Adding -ito or -cito to a name

Question

My son's name is Joseph and we've been calling him "Josefito" but I'm realizing now that the Spanish translation is José and not Joséf (right?) so that nickname would likely translated different, but not quite sure how. Is his current nickname ok since it's a mix of the English pronunciation and Spanish ending? If not, which change in spelling and ending would be correct (-ito vs. -cito)?

While you wait for an answer: https://espanol.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20110802093739AAVMe88 - bosquederoble, May 24, 2016

Which is to say there are people named Josefito; Josecito is the correct for José; it's a name so you can probably do what you want, but I can't answer from a native perspective. :) - bosquederoble, May 24, 2016

Welcome to SpanishDict. Please take a moment and complete your SD profile as it relates to language. Thanks. - rac1, May 24, 2016

Jose/José ->josito->sito jose/José ->pepe->pepito - 000a35ff, May 24, 2016

Two more links, there is a lot of variation: http://forum.wordreference.com/threads/josé.397420/ https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070430133615AAa1Nyk - bosquederoble, May 24, 2016

Answer 1

I have heard "Joselito." For "Carlos" "Carlitos" For my name (Daniela), both Dani y Danielita, are used. Miguel=Miguelito. You can't do this to all names. For Francisco, it changes completely to Paco or Pancho. A girl's name like María Teresa becomes "Maite." That's about all that comes to mind right now.

However if you want to see a list of several hundred have a go right HERE.

I met a man in Colombia whose name was Pacho and this was also a nickname for Francisco. - Jubilado, May 25, 2016

You mean PaNcho? I already listed that one. :) - Daniela2041, May 25, 2016

Or was it really Pacho? I have never heard of that one. - Daniela2041, May 25, 2016

Remember that a nickname doesn't need to be correct always. I mean a nickname could be also a name given for something that happened in your life with friends or whatever. - jmora, May 25, 2016

No todas las Maites son Maria teresas hay muchas que se llaman Maite del vasco, amor, y cuyo diminutivo sería Maitetxu - 000a35ff, May 25, 2016