If Spaniards could rename themselves: heroes, titles and humor

The whim of renaming yourself: from Conan to Imperial Highness

Most Spaniards carry a name chosen by someone else. But if we could pick our own, what would we call ourselves? An informal survey shows the answers split between fictional heroes, imperial nobility and unapologetic jokes. Some go for conquerors like Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba or Blas de Lezo, others prefer literary figures like Diógenes Trimegisto, and there is no shortage of pop culture picks: Conan, Han Solo or David Ace von Tone.

A dash of humor and provocation

The tone also leans toward irony. Some participants choose names bordering on the absurd, mixing delusions of grandeur with a knowing wink. The trend reflects a longing for an idealized identity: that of the warrior, the aristocrat or the antihero. It is no coincidence that noble titles and epic epithets abound.

Dreamed identity vs. real identity

This dynamic is nothing new. Choosing your own name, when possible, reveals deep aspirations. Picking "Federico Martín Bahamontes" or "Juan de Austria" is not just a whim: it declares an allegiance to a glorious past or a model of success. The roguish humor of some names, however, shows there is also room for self-parody. In the end, the name we would choose says more about how we want to be seen than about who we really are.

With these results, the conclusion is clear: if we could change our names, many Spaniards would be heroes, nobles or simply irreverent. But most will stay Alberto, José or María. The desire, though, remains.