Why did he think my name was weird?

Question

I was talking to this Costa Rican guy I met at a restaurant yesterday and when I said my name was "Sarita", he looked shocked and was like, "SARITA???" It was so awkward that I want to know why he might have reacted that way lol.

I know that Sarita is a diminutive of Sara ... but no other Spanish speakers I know reacted that way when I introduced myself. Could someone please explain the social significance of diminutives to me? Do people usually not have diminutives as their real names?

EDIT: My actual name is Sarita ... not a pet name.

Welcome to SpanishDict! - SpanishPal, Oct 1, 2011

Answer 1

My 2 cents..

Possibly another Sarita in another restaurant in town in another moment of time broke his heart, stole his credit card, cheated on him, hit him in the groin...so many other possibilities.

I think it's a case of post-traumatic stress syndrome.

Your name is beautiful, there's nothing wrong about it.

Jajajaja. That explains it.:) - Deanski, Oct 1, 2011

Answer 2

I understand his stupefaction.

People usually don't like diminutives ending in -ita applied to their own names. It may be because they were tradicionally used for children.

I don't know how old are you, but if you are over 15 it's kind of unusual that you like to be called Sarita. Sometimes, an -ito ending may sound even despective.

...may even sound disrespectful. - teasip, Oct 1, 2011

That's the name my parents gave me so ... yes, I like to be called by my real name. - saritabonita, Oct 1, 2011

I don't know how old you are* - Gocika, Oct 1, 2011

Hi Cogumela, you know in Mexico my good friend Norma loves being called Normita. I know diminutives are more widely used there. Do you think your feeling about names just doesn't apply equally there? - Jeremias, Oct 1, 2011

Of course she loves it, but I doubt that she calls H E R S E L F "Normita" - 005faa61, Oct 1, 2011

Pues, cononcí a una mujer cuando fui a Guatemala. Se llama Dorita y parecía que tenía cincuenta años. Quizás "different strokes for different folks"... - Goldie_Miel, Oct 1, 2011

Answer 3

You have a beautiful name Sarita! You don't have to feel awkward at all. The next time this happens, just be cool. Myself, I have a strange name and many people react this way. I remember one laughing loud when he heard what my name was. No big deal! I laughed too .

Answer 4

Perhaps he was confused by thinking you meant Sarita Montiel, who is now 83 years old. Unless, of course, you happen to be of a similar age.

Sarita Montiel, a singer and actress from Spain, was really hot back in the 50s and 60s.

But Cogumela is right. To refer to yourself in the diminutive if you´re an adult, would sound very strange in Spanish - unless you are a celebrity using a stage name.

That's a great photo. She was really beautiful. - Goldie_Miel, Oct 1, 2011

Answer 5

Saritabonita con nombre suavecita / encontró a un hombre de mente tontita!

No te preocupes, él ha de haber sido idiota!

Voting for the cute rhyme :o) - Goldie_Miel, Oct 1, 2011

Answer 6

Different people have different tastes -- for example, one person might like one type of music while another person may hate that type of music.

Perhaps Sarita was one of his old classmates or something, and he was shocked that he met you "again".

Answer 7

Are you tall? Maybe he was expecting to see a short woman named that way....?