Que Hera Su Nombre?

What was your New Mexican ancestors real name? Was it Jane or Juana? Was it Juan or Johnny? Was it Juan de Jesus or J.J.? Was it Juan Carlos or J.C.?

Sort of hard to tell what name New Mexican's used a few years ago. Especially if they had names that were hard to pronounce in English. People changed their names, I did too. Hard to go through life with a name like Nemesio, Maria del Carmel, Chrisostomo or Chrisostoma, Higino, Veneranda or Policarpio... You get the drift. Our parents gave us names that meant something to them at the time. I have a cousin, who shall remain unnamed, who is always deploring names our common ancestors saddled us with. I personally do not mind the name given to me, but understand his concern.

I have used various different names over the years, as have a lot of us. I recall a special day for me, a very special day. My very first day of school with the Catholic Sisters at Saint Anthoney's School in Pecos, New Mexico.  At our first recesses we realized we had all been given brand new names by the nuns who did not know a word of Spanish. We spent our free time over the next few days getting used to them. Francisco (Kiko) was now Frank, Manuel (Melo) was now Manny, Hernandez (Nandes) was now Ernie, Mariquita was Mary, Jacinta was now Jackie. Again you get the picture.

Sometimes the time we were baptized was the last time we used the baptismal name. I remember my mother. I knew her as Ruby or Refugio. It was not until after she passed that I got to know her birth name, Maria del Refugio.

It is different now with names for the descendants of New Mexicans, gone, for the most part are the old Spanish names. Instead we have Josh, Mariah, Jacob etc., etc.

That is not bad, it just is.