According to the National Institute of Statistics, Geography and Informatics (INEGI), José is one of the 500 most popular proper names in Mexico, with José Luis being the twentieth most registered from 2017 to 2020. However, we do not know why they are called Pepe.
The most popular theory about the origin of the name Pepe
There are several theories regarding the origin of Pepe. The most widespread is that Pepe comes from the Latin acronym Pater Putativus, Putative Father or PP which means alleged father.
And it is that in the Bible and in numerous texts, Saint Joseph, husband of Mary, mother of Jesus, is designated as Sanctus Josefus Pater Putativus Christi. Later, the expression Pater Putativus was replaced by the acronym PP
This abbreviated expression, PP, was included in the missals that parishioners read at the Eucharist; it was the way to clarify the personality of San José every time he was named in it. However, since the liturgy was in Latin, the Sanctus Josefus PP Christi was transformed over time into the Pepe.
Nowadays, in the Spanish calendars, March 19 is designated the day of San José PP, and by the way, it is the date on which Father’s Day is celebrated in Spain. In Mexico this day is commemorated on the third Sunday of June.
another hypothesis
Less accepted is the theory that Pepe is a shortened version of José’s old name in Spanish, which was Josepe, as it appears in ancient texts, from the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. Just as it happens in Italy with Giuseppe, who has the names of Peppe, Beppe or Geppe, phonetically close to the name.
In any case, the nicknames and their origins are a good reminder that language changes day by day.
And you, how many Pepes do you know?