English vs Spanish: First Names (1)

Why are English names so popular? Because we are being alienated in so many different ways that they have become part of our lives already or because they truly sound better? This thing of preferring English names over Spanish names, in my country at least, has led to a point that officially some foreign names are accepted because of their popularity and also for their having been used for quite a long time already (as an example, the only Ecuadorian who has ever won a gold medal is JEFFERSON Pérez). 
What I can say is that truly some names do sound better in English and here are some examples:

                                              Spanish                English
                                               Arnoldo                Arnold
                                               Benito                   Bénédict
                                               Catalina                Catherine
                                               Cristóbal               Christopher
                                               Filiberto                Philbert
                                               Jacobo                 Jacob    
                                               Juana                   Jane                                            
                                               Juliana                 Julianne
                                               Susana                 Suzanne
                                               Timoteo               Timothy

There are several more and we have to admit that the English version is truly better in some cases  (I prefer Christopher a hundred times as a name than Cristóbal). Besides most English names have other forms knowns as nicknames so for instance David is Dave, Suzanne is Sue, and Thomas is Tom; and they also have an interesting sound. In Spanish we have  "diminutivos" (SUSANITA for Susana is an example) which are really terms of endearment more than anything.
Not all Spanish names have an English version and viceversa (Does EILEEN have a spanish version?), but most do. In my case,  I prefer the Spanish version of my name. The problem is in English: if pronounced  the Spanish way it will sound LOUISE, in other words a female name (Louise is Luisa in English). The English version ,LOUIS, is pronounced with more stress in the LU particle whereas in Spanish the stress is in IS.
Of course, whenever I have been in the States I have introduced myself as "Louis" Bermudes.



                                               

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