Hispanic American naming customs

The naming customs of Hispanic America are similar to the Spanish naming customs practiced in Spain, with some modifications to the surname rules. Many Hispanophones in the countries of Hispanic America have two given names, plus a paternal surname (primer apellido or apellido paterno) and a maternal surname (segundo apellido or apellido materno).

In the colonial period and nineteenth century, it was common to have between one and three given names followed by a second name with a "de" (from) in front. For example, the Saint Teresa de Los Andes whose real name is Juana Enriqueta Josefina de los Sagrados Corazones Fernández del Solar. Where "Juana", "Enriqueta" and "Josefina" are her first names, followed by the second name "de los Sagrados Corazones". Her paternal surname is "Fernández" and her maternal surname is "del Solar".

Another form of second name can be preceded by a "de" particle, which can be varied to "del" or "de los". Examples are "José del Pilar", "Rosa del Carmen", "Fidelina de las Mercedes". These second names are only used in formal occasions, and in many cases only registered in the birth, marriage and death certificates.

Since the late 20th century, owing to US influence, many Hispanic Americans have been baptized with English rather than Spanish given names.

Children that are not recognized by their father have been legally treated in two ways, changing from time to time according to the civil registration norms. One way is to be registered with only a first surname that is the mother's surname. The second way is to have the mother's surname as first surname and second surname. These are known as natural children. Another case is to only register the father's surname not giving importance to the mother; this happened in the early 20th century.

Generally speaking, just the paternal surname is used in Argentinian names.

Instead of primer apellido (first surname) and segundo apellido (second surname), common in other countries, legally, the following expressions are used: apellido paterno (paternal surname) and apellido materno (maternal surname).

In Chile people never replace their surnames by the spouse’s ones at marriage. Spouse’s name adoption is not socially practiced and the possibility of so doing is not even contemplated by the law. Although a woman may socially use the marital conjunction de, it is omitted in her legal name. For example, former first lady Marta Larraechea very often is called Marta Larraechea de Frei, but her full legal name remains Marta Larraechea Bolívar. As another example, Soledad Alvear is almost never called Soledad Alvear de Martínez; her full legal name is María Soledad Alvear Valenzuela. This social practice, though, has long ago begun to fall into disfavor and very few women would these days accept to be referred to in this manner.

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Wikipedia