Why Do So Many Cuban Names Start With Y? | PLMTY Ep398

Why do so many Cuban names begin with Y? How did George Michael possibly become “Yo Michael”? In Episode 398 of Pero Let Me Tell You, DJ is back, and with less hair. We congratulate everyone involved in Muerto de Risa: Álvarez Guedes before diving headfirst into the Instagram comments section. What began as a conversation about Mario Lopez quickly became a much larger debate about Latino identity, code-switching, and who gets to decide whether someone is “Latino enough.” We also examine an official definition of “first generation” that is just plain wrong—and wildly inaccurate. Then we enter the wonderfully complicated world of Cuban and Caribbean naming traditions. Our ability to list Cuban names beginning with Y is pretty uncanny, George Michael somehow becomes “Yo Michael,” and we investigate why every Caribbean family appears to have at least one Junior. Plus: more DJ parent stories, Boney M bops, and a top Miami athletes list without Dan Marino or Michael Jordan—which is also just plain wrong. Felicidades, Spain—but that World Cup halftime show was meh at best. BTS absolutely should have performed something in Korean, creepy children singing need to stop, and Martika deserves her flowers. We also establish an important musical distinction: there’s cheesy—and then there’s “Butterfly Kisses.” For the Last Soda, we reflect on the rare sense of unity created by the World Cup and share what’s happening on the Primas Pero Not Really podcast. Tell us in the comments: What’s the wildest Cuban Y-name you’ve ever heard, and which athletes belong on Miami’s Mount Rushmore? #PeroLetMeTellYou #CubanCulture #Miami #worldcup #mariolopez #instagram #cuba #firstgeneration ------------------------------------------------------------ Follow us on social media for the latest updates! 📌 Instagram Pero Let Me Tell You:   / peroletmetellyou   📌 Instagram Cultura Talks:   / culturatalks   📌 TikTok Cultura Talks:   / culturatalks   👕Pero Let Me Tell You Shop🛍️: https://www.teepublic.com/stores/pero... 👍 Don’t forget to subscribe and follow "Pero Let Me Tell You" on your favorite platform ------------------------------------------------------------- Pero…Let Me Tell You The podcast about humor, nostalgia, and Latin identity One episode every FRIDAY 🎥 All full episodes :    • The Wrestler Who Helped Bring Las Rosas Ba...   ------------------------------------------------------------- 📺 YouTube: Cultura Media House 🏆 Are you a brand? Want to appear in an episode? 💌 Bookings or inquiries: [email protected] ► Instagram Cultura Media House:   / culturamediahouse   ------------------------------------------------------------ Chapters 00:00 - Pero Let Me Tell You 09:14 - The Mario Lopez Comments Got Personal 17:33 - Why Cuban Parents Love Boney M 22:08 - DJ’s Parents Break Uber 32:12 - Miami’s Greatest Athletes of All Time 41:51 - The World Cup Halftime Show Was Meh 53:26 - Why Do So Many Cuban Names Start With Y? 1:06:05 - El Puma, Madonna and ABBA 1:16:50 - Last Soda: The World Cup Brought People Together