My full name is José Antonio Zamudio Amaya. That is what you will see on my papers and my CV. If we have met, though, you probably know me as Pepe Zamudio.
Outside Spain, this sometimes needs explaining. There is no p in José, let alone two. In Spanish, though, Pepe is a familiar name for José. It is what linguists call a hipocorístico: a name people use with affection or familiarity. Paco for Francisco is another one.
One popular explanation takes a detour through Spain’s Catholic history. Saint Joseph—San José—was described in Latin as pater putativus, the man regarded as Jesus’s father. The initials P. P., read aloud in Spanish, sound like Pepe. It is a neat story, and it is easy to remember.
It may not be the whole linguistic story. An Instituto Cervantes article recounts the P. P. explanation but also mentions a possible route through the Italian Giuseppe. The article calls the origin less clear than the nickname’s everyday use. I like the story, but I would rather tell it as one explanation than pretend the question is settled.
I chose pepezamudio.com because Pepe is what people call me. José Antonio is still the name on the papers. If you search for either, I hope you find the same person here.