Those ambassadors of British intellect , the Beckhams , have named their new son Cruz ( Spanish for cross) . Unfortunately this turns out to be a girl’s name, so are there any other males out there with this first name? It would be interesting to know if they have made a mistake or are starting a new trend.
The now-defunct soap Santa Barbara had a lead male character named Cruz. I’ve never heard it as a girl’s name.
This from today’s* Scotsman* newspaper
- Lola Oria, a Spanish language tutor at Oxford University, described Cruz Beckham as a “stupid” name.
Cruz is commonly used as a surname and is an old-fashioned sounding girls’ Christian name, she added.
“I think it is quite a stupid name, quite frankly,” Ms Oria.
“They will have problems in Spain because it will be seen as a name for girls.
“It is an old-fashioned girl’s name and also it is quite clearly Spanish and difficult to pronounce for an English-speaking person.
“It is quite a strange thing to do to a little boy.”
Dr Clive Griffin, a lecturer in Latin American literature at the university, said he had never heard of Cruz being used as a boy’s Christian name.
The lieutenant governor of California is Cruz Bustamante. He is a male.
Well it looks as though those professors are wrong. After doing some digging around on the web it does appear that this can be used as a boy’s name both in Spanish and Portuguese. In fact Cruz was the 531st most popular boy’sname in the US in 1998.
Cruz Reynoso is a California State Supreme Court justice and a man.
In my opinion, Cruz is a perfectly nice name for a boy or a girl. I give it a thumbs-up.
Dr Clive Griffin looks like a bit of an ass now. No doubt his apology will be a work of erudition.
My 16 year old nephew was named Cruz, after the character on the soap. :rolleyes:
Cruz is not a girl’s name by itself, although the word Cruz is female.
The girl’s name would be Mari Cruz… as many people have repeatedly asked me, “why are all Hispanic women called Maria?” answer: because we never are, it’s always mary-something. I know half a dozen Maricruces; one of them is called Cruz only but her Christian name includes the Mary.
In Navarra we had a president called Juan Cruz, after St John of the Cross (San Juan de la Cruz). I also know a Cruz Miguel and a José Cruz. Don’t know anybody who is only called Cruz (with no extras).
The story here in Spain is that the Beckhams intended to call the kid Cruzcampo - which is a brand of beer.
My uncle Cruz is going to be pissed.
Difficult to pronounce? 
My friend is Mexican/Puerto Rican and his name is Marcos Cruz Lastname.
That was exactly my first thought when I saw the subject of this thread. I loved Santa Barbara! 
I remember that show. Loved that show. And, here’s Cruz Castillo!
I’ve worked with a guy named Cruz. He was about 6’5" and 300lbs. Also studies Karate. He would be offended if you called him a “girl” or “feminine”. I’ve never heard it as a girl’s name, except as a surname. Penelope Cruz.
I’ve lived in New Mexico most of my life, and the three people named Cruz I’ve known were all men (or boys, back in the day).
People are worried about Cruz? These people named their older two sons Brooklyn and Romeo. Little Cruz should be thanking his lucky stars.
I’m trying to puzzle that one out myself.
I, too, work with a guy named Cruz.
I’d say that the comment about the name being difficult to pronounce comes from the notion that the speaker was aimer her remarks at a UK audience. Spanish is not a big language in the UK.
From what I’ve heard, the Spanish as spoken in America is Spanish as per Central and South America, where it might be that such a name would be more likely pronouced the same as cruise. The Beckhams are in Madrid, where the pronunciation of it would use a soft th sound for the z, would it not?
So Americans and people familiar with Spanish from that side of the Atlantic might pronounce this child’s name as Cruise. People who speak Spanish from Spain might call him something like Crooo-th and back home in England C-R-U-Z in English spells something like Cruzz, which rhymes with buzz.
That’s why I think that comment was made, but is seems a bit silly to me to say it in the first place. All manner of names which were originally foreign language names are used in English all the time.
Right enough, when it comes to foreign names in English there are all manner of horrific tongue mangling attempts by people who have never seen it before, but since this child is a famous child, the preferred pronunciation of his name will be common knowledge, won’t it?