# word for person with your name in your language



## Edwin

Do  you have a word  in your language for a person who has the same name you have? For example,  if your name is John and you have a friend named John is there a word you can use to address him. 

Apparently in Mexico and some other Latin American countries they use the word tocayo / tocaya.  I understand from friends that there are such words in Russian, in Hungarian and in Armenian. 

A friend from Mexico conjectures that tocayo is not used in Spain. Is this so?

How about in other languages?

Tocayo is often translated to English as namesake. But namesake usually is a person named after someone else. It is not symmetric and not commonly used as a form of address.  Perhaps English is unique in not having such a word?


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## rob.returns

In Filipino, we call it *"KAPANGALAN"   *equivalent of tucayo.


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## Mariaguadalupe

Since I'm from México, I do call all of those people who have my name _tocayo/tocaya_ *Men* can have my name, Guadalupe.  Now that you ask, I can't remember an instance in English where you would call someone something similar.

Let me put my thinking cap on and see if I can remember.  (I usually remember as I go along)

Best regards,

Maria Guadalupe


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## mari.kit

I can only speak for my hometown, zamboanga, back there.. we also used the word "tocayo" (this is so, because our dialect there is somewhat spanish) which means you have the same name as your friend or anyone you know.. 
i have a friend who calls his friend "'cayo" coz they have the same name and he doesn't want to call him by his name coz he feels like he's calling his self..


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## Edher

Saludos,

        How about doppelgänger? I just learned that word yesterday. Ironically enough, my assignment was to write about the  bad habits in the English language according to George Orwell. One of them being the use of foreing words over English ones in order to show "culture" and "elegance."

I would count this one as German though, not English.

Nunca he conocido a mi tocayo,
Edher


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## Mariaguadalupe

UUY!
No quisiera ser un doppelgänger-_A ghostly double of a living person, especially one that haunts its fleshly counterpart_.
Así se llamaba mi libro de fonética de primaria.


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## Mariaguadalupe

Edher?

Conocí un Eder hace varios años.

Saludos


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## Edher

Mariaguadalupe said:
			
		

> UUY!
> No quisiera ser un doppelgänger-_A ghostly double of a living person, especially one that haunts its fleshly counterpart_.
> Así se llamaba mi libro de fonética de primaria.



1 : a ghostly counterpart of a living person
2 a : DOUBLE 2a b : ALTER EGO b c :* a person who has the same name as another*

Are you sure?,

Edher


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## Edher

Mariaguadalupe said:
			
		

> Edher?
> 
> Conocí un Eder hace varios años.
> 
> Saludos



Ojala le hizo honor al nombre y te trato bien.lol. Y ojala cuando te dijo su nombre no respondiste "Edher, como Heather?" Common reflex.

Edher


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## Mariaguadalupe

Era  compañero de mi hijo.  Bastante simpático.

Pero _Alter Ego no es como Dr. Jekyll y Mr. Hyde?  
Mr. Hyde was Dr. Jekyll alter ego. 

Maybe I'm wrong._


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## Edwin

Edher said:
			
		

> 1 : a ghostly counterpart of a living person
> 2 a : DOUBLE 2a b : ALTER EGO b c :* a person who has the same name as another*


In English it would be very unusual (if it ever happened) that someone would call somebody with the same name ''alter ego'' or "doppelgänger".   The word doppelganger in English definitely has a spooky or negative connotation. For example, in the Wikepedia entry it says:



> A *doppelgänge*r is the ghostly double of a living person, adapted from German Doppelgänger (look-alike). The word comes from doppel meaning "double" and gänger translated as "goer". The term has, in the vernacular, come to refer to any double of a person, most commonly in reference to a so-called *evil twin*, or to bilocation. Alternatively, the word is used to describe a phenomenon where you catch your own image out of the corner of your eye. In some mythologies, seeing one's own doppelgänger is an omen of death. A doppelgänger seen by friends or relatives of a person may sometimes bring bad luck, omen or is an indication of an approaching illness or health problem. Source



To my best knowledge there is no equivalent of ''tocayo'' in English.  I am not familiar with definition c from Merrian-Webster for doppelganger (namely, c : a person who has the same name as another).  If it is ever used in that sense it is very rare. On the other hand, from what I hear ''tocayo'' is very common in Mexico and possibly in other Spanish speaking countries.


