Santos as a female name

[ckevans]

I just had my first Introductory Psychology class of the semester and was surprised because the student I have in that class whose first name is Santos turned out to be a young woman. I had never run across Santos used as a female name before.



For those of you who know about Hispanic culture: Would this woman's parents be considered eccentric in Mexico or Puerto Rico for naming her Santos? Or does the fact that the name means "saints" and was originally given to children born on All Saints' Day mean that people in Hispanic cultures would think of Santos as a prime example of a "unisex" name, even if it's mostly been given to males? :)

[texasprincess]

I'm the opposite. My grandma's name is Santos so I always knew it as a female name. The first time I met a male Santos was I just figured the name was unisex. I'm not sure why her parents named her that I will have to ask her and see if she knows. I do know that she was born in the US though. (I think?)

[alleigh76]

Although the o makes it appear to be a male name, I believe that it is unisex. Another such name is Rosario, which is odd in that it looks like a boy name but, since it starts with Rosa, feels more like a girl name.

Sometimes things just don't make sense. :)

[lacascada]

I think Rosario is female in the way that Dolores, Lourdes, Pilar, Guadalupe, etc. are female, because it's shorthand for "Our Lady of..."

Rosario means rosary.

I am not latino, but I speak Spanish, and work with a lot of Spanish-speaking people. I've never seen a female Santos.