Hacker Newsnew | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submitlogin

Talk about turning your luck around...

Somehow not mentioned in the Wiki page, but Guerrero actually means Warrior in Spanish. So I get the last name comes from him (?), unverifiable of course.

EDIT: Several people pointed out that the surname “Guerrero” has existed in Spain long before the 1500s, so my guess about it originating with Gonzalo Guerrero was off. Thanks for the corrections—leaving the rest of my comment for context.



"Guerrero" is a common last name in Spain.


How did you come to that conclusion? The last name Guerrero predates the 1500s by centuries.


There's that lovely phenomenon, I can't recall the name, of people that live to their name. Like a cook who's named Jon Cook, a gardener who's named Phil Gardener, you get it.

So this.


nominative determinism


Well, it may surprise you to know that surnames such as "Cook" and "Butler" are occupational and actually derive from men, centuries ago, who were actually cooks or butlers and eventually coined a newfound surname from that occupation (which may often be passed down father-to-son.)

So if a modern fellow is named "Jon Cook" it may indeed be a regression hearkening back to one or more of his ancestors and how they were named.

I am more accustomed to "nominative determinism" being associated with a person's given name, and how they grow up to take on a given role.



It's name itself serving as a kind of fate for what it refers to


Is that "bootstrapping"?


Or a librarian named Mr Bookman.


"Guerrero" comes from Spanish "guerra", which is cognate to English "war". They both derive from a common proto-Germanic root.


Why would the last name come from him and not the other way?




Consider applying for YC's Winter 2026 batch! Applications are open till Nov 10

Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: