Paco is a Spanish nickname for

Francisco Francisco is the Spanish and Portuguese form of the masculine given name ''Franciscus''. Meaning of the name Francisco In Spanish, people with the name Francisco are sometimes nicknamed "Paco (name), Paco". Francis of Assisi, San Francisco de A ...

. According to

folk etymology Folk etymology – also known as (generative) popular etymology, analogical reformation, (morphological) reanalysis and etymological reinterpretation – is a change in a word or phrase resulting from the replacement of an unfamiliar form by a mo ...

, the nickname has its origins in Saint Francis of Assisi, who was the father of the

Franciscan The Franciscans are a group of related organizations in the Catholic Church, founded or inspired by the Italian saint Francis of Assisi. They include three independent Religious institute, religious orders for men (the Order of Friars Minor bei ...

order; his name was written in Latin by the order as (father of the community); hence "Paco" was supposedly obtained by taking the first syllable of each word. People with the nickname Paco include: * Paco Alcácer (born 1993), Spanish footballer * Paco Arespacochaga (born 1971), Portuguese singer * Paco Cabanes Pastor (1954–2021), Valencian pilota player *

Paco Calderón Francisco "Paco" Calderón (born 1959 in Mexico City) is a Mexican political cartoonist. He currently draws for the newspapers that belong to the Grupo Reforma. Calderón began his career in 1976 publishing in national newspaper ''El Heraldo de M� ...

(born 1959), Mexican political cartoonist * Paco Camino (1940–2024), Spanish bullfighter * Paco Craig (born 1965), American football player * Paco Craig (born 1992), English footballer *

Paco de Lucía Francisco Sánchez Gómez (; 21 December 194725 February 2014), known as Paco de Lucía (), was a Spanish virtuoso flamenco guitarist, composer, and record producer. A leading proponent of the new flamenco style, he was one of the first flamen ...

(1947–2014), Spanish flamenco guitarist and composer * Paco Decina (born 1955), Italian choreographer * Francisco Estévez (born 1945), Spanish composer * Paco Estrada (born 1980), American musician *

Francisco Gento Francisco "Paco" Gento López (21 October 1933 – 18 January 2022) was a Spanish association football, footballer who played as an outside left. A fast runner, Gento was referred to as the "Gale of the Cantabrian Sea" () in reference to his spee ...

(born 1933), Spanish footballer *

Paco Godia Francisco Godia Sales (21 March 1921 – 28 November 1990), better known as Paco Godia, was a Spanish racing driver. He drove intermittently in Formula One between and , participating in 14 World Championship Grands Prix and numerous non-Champ ...

(1921–1990), Spanish racing driver * Paco González (born 1966), Spanish sport journalist * Paco Herrera (born 1953), Spanish footballer * Paco Ibáñez (born 1934), Spanish singer *

Paco Jamandreu Francisco Vicente Jaumandreu, also known as Paco Jamandreu (October 17, 1925 – March 9, 1995) was an Argentine fashion designer and actor. He was a friend of Eva Perón and served as a costume designer on several Argentine films. Early l ...

(1925–1995), Argentine fashion designer and actor *

Paco Jémez Francisco "Paco" Jémez Martín (born 18 April 1970) is a Spanish football manager and former player who played as a central defender. He is the current manager of Ibiza. Over 11 seasons, he played 269 La Liga matches in representation of thre ...

(born 1970), Spanish footballer *

Paco León Francisco León Barrios (born 4 October 1974), known as Paco León () is a Spanish actor, producer, director, screenwriter and activist. Born in Seville, León began his career in television comedy roles in Andalusian regional productions. Follo ...

(born 1974), Spanish actor *

Francisco Llorente Gento Francisco "Paco" Llorente Gento (born 21 May 1965) is a Spanish former footballer who played mostly as a right winger. He amassed La Liga totals of 207 games and 11 goals over the course of 13 seasons, with Atlético Madrid, Real Madrid and ...

(born 1965), Spanish retired footballer *

Paco López (footballer) Francisco José "Paco" López Fernández (born 19 September 1967) is a Spanish football manager and former player who played as a forward. He is the current manager of CD Leganés. In his playing career, he achieved Segunda División totals o ...

(born 1967), Spanish football manager and former player *

Francisco Marhuenda Francisco "Paco" Marhuenda García (; born 1961) is a Spanish journalist, professor and former politician. Member of the People's Party Parliamentary Group in the Parliament of Catalonia between 1995 and 1996, he later worked in the staff of Ma ...

(born 1961), Spanish journalist, professor and former politician *

Paco Moncayo Paco Rosendo Moncayo Gallegos (born October 8, 1940) is an Ecuadorian politician and retired general who was Metropolitan Mayor of Quito from 2000 to 2009. Career During his military career, he was the Commander in Chief of the Army in the Alt ...

(born 1940), mayor of Quito, Ecuador *

Paco Peña Francisco Peña Pérez (born 1 June 1942), known as Paco Peña, is a Spanish flamenco guitarist, composer and director of his Flamenco Dance Company. He is regarded as one of the world's foremost traditional flamenco players. Biography Born i ...

(born 1942), Spanish flamenco guitarist *

Paco Rabanne Francisco Rabaneda Cuervo (18 February 1934 – 3 February 2023), more commonly known under the pseudonym of Paco Rabanne (; ), was a Spanish-born naturalised-French fashion designer. Rabanne rose to prominence as an ''enfant terrible'' of ...

(1934–2023), Spanish fashion designer *

Paco Rodriguez Steven Francis "Paco" Rodríguez (born April 16, 1991) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. Prior to playing professionally, Rodriguez attended the University of Florida, where he played college baseball for the Florida Gators. ...

(born 1991), American baseball player * Pape Demba "Paco" Samb, Senegalese-American griot * Paco Stanley (1942–1999), Mexican television entertainer and politician * Paco Ignacio Taibo I (1924–2008), Spanish/Mexican writer and journalist * Paco Ignacio Taibo II (born 1949), Spanish/Mexican writer, academic and politician * Paco Tous (born 1964), Spanish actor

References

{{given name Spanish-language hypocorisms Masculine hypocorisms

See also

References