Almost half of the Vietnamese population has the nickname “Nguyễn”… but in the city of Hồ there is another nickname that earns. Almost all people share a name.
In many places, having a common name can be inconvenience. There is a risk of being confused with someone else; accused of something we did not do; to receive the replaced correspondence; etc.
Now imagine yourself to live in a place where most inhabitants have exactly the same nickname.
This is the case of Lakea village with about 16 thousand inhabitants in the south Vietnamewhere almost all residents share the Apelido “lake”.
As it counts, the predominance of the nickname “Hồ” in the village has deeply historical roots; And for the residents of Hồ, sharing the same nickname is a symbol of belonging and identity.
In Vietnam, it is common for whole families to share a nickname transmitted from generation to generation. This is even more common in smaller communities, where residents descend from the same ancestor.
Village founded by a single family
No case of hồ, to Vila was founded by a single family which grew and expanded over the centuries and remained in the same place. As a result, currently, Almost all inhabitants have the same nickname.
In Vietnam (and redundancy) it is common to have common nicknames. The most famous case is the nickname “Nguyễn” – About 40% of the Vietnamese population It has this nickname.
Still, few cities have such a high concentration of a single name as Hồ – Where it earns the nickname “Hồ”.
According to the Brazilian post office, There are several “tricks” For people not to be confused by the name:
- Nicknames and titles;
- Use of complete names
- Identification by the names of parents.
Due to this historical trend of repetition of nicknamesin Vietname, the registrations and documents require additional detailsso that confusion are avoided.
Nevertheless, as the Braziliense Correio Speed, while in many places in the world people try to differentiate themselves, in Hồ, the shared nickname is a source of pride, reinforcing the sense of community and history among residents.
The Andrades of Andrelândia
No Brazilthere is a city where it is estimated that 60% two inhabitants Have the same nickname: Andrade. This city is called… Andrelandia.
As it tells, the history of colonization and geographical isolation, which mark this small town of State of Minas Geraiswith about 12 thousand inhabitants, contributed to this peculiarity.
A small number of families-all with the surname “Andrade”-will have been established in this region for over 150 years.
Since then, geographical isolation has contributed to marriages to occur predominantly among descendants of the same lineage, perpetuating the surname over the generations.
But you don’t have to go so far. Also in Portugal there are nicknames characteristic almost exclusively linked to regions, cities, villages and villages.
