More Easy Techniques for Memorizing Names in Spanish

Memorizing Names in Spanish

In the previous, part two segment of this three-part series entitled, "Quick Tricks for Memorizing Names in Spanish", we began with examples of easy ways to memorize last names in Spanish. Remember that these techniques can also be easily applied to memorizing first names or last names in ANY language based on their sounds. Here, in this final article post segment, are more examples of memorization techniques for common last names in Spanish.

The name Ocampo makes me picture “camping”. Señor Ocampo with his big nose (or other prominent feature) goes camping and his nose is sticking out of the tent because it’s so big.

Palacios is the same as “palace”. If you can picture the person or their prominent features associated with a palace, you’re home free with remembering their last name.

Rojas sounds much like “rojo”, the Spanish Word for the color “red”. Paint the person’s face a really bright red (in your mind!) and when you “see” them you’ll always picture the bright red color for their name – Rojas.

Quesada is an easy one for me to remember because it sounds very close to “queso”, the Spanish Word for “cheese” (also a cheese called cuajada). What kind of association could you make knowing that? Mine is really funny. Humor is an excellent tool for using as a memory aid. Nope, I won’t tell you mine. You’ll have to make up your own. It’ll be much better if you do.

The last name Toro is also the Spanish Word for “bull”. Knowing that, you should have little trouble picturing the person and associating their most prominent features with their name.

Torres, a name which is also the word “tower” in Spanish, is another fairly easy association to produce. If you play chess, the person might be the rook.

Uribe is the name of the current President of Colombia. I picture President Alvaro Uribe Velez with his arm around the person’s shoulder, make the person’s prominent features even more prominent and my association is well under way.

Valdez You’ve almost certainly heard of Juan Valdez, (pictured above) the arriero who symbolizes Colombian coffee, haven’t you? Well just associate him and his mules with the person whose name you want to remember and you’ll have a powerful, visual memory aid to recalling their name instantly at a glance.

Vélez is a last name similar in sound to “vela”, the Word for “candle” in Spanish. Picture the person with their head decorated with candles or completely covered with candles. Accentuate some of the person’s facial features. See the little flames burning on each candle? Now you won’t ever forget their last name, now will you?

The common last name of Zapata is very close to the word “zapato” which in Spanish means “shoe”. Imagine the person wearing a very large shoe for a hat, perhaps or getting hit in the head by a big floppy shoe. How about getting hit by the shoe, picking it up, and then putting it on their head as a hat? The funnier, more graphic, sillier and outrageous your image is, the better it will ultimately act as a memory aid for you. You might likewise consider an association to the famous Mexican freedom fighter Emiliano Zapata.

These examples of keys to aid in memorizing some of the 85 more common last names in Spanish are only the tip of the proverbial iceberg. As you begin to memorize first and last names by associating images with prominent physical or personality characteristics of the people you meet with those names, the process will become increasingly easier and faster.

Memorizing Names in Spanish and Other Foreign Languages

Remember, we said before that you can use images of famous people or their occupations to help you associate people whose names you want to recall. The process will effectively operate no matter what types of names you’ll need to recall. You just need to be as imaginative (and outrageous) as possible in forming your name to face associations to make them more effective.


Prof. Larry M. Lynch is an EFL Teacher Trainer, Intellectual Development Specialist, author and speaker. He has written ESP, foreign language learning, English language teaching texts and hundreds of articles used in more than 125 countries worldwide. Get your FREE, pdf format report on CD or via e-mail, "Creative, Dynamic Ways to Motivate and Teach English as a Foreign Language to Diverse Groups of Reluctant Learners" by requesting the title at: lynchlarrym@gmail.com

Quick Tricks for Memorizing Names in Spanish

A Guinness Book of Records Mentalist Recommends

Guinness Book of Records Mentalist Enrique Ortega Salinas often memorizes 60 to 100 or more first and last names at once, and suggests that you “begin to memorize first and last names by associating images with prominent physical or personality characteristics of people you meet with those names”. Other association types might include using images of famous people or their occupations.

Here, in Part Two of this three-part article post series, are some examples that will help to illustrate the process continuing from part one entitled, “How English Teachers Can Learn EFL Student Names”.

The last name Arboleda is partly like the word “arbol” meaning “tree” in Spanish. You might picture a tree growing out of the person’s head or ear or other prominent facial feature.

Bermúdez is rather like the island country of Bermuda. If you can link a person named Bermúdez with the island of Bermuda, you’ll certainly never forget their name.

Castillo sounds a bit similar to “castle” which is the meaning of the name in Spanish. Picture the person in a castle or coming out of one.

The name Castro is almost always associated with the Cuban dictator Fidel Castro. Picture his long beard, moustache and military uniform. Find a way to mentally associate the person with Fidel and you’ll surely have a much easier time recalling their name when you need to.

Delgado can mean “thin” or “slender” in Spanish so you might Picture the person being excessively thin or being squeezed thin to help you remember the name.

The last name Díaz has nearly the same sound as “dias”, the Spanish Word for “day”. It’s like the expression, “Buenos Dias” or literally “Good Day” which is used as “Good Morning” in Latin countries. Or associate the person with actress Cameron Diaz.

Domínguez sounds almost the same as “domingo”, the Spanish Word for “Sunday”. Picture the person at church, coming out of mass or in another way relate them to Sunday as an aid to memorizing their name.
Duque is pronounced like “duke –ay” in English. Make a mental image of a royal Duke and associate it with a prominent physical feature or characteristic of the person you’re trying to remember. It always works for me.

Flores is the Word for “flowers” in Spanish so creating a related memory image to remember a person with this name shouldn’t be too difficult. Just picture the person holding your favorite bouquet!

To remember a person named Gómez if you like chewing gum, just imagine the person chewing a huge wad of gum. See how their jaw sticks out from the wad they’re chomping. It’s kind of humorous isn’t it? Great! That’ll help you to remember their name.

The last name Hoyos reminds me of a “hole”. You might picture the person climbing out of a hole, digging one – or falling into one. How about the person digging a hole, falling into it, then climbing out of the hole, sort of like a mini-movie? Be sure to include imagery involving a prominent feature of the person to aid in linking the person’s face and name in your mind.

How about imagining a person named Londoño (pronounced Lon-don-yo) with the city of London? You could paint all kinds of imagery with this scenario. Use Big Ben, Tower Bridge, Buckingham Palace, the London Eye or the Tower of London, even the faces of Queen Elizabeth, Prince Charles or Lady Diana to help your association along.

Mosquera is a common last name among Black families. The name sounds a lot like “mosca”, the Spanish word for “fly”. Picture the pesky insects flying all around the person’s face you want to remember or picture “Spanish fly”.

Coming Up in Part Three of Memorizing Names in Spanish

In the next and final part of this three-part series entitled, “More Easy Techniques for Memorizing Names in Spanish”, we’ll continue to look at more examples of easy ways to memorize last names in Spanish. Remember that these techniques can also be easily applied to memorizing first names or last names in ANY language based on their sounds.

See you then.


Prof. Larry M. Lynch is an EFL Teacher Trainer, Intellectual Development Specialist, author and speaker. He has written ESP, foreign language learning, English language teaching texts and hundreds of articles used in more than 125 countries worldwide. Get your FREE, pdf format report on CD or via e-mail, "Creative, Dynamic Ways to Motivate and Teach English as a Foreign Language to Diverse Groups of Reluctant Learners" by requesting the title at: lynchlarrym@gmail.com