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## foxfirebrand

Edwin said:
			
		

> In English it would be very unusual (if it ever happened) that someone would call somebody with the same name ''alter ego'' or "doppelgänger". ... To my best knowledge there is no equivalent of ''tocayo'' in English.


 
I agree on all counts. A problem easily solved by stealing _tocayo,_ which seems like a fine word for the job. 

Closest thing I've ever seen to a remote need for such a word was in the days of the "Mark" club at my regular watering hole, oh maybe 15-20 years ago. There were at least half a dozen regular patrons named Mark. Whenever three or more of them were seated among the group at large, someone was sure to remark, "I see the Mark Club is in session." 

Hey Mark IV-- tell your _tocayo_ over there it's his turn to buy a round. Yeah, I can see that.  I think it's time to abduct-- I mean _adopt_ a word from our friends south of the Border.


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## Alundra

Edwin said:
			
		

> A friend from Mexico conjectures that tocayo is not used in Spain. Is this so?


 
In Spain is very usual to call "tocayo" or "tocaya" to somebody that he/she has the same name as you.

I think it's the same as other Latin American countries.

Saludetes.
Alundra.


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## araceli

Hola
En Argentimas también decimos tocayo/a.
Saludos.


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## LV4-26

In French you could refer to someone with the same name as yours as "_mon_ _homonyme_". However, this word is also used for common (not just proper) names and it sounds very "educated". You wouldn't hear it in everyday conversation.
Very little to do with _tocayo_, I guess.


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## Lancel0t

In Filipino we usually call them as "BULOY".


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## Vanda

In Brazil we call them "xará".


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## Merlin

Lancel0t said:
			
		

> In Filipino we usually call them as "BULOY".


Right on target. "Buloy" or "Katocayo" is what we use in the Philippines. We even have a song entitled "Buloy". It's a nice song from a great band.


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## Brioche

Edwin said:
			
		

> Do you have a word in your language for a person who has the same name you have? For example, if your name is John and you have a friend named John is there a word you can use to address him.
> 
> Tocayo is often translated to English as namesake. But namesake usually is a person named after someone else. It is not symmetric and not commonly used as a form of address. Perhaps English is unique in not having such a word?



I disagree about the meaning of namesake.
It can mean a "person named after someone else",
but it can also mean one "having the same name as another".

In German, a namesake is Namensvetter. (Name = name, Vetter = cousin)
note: v in German has the sound of f

Neither the German nor the English term is used vocatively.


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## Outsider

_Homónimo_ (which, of course, is made up of Greek particles). But we don't normally use this word to _address_ someone, only to describe them.



			
				Vanda said:
			
		

> In Brazil we call them "xará".


I didn't know the Brazilian word, Vanda. That's very interesting!


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## Outsider

Brioche said:
			
		

> I disagree about the meaning of namesake.
> It can mean a "person named after someone else",
> but it can also mean one "having the same name as another".


Indeed. The Merriam Webster Online confirms that, although it adds "especially one who is named after another or for whom another is named."


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## Mei

Alundra said:
			
		

> In Spain is very usual to call "tocayo" or "tocaya" to somebody that he/she has the same name as you.
> 
> I think it's the same as other Latin American countries.
> 
> Saludetes.
> Alundra.


 
¿En serio?! No lo había oído nunca, no sabia que tenia un nombre.... si es que...  

Me lo apunto!

Saludos 

Mei


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## Alundra

Mei said:
			
		

> ¿En serio?! No lo había oído nunca, no sabia que tenia un nombre.... si es que...
> 
> Me lo apunto!
> 
> Saludos
> 
> Mei


 
jejejej... ¿Pero se puede saber dónde vives tú? jajaaj...  yo esa palabra la utilizo mucho... es más... al principio de entrar en este foro, vi que había varias Pilares como yo  y al saludarlas les decía tocayas.... o sea, que yo sí que lo digo mucho... 

Un saludete.
Alundra


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## Mei

Alundra said:
			
		

> jejejej... ¿Pero se puede saber dónde vives tú? jajaaj... yo esa palabra la utilizo mucho... es más... al principio de entrar en este foro, vi que había varias Pilares como yo  y al saludarlas les decía tocayas.... o sea, que yo sí que lo digo mucho...
> 
> Un saludete.
> Alundra


 
En Barcelona. Cuando llegue a casa lo comentaré y me dirán: Claro, ¿no lo sabias? 
Lo buscaré en catalan, a ver...  

