because of the difficulty of the birth; Malacas,
which signifies "strong," for it is thought that the infant will be
strong. This is like the custom of the Hebrews, as appears from Holy
Writ. At other times the name was given without any hidden meaning,
from the first thing that struck the fancy, as Daan, which signifies
"road," and Damo, signifying "grass." They were called by those names,
without the use of any surname, until they were married. Then the first
son or daughter gave the surname to the parents, as Amani Maliuag,
Ynani Malacas, "the father of Maliuag," "the mother of Malacas." The
names of women are differentiated from those of men by adding the
syllable "in," as Ilog, "river;" Si Ilog, the name of a male; Si
Iloguin, the name of a female. They used very tender diminutives
for the children, in our manner. Among themselves they had certain
domestic and delicate appellations of various sorts for the different
degrees of relationship--as that of a child for his father and mother,
and vice versa. In the same way [they have appellations] for their
ancestors, descendants, and collaterals. This shows the abundance,
elegance, and courtesy of this language. It is a general thing in all
these nations not to have special family names which are perpetuated
to their successors, but each individual has the simple name that
is given him at birth. At present this name serves as surname,
and the peculiar name is the Christian name of Juan or Pedro which
is imposed at baptism. However, there are now mothers so Christian
and civilized that they will not assign any secular name to their
children until the Christian name has been given in baptism, [17]
and then the surname is added, although it has already been chosen
after consultation with the parents and relatives. In place of our
"Don" (which indeed has been assigned to them with as much abuse as
among ourselves), in some districts they formerly placed before their
names, Lacan or Gat: as the Moluccans use Cachil, the Africans Muley,
the Turks Sultan, etc. The "Don" of the women is not Lacan or Gat, but
Dayang, Dayang Mati, Dayang Sanguy, i.e., "Dona Mati," "Dona Sanguy."

There is general distaste among our Tagalogs to mention one another
among themselves by their own names alone, without adding something
which smells of courtesy. When they are asked by the Spaniards "Who is
So-and-so?" and they cannot avoid naming him by his own name, they do
it with a certain shameface