# why is Jesus a common name in Spanish-speaking countries but nowhwere else? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 21, 2012, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-jesus-a-common-name-in-spanish-speaking-countries-but-nowhwere-else/628980 "2012-07-21T18:55:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2012, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-jesus-a-common-name-in-spanish-speaking-countries-but-nowhwere-else/628980/41 "2012-07-23T13:22:35Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > No it wasn’t… the Spanish inquisition is called the Spanish inquisition in countries which are not Spain. I think you missed a “not” between “is” and “called”. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2012, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-jesus-a-common-name-in-spanish-speaking-countries-but-nowhwere-else/628980/42 "2012-07-23T13:23:56Z")
No, I did not. In Spain we don’t speak of _la Inquisición española_, except when watching a certain Monty Python movie. Either _la Inquisición_ (which can refer to the global institution, to the local one when context is given by the rest of the work or to one which has been previously been identified) or it carries an adjective to identify it properly - but the adjective will only be\* española\* in the Monty Python sketch. _La Inquisición calvinista, la Inquisición isabelina_ (referring to Elizabeth I of England, not to one of the Spanish Isabels), _la Inquisición aragonesa_… ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2012, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-jesus-a-common-name-in-spanish-speaking-countries-but-nowhwere-else/628980/43 "2012-07-23T14:17:37Z")
In a thread about Hispanic naming practices, I didn’t expect the Spanish Inquisition. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2012, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-jesus-a-common-name-in-spanish-speaking-countries-but-nowhwere-else/628980/44 "2012-07-23T14:19:28Z")
Personally, I was almost surprised it took so long to appear… more than three posts! ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2012, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-jesus-a-common-name-in-spanish-speaking-countries-but-nowhwere-else/628980/45 "2012-07-23T14:25:53Z")
> [@Namkcalb](#): > > Emmanuel and JC are also derived from Jesus… JC? Like JC Chasez? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2012, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-jesus-a-common-name-in-spanish-speaking-countries-but-nowhwere-else/628980/46 "2012-07-23T14:27:58Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > No, I did not. Then I don’t understand your post. There was [The Inquisition](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inquisition), which refers to the general practice, which took place in several different countries, and there was [The Spanish Inquisition](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_inquisition), which took place in Spain. Now, if you are saying that at the time no on called it that, maybe. But that’s what people usually call it today. And people usually mix up the two terms, thinking The Spanish Inquisition was the entirety of The Inquisition. Was that not what you were trying to correct? ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2012, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-jesus-a-common-name-in-spanish-speaking-countries-but-nowhwere-else/628980/47 "2012-07-23T14:34:30Z")
There was no such thing as “the Spanish Inquisition”, no such legal entity. Sort of like there isn’t a US “DMV”, the different DMVs are at the State level: there were different Inquisitions in different realms, and even realms which did not have one. The worst witchhunts (such as those of Zugarramurdi or Altafulla) took place under civilian judges, not under a religious tribunal. The expression “the Spanish Inquisition” is a foreign one, covering a mix of RCC-controlled and non-RCC-controlled judiciary institutions and practices. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2012, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-jesus-a-common-name-in-spanish-speaking-countries-but-nowhwere-else/628980/48 "2012-07-23T14:43:18Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > One thing, though. I don’t know how common “Isa” is a name in Arabic speaking countries among Arabic Christians. There are a lot of Arabic speaking Christians in quite a few countries. But in Europe, it appears to be a Spanish thing. I can’t recall an Arab Christian by that name; mostly they go by saints’ names: Lebanese and to some degree Syrians by the French version (eg Georges) and Copts by the Arabic version (Girgis). The only Isa I can think of off of the top of my head is the former ruler of Bahrain (died in 1999). The fact that Jesus is a revered figure in Islam muddies the water on this a fair bit. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2012, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-jesus-a-common-name-in-spanish-speaking-countries-but-nowhwere-else/628980/49 "2012-07-23T14:51:28Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > There was no such thing as “the Spanish Inquisition”, no such legal entity. Sort of like there isn’t a US “DMV”, the different DMVs are at the State level: there were different Inquisitions in different realms, and even realms which did not have one. The worst witchhunts (such as those of Zugarramurdi or Altafulla) took place under civilian judges, not under a religious tribunal. > > The expression “the Spanish Inquisition” is a foreign one, covering a mix of RCC-controlled and non-RCC-controlled judiciary institutions and practices. Oh, OK. But there is a common misunderstanding that “The Inquisition” only took place in what is now Spain. ---
