirsten feels about being accidentally called “Kristen.” That one-letter difference is important, and we all try to respect
that. . . but at the same time, someone named Guillermo is supposed to unflinchingly answer to “William” without a second thought?

THEY AREN’T THE SAME NAME! Just call people the exact combination of mouth utterances that they themselves have chosen! ✍︎