I had noticed this but hadn’t given it great thought. Filipinos have unusual given names, or often go by nicknames.

It probably was Benjamin, our preferred Filipino taxi driver, who brought this home to me, on the shores of the UAE.

During the Philippines elections, “Benji” (as he was known to co-workers, but also as “BaBa”) routinely referred to a leading presidential candidate as “Noynoy” — which seemed a little familiar for the scion of a prominent political family, Benigno Aquino. Turns out that “Noynoy” is a fairly common (if repetitive) variation on “Benigno.”

But it has become clear that nearly everyone in the Philippines has a nickname, and often not a flattering one.

A BBC correspondent took a more in-depth look at the topic in this story.

She notes that she knows people named Bing, Bong, Dinky and Dunce. And BumBum.

The gist of it seems to be that Filipinos often prefer the same given name throughout a family, so they need to differentiate which “Roberto” they are talking about.

They also seem to have a bit of the Native American overlay. To wit: Giving a nickname based on behavior or appearance that can be observed in the individual. For example, the hefty basketball player known as Extra Rice. (And for an enormous list of Filipino nicknames, check this compilation of second names for basketball players.)

The culture also has significant influences from a variety of cultures, from Spanish to American to Chinese.

What I like about the naming practice is that it connotes that Filipinos embrace a high degree of familiarity. That seems healthy. The less seriously we take ourselves, the better.