**Author:** ![medicated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@medicated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/medicated)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2012, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-jesus-a-common-name-in-spanish-speaking-countries-but-nowhwere-else/628980/50 "2012-07-23T14:54:38Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > But Christopher (Chris) is not _Kristos_. Christopher means “one who carries Christ in his soul”. The others are more like “Christian”. I used to work with a Greek fellow whose first name was Christos. That’s how he spelled it, too. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2012, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-jesus-a-common-name-in-spanish-speaking-countries-but-nowhwere-else/628980/51 "2012-07-23T14:56:37Z")
> [@medicated](#): > > I used to work with a Greek fellow whose first name was Christos. That’s how he spelled it, too. Can kinda understan that. It’s sort of like using “ph” for “f” to indicate the word is derived from the Greek. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2012, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-jesus-a-common-name-in-spanish-speaking-countries-but-nowhwere-else/628980/52 "2012-07-23T14:59:55Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Oh, OK. But there is a common misunderstanding that “The Inquisition” only took place in what is now Spain. Yeah I know, that misconception is known in Spain as _la leyenda negra_, our “black legend”, a “black legend” being an exaggeration perpetrated for propaganda purposes, either for political reasons or to sell more newspapers: “all Americans are gun crazy!” or “the moon landing was a hoax” would be black legends against the US. There’s people who believe the moon landing was a hoax and some may even live in Houston, but I sure hope none work at NASA. Funny thing is, if the Inquisition had been Spain-only, there wouldn’t be any reason to speak about the Spanish Inquisition: the expression would be as repetitive as ATM Machine. ---
**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2012, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-jesus-a-common-name-in-spanish-speaking-countries-but-nowhwere-else/628980/53 "2012-07-23T15:38:30Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > I like Estonian and Finish: Jeesus. But those guys love their double vowels… It’s just because the **e** sound is pronounced long, just like in English. Those languages have a one to one correlation between spelling and pronunciation. ---
**Author:** ![Deeg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/deeg/32/2955_2.png) [@Deeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deeg)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2012, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-jesus-a-common-name-in-spanish-speaking-countries-but-nowhwere-else/628980/54 "2012-07-23T19:08:01Z")
Is it possibly Muslim influence on Spanish Christians? It appears that Muslims often take the name of Muhammad (or a variation of). Much of Spain was conquered by the Moors and maybe the custom rubbed off on the Spaniards. I have no idea why Muslims take the name of the prophet nor do I know when the Spanish custom started so this may all be bunk. ---
**Author:** ![listedmia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e0b2c6/32.png) [@listedmia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/listedmia)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2012, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-jesus-a-common-name-in-spanish-speaking-countries-but-nowhwere-else/628980/55 "2012-07-23T19:34:00Z")
> [@Lamia](#): > > In addition to this, while I don’t speak Arabic at all I believe “Isa” is both the Arabic version of the name “Jesus” and a fairly common given name for boys. I worked with a Muslim _girl_ of Pakistani descent named Isa. I wonder, is this the same deal or does it mean something different? ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2012, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-jesus-a-common-name-in-spanish-speaking-countries-but-nowhwere-else/628980/56 "2012-07-23T22:19:28Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > It’s not just English speakers. It’s not common outside Spanish speaking countries. Levon calls his child Jesus 'cause he likes the name. I think he’s English. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2012, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-jesus-a-common-name-in-spanish-speaking-countries-but-nowhwere-else/628980/57 "2012-07-23T22:33:26Z")
If I ever had a son I was determined to name him “Onan”. Hey, its a biblical name, right? ---
**Author:** ![Victor\_Charlie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7ea924/32.png) [@Victor\_Charlie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Victor_Charlie)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2012, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-jesus-a-common-name-in-spanish-speaking-countries-but-nowhwere-else/628980/58 "2012-07-24T00:06:37Z")
> [@BMalion](#): > > If I ever had a son I was determined to name him “Onan”. > > Hey, its a biblical name, right? He might be proned to carpal tunnel syndrome. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-jesus-a-common-name-in-spanish-speaking-countries-but-nowhwere-else/628980/59 "2012-07-25T04:16:12Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > Does anybody know whether Hristo is Bulgarian for Christ? Thinking of Hristo Stoichov here. Yes, it is. ---
**Author:** ![grama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7cd45c/32.png) [@grama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grama)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-jesus-a-common-name-in-spanish-speaking-countries-but-nowhwere-else/628980/60 "2012-07-25T05:35:58Z")
> [@Victor\_Charlie](#): > > He might be proned to carpal tunnel syndrome. You made me choke on my drink… are you happy now? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-jesus-a-common-name-in-spanish-speaking-countries-but-nowhwere-else/628980.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-jesus-a-common-name-in-spanish-speaking-countries-but-nowhwere-else/628980.md?page=4)