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ArchivesAny Info/ Background on the name Chiquita?
Hello,
My great-grandmother is named Chiquita, and I’m wondering if anyone has any insight on the name? She was born 1903, USA, no Hispanic/Latina ancestry known.
Thank you.
My great-grandmother is named Chiquita, and I’m wondering if anyone has any insight on the name? She was born 1903, USA, no Hispanic/Latina ancestry known.
Thank you.
1
Replies
In Portuguese, Chiquita [shee-KEE-ta] is a diminuitive of Chica [SHEE-ka], which is a nickname for Francisca.
In Spanish, "chiquita" [tchee-kee-tah] simply means "little girl" ("chica" means "girl"). I imagine using it as given name among non-Spanish speakers would be inspired by similar-sounding Spanish names like Bonita, Juanita, Lolita, etc.
In Spanish, "chiquita" [tchee-kee-tah] simply means "little girl" ("chica" means "girl"). I imagine using it as given name among non-Spanish speakers would be inspired by similar-sounding Spanish names like Bonita, Juanita, Lolita, etc.
This message was edited 7/12/2019, 2:22 PM
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Chica is the feminine of Chico "small, little", used as a substantive it means "little one", and is often used to refer to a child. Chiquita/Chiquito is a diminutive, a broad term that refers to noun forms (in this case formed with the -ita suffix) that have a range of meanings depending on context that can include belittling, diminution of force, or simply endearment.
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In European Spanish, chico/chica also means (young) boy/girl, so that's where I assumed the name came from.
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My point is that's not precisely correct. Chico/Chica "means" "little (one)", so it is often used when you might otherwise use a word that means more precisely "boy" or "girl". A source which says Chica means "girl" is an oversimplification. Equivalent terms would include "mon petit/ma petite", "little one" or "littlun", although the french terms have different connotations depending on the gender (although I could see some overlap between the usages of chica and "ma petite"). I also have to wonder how much the spanish terms contribute to the sense "young child, girl/young woman" for the English word "chick"
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Thank you, all!
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Perhaps the parents of your great-grandmother were inspired by the Chiquita banana? The company behind it was founded in 1899, which is only a few years before her birth:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiquita_Brands_International (in English)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiquita_Brands_International (in English)
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They didn't adopt that brand name until 1947 (per https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiquita_Brands_International#History ).
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