16 replies to this topic

[ensign14]

Quick question for our Latin American colleagues, prompted by the World Cup; Brazilian footballers have been known by one-name pseudonyms (like Pele, Leonidas, Vava) since at least the 1930s. However Brazilian racing drivers always seem to have 2 names, which look like 'normal' names even if they are pseudonyms (Nelson Piquet). Is there any reason why there are no 'Peles' in Formula 1?

[Chico Landi]

Well, I believe it's hard to find an 'official' explanation, but let's try anyway:

In Europe, in the everyday life, people use a lot their family names. Except at home or among friends, "Joe White" is called Mr. White, messieur Blanc, Herr Weiß, for example. In Brazil, whether in the close circle or officially, "José Branco" is usually called by his first name: so he can be José (or just "Zé", a nick name) among friends and relatives, and "senhor José" (Mr. José) at his office, at the bank and so on and so on. He would be hardly called Mr. Branco, except in very formal occasions (and brazilians HATE formalities!).

The point is that, for brazilians, the first name have often more value as the family name. Also nicknames have a strong value. So, when Pelé started to play soccer, age of 7, he probably said to the coach "I'm Pelé", not "Edson" or "senhor Nascimento". Same thing with Ronaldo, whom I believe was never called "senhor Nazário".

In motorsports, however, I believe the tradition called for complete names. In brazilian motorsports history pre 70's (when Emerson conquered the World), 95% of the drivers raced under their complete names, even those who were well-known among their friends by their nicknames (Emerson was "Rato", Carlos Pace was "Moco" - but they always raced under their complete names). There were only a few exceptions, such as "Volante 13", "Bigode" or "Von Stuck" - all of them nicknames.

The reason? No idea. Probably because since motorsport became more serious in Brazil, in the 30's, the Automóvel Clube do Brasil wanted to follow the european traditions and made the driver's inscriptions under complete names only. Something that the brazilian football association never cared (the first brazilian football stars, in the 10's, were already known only by one name, like "Araken" or "Friedenreich" - who some say that was even better than Pelé). Maybe there is the explanation...

[Chico Landi]

By the way, "Nelson Piquet" was not a pseudonym. When he was younger, he raced under the name "Nelson Piket" to cheat his parents. But Piquet is his real name.

[fines]

In more recent times, there have been "Alencar Jr." (real name not known) and "Constantino Jr." (Constantino Oliveira). Probably also a social phenomenon.

[pc13]

I think it has to do with the upbringing. Although football/soccer started as a rich man's game, its inexpensibility (is that a word?) made it easy for the masses to catch on and start playing the game, with friends playing football amongst themselves, and naturally referring to each other by first name or nickname.

Auto racing, on the other hand, still requires large amounts of money, so it's always been a ground for society's upper strata to play on, who wish to be recognized by their full name, and especially by the family name.

There's also the fact that in Portuguese speaking countries, unlike most other european based cultures, people are usually called Mr. First Name instead of Mr. Family Name.

pc13

[Stefan Ornerdal]

Interesting.

And why so many first names, which to most of us sounds like family names: Emerson, Wilson, Nelson, Edison, Robson... ?

Senhor Stefan

[Chris Skepis]

Back in the 60's, Wilson Fittipaldi was known as " Tigrão " which means Big Tiger.
Brazilians also love to use diminutive to nickname people. Rubens Barrichelo "Rubinho",
Felipe Massa "Massinha", Wilson Fittipaldi "Wilsinho", Nelson Piquet " Nelsinho ". All of this '..inho/a'
means 'little', like Little Nelson, Little Rubens.... etc...
Brazilians also have the strange habit to name people with family names as first name. But the guy who sings in a British band called Oasis named his son Lennon ( his first name), and the son of Yes guitarrist Steve Howie is called Dylan Howie. Lennon and Dylan are family names.

[Vicuna]

So how did Socrates, captain of the '82 Brazilian World Cup team, get his 'name'?

[Rainer Nyberg]

[William Hunt]

Originally posted by Chico Landi
By the way, "Nelson Piquet" was not a pseudonym. When he was younger, he raced under the name "Nelson Piket" to cheat his parents. But Piquet is his real name.

Piquet was the last name of his mother, not his father. His father was a politician and wanted his son to become a tennisplayer (Nelson was talented at tennis). His father didn't like car racing.

So he started racing behind their back and used his mother's name Piquet !

[Chris Skepis]

Belive it or not, I've seen brazilians from the north east part of Brazil called Waldisney (Walt Disney ) and worse of all I've seen one called Usnavy dos Santos ( Usnavy is after what they saw
on the wings of American war planes U.S Navy. ( I swear to God I'm not lying ).
About Piquet, I am really sure that Piquet/ Piket were just nicknames to avoid disaproval from his family. His real name is Nelson Souto Maior.

[cheesy poofs]

Rainer,

That is a very interesting looking picture of Nelson Piquet !!

You can clearly see the basic design of what would later become
the final colors of his trademark helmet.

Can you tell me what year this was and where it was taken ?

Regards,

[Rainer Nyberg]

I need help with that picture, Felix...?

Probably from his F3 days?

[Chico Landi]

Rainer,
This picture is from 1974, when Piquet competed for the first time in the brazilian Formula Super Vee, which was also in it's first year.

Chris,
Williams is right, Piquet is his mother's family name and is also included in his whole name (Nelson Piquet Souto Maior). Also "Senna" is Ayrton's mother family name. His whole name is Ayrton Senna da Silva. Brazilians quite often (almost always) have both mother's and father's family names.

Vicuna,
Believe or not, Socrates is the player's REAL name. His parents were more or less fans of greek philosophy, and he have brothers named Sofocles and Aristoteles. By the way, he have probably one of the longest names in brazilian "long names history": Sócrates Brasileiro Sampaio de Souza Vieira de Oliveira - that's his whole name!!!

[ensign14]

There are a few Greek names in Brazilian football history - one of the early greats was a chap called Leonidas.

BTW, I always heard of Friedenreich as Artur Friedenreich and that he had a German father - which was enough to play in the Brazilian team in the less enlightened times when black players were banned. Friedenreich reputedly scored over 1300 goals in competitive games.

[cheesy poofs]

Thanks to both Rainer and Chico for that info.

However, do you know when Piquet changed his helmet colors to white and red as we came to know it ?

[Mac Lark]

I once read that Nelson referred to his helmet colours as orange and white whereas it always seemed red and white.

From that photo I now see why he referred to orange.

I also remember Socrates from that great team along with 'Junior', 'Falcao', and of course the incompareable 'Zico'.

And I'm a rugby man!