How is "pusiste" used in this context?

Question

In a show I watch, a character found out his (silly) first name for the first time in his life, and he yells at his supposed dad:

"¿Randy Giles? ¿Por qué no me pusiste Cornudo Giles?"

I assume "pusiste" acts as some kind of "named/called someone something".

Is this something you can do with "poner", use it in that context, for referring to someone by a certain name?

Welcome to SpanishDict. We ask that all new members complete their profiles with their native language, and what level of Spanish you feel you are, like, beginner, intermediate, etc. as well as gender. - ray76, Sep 18, 2016

Answer 1

From the dictionary, third part, entry for name:

http://www.spanishdict.com/translate/name

TRANSITIVE VERB

1 (call) llamar; [+person] (at birth) poner

a man named Jack un hombre llamado Jack;

they named the child Mary a la niña le pusieron María;

to name sth/sb after or for sth/sb:

they named him Winston after Churchill (US) le pusieron Winston por Churchill;

she was named after her grandmother la llamaron como a su abuela; le pusieron el nombre de su abuela;

they named the street after Nelson Mandela a la calle le pusieron el nombre de Nelson Mandela

Literally, "they put the name to/on him. - Daniela2041, Sep 18, 2016

Yes, when I first learned it, it made perfect sense to me. In English we can give someone a name, or apply a name to someone as well, probably there are other ways I am not remembering as well. :) - bosquederoble, Sep 18, 2016

Brilliant, thanks! I couldn't find this in the dictionary. And yes, it does really make sense. :D - thejuiceweasel, Sep 19, 2016

De nada. :) - bosquederoble, Sep 19, 2016