[TI] Santo vs Salvator

[Elizabeth Budry]

In my family, there were six Salvatore's and six Elizabeth's.  My brother 
was Salvatore and I'm Elizabeth.  So at family gatherings when someone 
called, Sal or Sam, they would all stand up as we did when someone called 
Betty.  Ah, Italian naming traditions.

Your last comment, call me anything you want but don't call me late for 
dinner, was one my Dad always said.  Another was (after someone said, let's 
say Grace) he would say "who invited her?"  Ah, fond memories.

Elizabeth Budry
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Joseph Laiacona" <joseph at laiacona.org>
To: <terminiimerese at comunesofitaly.org>
Sent: Friday, March 28, 2008 8:15 AM
Subject: Re: [TI] Santo vs Salvator


> There are several circumstances at play in this what's your name 
> adventure.
> My great uncle Salvatore Battaglia was called Sylvester.
>
> First off, Italians in America very often wanted to sound American, so
> Italian names were changed into American ones. Remember that in WWII, 
> Italy
> was "the enemy" and Italian-Americans wanted to be known as Americans not
> Italians.
>
> OK here I oversimplify the situation.
>
> Remember too that at one time Italian Americans faced a great deal of
> prejudice and so wanted to pass as more American and less Italian in order
> to get ahead, get out of the ghetto, and be accepted. For my grandmother,
> for instance, Italy meant poverty and she was only too happy to have her
> children distance themselves from all of that.
>
> The other consideration has to do with confusion of names. The Italian
> naming convention of first born son being given the paternal grandfather's
> name meant that there were many children in an extended family with the 
> same
> name. My mother's brother was named Antonino, as were six of her cousins.
>
> With seven Antoninos in the family, you become very inventive as to how 
> you
> call someone. My uncle Antonino Francesco Pusateri, became Frank. I never
> knew he was Antonino until I began the genealogical quest. Other cousins
> were call Tony, Little Tony, Anthony, and Toniucci. My great uncle Syl and
> his brother Gus both married women named Josephine. I knew them both as 
> Aunt
> Josie, but in conversation one was called "The Big One" and the other was
> call "Josie from Uncle Gus."
>
> In researching the Longo family, I have found a "Innocenzo" Longo. He came
> to America. Now the census shows his name somewhat correctly if you give a
> bit of leeway for bad spelling and poor penmanship. It seems, though, that
> he was known as Vincent. Certainly Innocent would not be a common American
> name.... His son Salvatore was called Sam and named his first born son
> Vincent.
>
> My cousin was named Anna Rose, after both of her grandmothers, Anna being
> the maternal side, Rose being the paternal. My grandmother (and hers)
> somewhat insisted that we all call here Anna Rose, which we did. Now that
> grandma isn't around to enforce it, she is known as Ann.
>
> As a matter of fact, our parents (at least since that how it was for those
> who had immigrant grandparents and American-born parents, are the ones who
> began to obliterate the naming conventions. Hence I am Joseph, when I 
> should
> have been Nicolo, but since I already had a cousin Nicholas, my parents 
> went
> for my father's name, kinda. On the other hand I'm Joseph, not Giuseppe. 
> He
> was Giuseppe but you'd never know it from talking to him.
>
> In any case, call me anything you like but please don't call me late for
> dinner.
>
> Joe
>
>
>
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