Saludos 

Mei


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## Alundra

Mei said:
			
		

> En Barcelona. Cuando llegue a casa lo comentaré y me dirán: Claro, ¿no lo sabias?
> Lo buscaré en catalan, a ver...
> 
> Saludos
> 
> Mei


 
También es verdad que no todo el mundo hablamos igual (ni siquiera en España)
Quizá por el Norte no sea tan común,  

Alundra.


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## Mei

Alundra said:
			
		

> También es verdad que no todo el mundo hablamos igual (ni siquiera en España)
> Quizá por el Norte no sea tan común,
> 
> Alundra.


 
En catalan me sale "homònima",... que originales!  En fin....

Saludos

Mei


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## cuchuflete

I would use namesake, but I've seen an alternative, always in the adjectival form, in  BE...homonymous.  It's used from time to time in The Economist.  

"The homonymous Mr Edwards, when last seen emerging from number ten...."


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## Edwin

cuchuflete said:
			
		

> I would use namesake, but I've seen an alternative, always in the adjectival form, in  BE...homonymous.  It's used from time to time in The Economist.
> 
> "The homonymous Mr Edwards, when last seen emerging from number ten...."



Cuchu, are you saying that if you met someone who had your first name, you would address him as ''namesake''?  Or, say something like, "Hi namesake,  what's up?"?   I guess we could start using it this way, but I don't recall having heard it in the vocative case (as Brioche said).  On the other hand, I understand that ''tocayo'' is used vocatively frequently. 

I suppose one could also say, ''Hi there, homonymous buddy."


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## foxfirebrand

Edwin said:
			
		

> I suppose one could also say, ''Hi there, homonymous buddy."


 
If one wanted a punch in one's _snout,_ one could.  A greeting mandated only by the law of unintended consequences.  I'd rather explain _tocayo_ at every turn and get funny looks on that account.  Besides, the country's going slowly bilingual anyway, and usages like that would put me on the cutting edge.


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## cuchuflete

Edwin said:
			
		

> Cuchu, are you saying that if you met someone who had your first name, you would address him as ''namesake''? Or, say something like, "Hi namesake, what's up?"? I guess we could start using it this way, but I don't recall having heard it in the vocative case (as Brioche said). On the other hand, I understand that ''tocayo'' is used vocatively frequently.
> 
> I suppose one could also say, ''Hi there, homonymous buddy."



Interesting question Edwin,
Racking my brain, which needs a good racking from time to time, I recall having called someone my namesake to their face, never.  However, I have said it from time to time in the third person.  "My namesake over there in the corner, the guy reading The Economist, got punched out last week for calling another namesake of ours a homonym."


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## foxfirebrand

This is getting to be a load of homonymous bosh.


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## cuchuflete

He said as he tripped into the ditch of the garden of delights.


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## MetalMarianne

Pimpirigallo
anda a caballo
con la espuelita 
de su tocayo!

That is  a traditional chilean (?) rhyme, in which 2 children pinch eachother the skin from the hands alternately - the fingers look like the 'Pimpirigallo' (pimpiri-rooster, being pimpiri just child nonsense word) and the hand is 'caballo' (horse) on which he rides.


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## murena

En México, como ya se dijo, se usa la palabra tocayo.

El término homónimo es usado pero para personas que tienen exactamente el mismo nombre y los mismos apellidos. Es común usarlo en el contexto de las elecciones, ya que el control de los votos de las personas con el mismo nombre requiere de especial cuidado para evitar fraudes. Un homónimo muy común en México sería por ejemplo Juan Hernández López.

Saludos


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## cuchuflete

taking the liberty of making Murena's fine post available to the Castilian impaired:

In Mexico, as has been said, the word _tocayo_ is used.

The term _homónimo_ is used but [only] for persons with exactly the same first name and last names. It is common to use it in the context of elections, as special care is required for control of votes by persons with the same name, in order to avoid frauds.  A common homonym in Mexico would be, for example, Juan Hernández López/ John P. Smith.


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