Is it really that popular a tradition for Latino parents to recycle names when thinking of what to call their children? In the case of Eva Mendes, it’s quite natural. Mendes, 42, who just gave birth to her and husband Ryan Gosling’s second child, did just that.
“It’s not unusual to reuse names in Latin culture,”
Eva pointed out,
“I used to know five sisters that were all Maria.”
Eva’s first child’s name is Esmeralda Amada. She liked the name Amada so much that she ended up incorporating it into her second daughter’s name. Enter Amada Lee Gosling.
“We had a few names picked out for our new baby,”
Mendes explained,
“We didn’t feel like those names were her.”
Mendes, of Cuban heritage, is looking to enjoy her time with her daughters while connecting them with their heritage. All Eva has to do is research her grandmother, who also was called Amada. It appears that culture truly can be sustained through a name.
