The dukes of Huéscar baptized their second daughter this past weekend. The little girl has received a surprising name, which has caused astonishment on networks: Sofía Fernanda Dolores Cayetana Teresa Ángela de la Cruz Micaela del Santísimo Sacramento del Perpetuo Socorro de la Santísima Trinidad y de Todos Los Santos; a name that would not be accepted by the Civil Registry.
As indicated in their registration requirements, in Spain it is not allowed to have more than one compound name: “It must be taken into account that you cannot designate more than one compound name nor more than two simple ones” states the Civil Registry.
This rule, therefore, would not allow the Dukes of Huéscar to use more than five simple names when naming their daughter, even though it pays tribute to the late Duchess of Alba, and other members of the family, including religious devotions.
The event was attended by several members of the Alba family. Cayetano Martínez de Irujo, cousin of Duke De Alba, expressed his concerns about the situation with his brothers, but stressed that the day was to celebrate, leaving aside family tension.
Despite this surprising choice by the Dukes of Huéscar, the truth is that compound names are no longer in fashion. In the 1960s, almost half of the population (47.8%) had a compound name, while in 2010 this figure dropped to 14%.
According to statistics from the National Statistics Institute (INE), María Carmen is the most used name in women, reaching more than six hundred thousand. María follows, with half a million and Carmen with just over three hundred thousand. As for men, the names that top the list are Antonio, Manuel and José with more than half a million each.
